Specialist GEORGE M. LIBBY, My Late Wife's Student

   Looking through my late wife Carol’s belongings, I found a clipped article from “The Pilot,” a newspaper we read while living in Southern Pines, NC (1989—Jan. 2018). The headline read, “Soldier Killed in Afghanistan.”

The late John Chappell had written about Specialist George C. Libby. Carol taught Libby in fourth grade at Aberdeen Middle School, Aberdeen, NC.

Libby died Aug. 20, 2007, at age 23, from a noncombat-related incident, the Army said.

“He died when the vehicle he was riding in rolled over during nighttime drivers’ training near Knost, Afghanistan,” Chappell wrote.

Libby was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Aberdeen. He served as an automatic rifleman assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Wash.

“George was where he wanted to be, doing what he wanted to do when he died,” said his mother, Nell Allen of Aberdeen, in the article. “George was a fine soldier, and I am proud of him.”

Libby studied computer science for two years at Sandhills Community College and enlisted in the Army in March 2005.

His mother said, “George, when he enlisted, decided he was going to be an Army Ranger. I don’t know how many succeed. At some point, they do tough training. Each thing he approached, he would say something like, ‘Only 30 percent finish it.’ He rose to every challenge presented to him. I was so impressed by my son.

“He took on and beat every challenge in his pursuit of becoming a warrior. This is how I see him: becoming the very best warrior he could, for the United States Army. That sounds a little corny, but that’s how I feel.”

Valerie Avent Libby, of Tacoma, Wash., released this statement after learning of Libby’s death:

“What you need to know about my husband is that he was a good and loving person. He died for your freedom, for all of our freedom. Freedom is not free, and it comes at a high price. George paid that price with his life. … George joined the Army because of Sept. 11. He believed in this mission, and I believed in him.”

Libby was on his second deployment in support of the war on global terrorism and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star.

Surviving also at the time of his death were his father, Thomas M. Libby, Jr.; a brother, Ira Allen Libby, 20; and a sister, Rebecca Lynn Libby, 16.

Saved with the news article was a torn envelope. On that envelope Carol had written, “My Aberdeen Middle School 4th grade student George Libby died on Aug. 20, ’07 at age 23 in the Army in Afghanistan. He was a precious child.”