Maine reservist dies in Iraq

Thursday, July 3, 2003

By JEN FISH, Portland Press Herald Writer

An Army reservist from Kennebunk became the fifth soldier with Maine ties to die in Iraq after his Humvee ran into a ditch.

First Sgt. Christopher Coffin, 51, of Kennebunk, was a member of 352nd Civil Affairs Command assisting convoys traveling between Baghdad and Kuwait when he died Tuesday, his sister-in-law, Candy Barr Heimbach, said Wednesday.

The Army initially told the family Tuesday night that Coffin was driving a vehicle that crashed after swerving to avoid an Iraqi civilian vehicle.

But the family asked for an investigation into the incident after news reports based on an Army statement indicated a member of the same unit died after a rocket-propelled grenade hit a truck during an ambush outside Baghdad.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Wednesday she received assurances from the Army that there will be a full investigation.

Coffin had been in Iraq for more than four months, according to Heimbach, who lives in Bethlehem, Pa.

Heimbach said Coffin was able to speak with his family frequently. "He talked to my sister all the time; every chance he could get to call her he would, to tell her he loved her and would be home soon," she said.

Four other soldiers with family ties to Maine have died in the conflict.

Maj. Jay Aubin, who was among the first U.S. dead in the war with Iraq, grew up in Skowhegan. He was killed when the CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter he was piloting crashed in Kuwait, killing 12 U.S. and British Marines.

One of those aboard was Marine Cpl. Brian Kennedy of Houston, whose mother lives in the village of Port Clyde in the town of St. George.

Spc. Daniel Francis J. Cunningham of Lewiston died along with two other soldiers in April when their vehicle fell into a ravine.

Lance Cpl. Cedric E. Bruns, whose grandparents live in Bangor, died in a collision between two U.S. military vehicles in May.

Heimbach said her brother-in-law served willingly, though he had wanted to retire from the reserves before being deployed to Iraq.

Coffin just returned last year from serving in Kosovo, and Heimbach said the family was extremely surprised that he was called up again so quickly.

"It was not his hope to be over there now," she said. "But he was a patriot in every sense of the word and he felt it was his duty to answer when his country called."

She said her brother-in-law was not ashamed to admit that he and other members of the unit were scared because of the increased attacks on American soldiers, though his unit was not part of a combat division.

"They were not expected to see any kind of action at all," she said. "They were there to help rebuild."

Heimbach said the family suspects that Coffin was actually fleeing hostile fire, but there has been no official confirmation of that. She said she believes two other soldiers were wounded along with Coffin.

In her statement promising a thorough investigation, Collins said Coffin's "courage and dedication to defend freedom across the world will be an important and everlasting legacy of which his family and the country can be proud."

U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine, also issued a statement relaying his condolences to the family.

"Everyone in Maine deeply appreciates the sacrifice Sergeant Coffin made on our behalf," Allen said.

Before being deployed to Iraq, Coffin worked as a police officer at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.

Coffin and his wife, Betsy, moved to Kennebunk 15 years ago, said Heimbach. He was raised in Summerville, N.J., and still has family there.

Although he and his wife had no children, they were devoted to their six nieces and nephews. Heimbach's two sons recently received embroidered hats from their uncle for their birthday.

Coffin was a talented woodworker and an outdoorsman who worked as a search-and-rescue park warden in several national parks before moving to Maine, Heimbach said.

"He was a very loving, giving man who found a soulmate in my sister," Heimbach said. They were the light of each other's lives." The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Staff Writer Jen Fish can be contacted at 282-8229 or at: jfish@pressherald.com

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