Biography:
Marine Cpl. David Sonka, of Parker, and his K-9, Flex,
Killed in Combat Operations in Afghanistan
Marine Cpl. David M. Sonka David M. Sonka, 23, of Parker, Colorado, a Corporal USMC, was killed in action in Afghanistan on May 4, 2013
Husband of Torey Nicol-Sonka. Son of Kevin and Kim Sonka, Donna Francis and Glenn Beine. Brother of Matthew Sonka, Ashley Yerina, Devynn Yerina, Torrey Sonka. Son-in-law of John and Lianne Nicol. Brother-in-law of Josh Nicol. Grandson of Nancy Francis, Elaine Sonka, Phyllis Herd, Joan Beine, John and Barbara Nicol, Jim and Peg Wright. Visitation, Wednesday, 3:00-7:00pm, Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 5303 E. County Line Rd., Centennial. Funeral Service, Thursday, 10:00am, Mission Hills Church, 620 SouthPark Dr., Littleton. Interment, Ft. Logan National Cemetery. Memorial donations suggested to Wounded Warrior Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org or Feed the Dawgs Project, P.O.
Box 533, Mentone, CA 92359-0533. Marine Cpl. David M. Sonka
Died May 4, 2013 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom
23, of Parker, Colo.; assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Bn,
Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 4, while conducting combat operations in
Farah province, Afghanistan. The incident is under investigation. Also
killed was Marine Staff Sgt. Eric D. Christian.
Marine special operators killed in apparent insider attack
By Dan Lamothe/Marine Times
Two members of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command died
Saturday in an apparent insider attack by a soldier with the Afghan
National Army.
Staff Sgt. Eric Christian, 39, and Cpl. David Sonka, 23, were killed
while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan’s Farah province, the
Defense Department said in a news release Monday. Both men were assigned
to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Marine officials declined to say how Christian and Sonka died, but the
International Security Assistance Force said Saturday that two service
members were killed when an Afghan soldier turned his weapon against
them. The incident remains under investigation, Marine officials said.
Christian, of Warwick, N.Y., was a counterintelligence/human
intelligence specialist, according to a biography released by MARSOC. He
joined the command last May, and had been in the Corps since May 2004.
Sonka, of Parker, Colo., was a multi-purpose canine handler. He joined
the Corps in August 2008, and moved into MARSOC last year.
Marine Cpl. David M. Sonka, 23, of Parker, who was killed along with
his K-9 during combat operations in Afghanistan Saturday, is remembered
as a dedicated wrestling and track athlete at Chaparral High School. Chaparral
wrestling coach Rodney Padilla said Sonka was a guy who would always
step up -- filling in for other teammates at a big tournament -- "He
had a great work ethic. Never shied away from anything we ever did,"
Padilla said. "He always did what was supposed to do. And what do you
tell them. You tell the do what you’re supposed to do when you're
supposed to do it, someday you'll be able to do what you want to do,
when you want to do it."
Sonka’s decorations include a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal and a Combat Action Ribbon. |
