Trini killed in Iraq

Frederick, 21, was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle. He was driving the vehicle which was the last in a convoy.

An article in the Baltimore Sun newspaper said three weeks prior to his death, Frederick was in Randallstown, Maryland, USA, laughing and playing with his mother, Michelle Murphy, and three-year-old brother, Kwesi.

He was also reported to have visited old friends and cadets at Randallstown’s Junior Navy ROTC programme, where he had been a platoon commander.

The report said Frederick had "gone home from wrenching experiences in Iraq, including killing someone for the first time and enduring the death of comrades." The report also said although he was scared, he returned to Iraq because he loved the army and believed in doing his duty.

Frederick, who migrated to the US several years ago, was originally from Trou Macaque, Laventille. He got his early schooling at the Nelson Street Boys’ RC and the Malick Secondary Comprehensive schools. During his years in Laventille, he lived with his grandfather Kenneth Rogers until he joined his mother Michelle Murphy in the US.

Frederick graduated from the Randallstown High School in 2004 and moved to Michigan for a job as a mechanic. He enlisted with the Army Reserves 983rd Engineer Battalion in Monclova, Ohio, serving as a power generator equipment mechanic.

Stephan Strzemienski, retired Navy commander who led the navy programme at Randallstown, said Frederick was a quiet and disciplined student who looked forward to joining the army after graduating. But after ten months in Iraq, he had lost some of his excitement.

"He wasn’t that excited about going back, but we just basically agreed that it was his duty and that it had to be done. There was no fun in it for him. He wanted to come home. He almost made it, I guess," said Strzemienski.

Murphy said her son’s death was especially hard because he had just come to visit.

"He was so happy to be home," she said. "We laughed a lot and had a great time. He visited all his friends, and he was hoping to be back for the holidays. He came home for a reason — to tell us he loved us."

She added that Frederick bonded a lot with Kwesi. He also had two sisters, Kennisha, 15 and Kendra, 11. Frederick also leaves to mourn his stepfather Kenmore Murphy and his father Peter Ramsahai who lives in Trinidad.

A funeral service will be held for Frederick on Friday in Baltimore, Maryland. He will be buried at a military cemetery.