Ryan C. Garbs is the son of Douglas L. & Jill A. Garbs of 418 W. 4th St. in Edwardsville, IL. Ryan grew up in this town and enjoyed playing baseball, soccer, paintball,skateboarding, computer games and fishing. He attended local public schools and graduated from Edwardsville High School Class of 2005. He enlisted in the Army in August, 2005 and was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for basic training. He graduated from the United States Army Airborne School in February 2006. Following graduation from the Ranger Indoctrination Program, he was assigned to 1st Platoon, B Company, 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in March 2006. In April, 2006, Private First Class Garbs was deployed to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was last home on leave, September through December, 2006 and was then deployed to Afghanistan in January, 2007 for Operation Enduring Freedom. Specialist Ryan C. Garbs was killed in action during a Special Operation in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. The helicopter he and 22 other soldiers were in, crashed to earth, killing him and seven others. Specialist Ryan C. Garbs is survived by his parents and a sister, Mrs. Melanie R. Neely. U.S. Army Ranger Specialst Ryan C. Garbs is laid to rest in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri and was 20 years, 4 months and one day of age.
