But Koch was also known for his willingness to help out in more substantive ways. When he was off duty, he wired every building in his Iraqi compound so the soldiers could have air conditioners, X-boxes and DVD players. Koch , 23, of West Henrietta, N.Y., died March 9, 2005, when his vehicle hit a bomb in Taji.
His father, Dale Koch , said the military had given his son direction. He was surprised at the changes he saw when he last saw him at Thanksgiving. "The kid who skipped school all the time" had matured, said Koch . "He found himself."
Perhaps the most memorable incident occurred while Koch was assigned to guard detainees at a forward observation base. Capt. Robert Hilliard related it during a memorial service for the soldier. Mortar rounds began hitting in the area. Army regs would have permitted Koch under that circumstance to find his own shelter and leave the detainees to their fates. Instead, Koch , who was wearing body armor and kevlar helmet, threw himself on top of the detainees as a layer of protection.
