Obituary: Cody A. Board
12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, October 9, 2010

By JOE SIMNACHER / The Dallas Morning News
jsimnacher@dallasnews.com
Cody A. Board was born in an Army hospital at Fort Sill, Okla. He knew from childhood that he wanted to be a soldier, just like his father, and his uncle, and his grandfather.
"Every Halloween, when other kids were monsters, he was dressed up in military camouflage," said his father, Chris Board of McKinney.
Pfc. Board was killed Monday by an improvised explosive device in Mirwais, Afghanistan, where he was returning from a patrol. He would have been 20 this Tuesday.
His father, a West Point graduate and Desert Storm veteran, urged his son to explore all military options when he graduated from McKinney North High School in 2009.
"I actually was in more of a dad mode rather than in a veteran mode," Mr. Board said. "I wanted him to do something a little more safe and tried to steer him toward that."
PFC Board chose to join the Army Airborne Rangers. "His platoon and his group of guys just can't say enough about how wonderful he was," Mr. Board said. "They've all said they are going to get the guy that planted that bomb."
PFC Board moved to McKinney with his family in 1999, after his father, a captain, left the military for health reasons.
He was 10 when terrorists attacked New York City; near Washington, D.C.; and in Pennsylvania. "It affected him greatly," his father said.
PFC Board lettered in cross-country and wrestling in high school. "He was a shyer kid. It [wrestling] took him out of his shell," his father said. North McKinney High School wrestling coach Shawn Brasher remembered Pfc. Board for his team loyalty and perseverance. "As far as wrestling goes, he was one of those where it really didn't come easy," Mr. Brasher said. "He had to work hard for everything he accomplished." PFC. Board, a 130-pound wrestler, was known for his offbeat sense of humor. "His peers loved him," Mr. Brasher said. "We all loved him."
PFC. Board placed fifth in district wrestling competition, his former coach said. "He liked tearing guys up," his father said. "It helped him keep focused on school."
PFC Board's high school wrestling paid off at Army boot camp.  "When he graduated, he said 'Dad, that made it so much easier,'" his father said. "I learned to push myself.' "
PFC Board was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment based in Vilseck, Germany.
Services for PFC Board are pending the return of his remains to Texas next week.
In addition to his father, survivors include his mother, Melissa Sue of McKinney; two brothers, Aaron, a senior at McKinney North High School, and Tyler, a freshman at the school; his maternal grandfather, retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Al Daley of Grove, Okla.; and his paternal grandfather, Bob Board of Coon Rapids, Minn.

 MILITARY TIMES

Army PFC Cody A. Board

Died October 04, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

19, of McKinney, Texas; assigned to 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died Oct. 4 at Mirwais, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

North Texan dies in Afghan insurgent attack

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A 19-year-old North Texan has died in an insurgent attack on his U.S. Army unit in Afghanistan. A Defense Department statement says Pfc. Cody A. Board of McKinney died Monday in Mirwais, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered in an explosion during the insurgent attack. Board was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
REMEMBRANCE FOR SOLDIER

By Ashanti Blaize
NBCDFW.com NBCDFW.com
updated 10/8/2010 11:45:10 PM ET 2010-10-09T03:45:10

McKinney North High School turned its post-game celebration Friday into a tribute to a graduate who was killed in Afghanistan. Pfc. Cody Board, 19, was killed Oct. 4 at Mirwais, Afghanistan, after his unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device. The school will hold a candlelight vigil for Board at a nearby elementary school after Friday night's football game. The vigil was originally scheduled for before the game but was changed because the players wanted to attend. The school also honored Board during the game. His father and younger brother stood side-by-side as an Army Reserve color guard yelled out a roll call including his name. His relatives waited in silence as no one answered the call.  The football players wore his initials on the back of their helmets, and the cheerleaders painted them on their arms. "He's watching us," said Chris Board, his father. "He'll know."
Pfc. Cody Board would have been 20 on Tuesday, his father said.  A uniformed officer informed his parents of their son's death in person earlier this week.
"I just thought to myself please, please, please just let him be OK," said Melissa Board, his mother. "And he told me, 'Ms. Board, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your son didn't make it.'"
Someone anonymously placed flags around the Boards' home. "I just melted my heart -- spaced about every 10 to 12 feet in the grass was the small little flags," Chris Board said. A service flag trimmed in red with a gold star, a sign of a fallen soldier, is displayed in the front window of the Boards' home. His parents said he was the kind of man who could make you smile even in his pictures. Melissa Board said her son will be "missed so much."
"He was just a great kid," she said. "Everybody loved him."

By Frank Heinz
NBCDFW.com NBCDFW.com
updated 2 hours 44 minutes ago 2010-10-07T17:17:01

Another soldier from North Texas has died supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Pfc. Cody A. Board, 19, of McKinney, died Oct. 4 at Mirwais, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Board's Facebook page immediately turned into an online memorial as news of his death began to circulate among his friends.  His brother, Aaron, a senior at McKinney North High School posted the following about his brother. "I've watched the news clip at least 10 times now. I still can't believe it. You are and always have been my hero, my inspiration. I just don't even know what to sayy. I know that you will be guardian angel. The thing that you always tried to do. I've got too many memories that I could put up. You are the most complete ...person. I can't wait till the day thAt you get to introduce me to the lord. I love you sooooo much!! I will forever miss you!"
A vigil for Board will take place Friday evening at Vega Elementary on Cattleman Drive in McKinney. Later that night, the McKinney North football team will be wearing Board's initials on their football helmets in memoriam of the fallen soldier.

Candles for Cody: Family, friends, fellow Americans hold candlelight vigil for fallen McKinney soldier

Danny Gallagher/McKinney Courier-Gazette - Acquaintances, family members and fellows citizens who attended Friday's candlelight vigil for Pfc. Cody Board of McKinney left messages of condolence and gratitude to Board and his family.
By Danny Gallagher, dgallagher@acnpapers.com
Published: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 3:15 AM CDT

Pfc. Cody Board's career as a soldier didn't start when he joined the U.S. Army or flew to Germany and Afghanistan to serve his country. His friends and family said he was a soldier long before he was tall enough to fit into the uniform.
"He died doing what he wanted to do," Cody's father Christopher Board said, "ever since he was a little squirt."
Pfc. Board died on Monday, Oct. 4 in Mirwavis, Afghanistan from an improvised explosive device launched by insurgents during an attack on his unit. Three of his fellow soldiers were wounded, but were able to return to their unit later in the week.

A crowd of family, friends and fellow citizens gathered Friday at McKissick Park next to Vega Elementary School on Taylor-Burk Drive to hold a candlelight vigil for Pfc. Board. His friends, some of whom he knew since the third grade, remembered Cody talking about wanting to be a soldier during his days in his backyard battlefield where he they would engage each other in imaginary wars, complete with paintball guns. "Whenever we played war," friend and fellow soldier Vince Wilson said, "he always wanted to be a soldier."
Then when he turned 18 and graduated from McKinney North High School, he jumped at the chance to be a real soldier, even though he knew the risk and sacrifice he might have to make to achieve his ambition. "He told me he was going to be the guy breaking the door down," friend Miranda Price said upon learning that Pfc. Board would be deployed to Afghanistan. "I could just see him. He'd be the guy with his tongue sticking out, saying 'What's up suckers?'
"I know he died doing what he wanted to do," Price said. "He was a very special man."
His family said they could even see his enthusiasm for military service in his fellow soldiers. Mr. Board said he and his family were happy to learn that the soldiers who were wounded in the attack were able to redeploy so quickly and they plan to fly to Vilsack, Germany to meet the members of his unit when they ship out for their next tour in Afghanistan.
"His corporal said he was amazed of the effect Cody had on his unit," Mr. Board said. "He had an infectious smile."
The most profound effect, however, came from people who never even met him, Mr. Board said. A flood of solemn thanks filled the "Wall" on Pfc. Board's Facebook page. The family even received emails and calls from people they had never met just to thank them for their son's courage and selflessness.
"We got a phone call from Brooklyn," Mr. Board said. "He said he was a 60-year-old factory worker who read about Cody in the New York Times. He called and said, 'You don't know me, but I just wanted to thank you for your son's service."
Even though a lot of friends and family had suffered a great loss, his actions and inspiration could fill the void his presence had left on them.
"I'm so proud of him and what he did with his life," Wilson said. "When I needed a great role model, he stepped up to the task. I never told him this, but I wanted to join the Army and follow in his footsteps."