April 3, 1974 – September 26, 2005
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Howard Paul Allen was born in Brooklyn, NY and graduated from Paradise Valley High School in Arizona. He enlisted in the US Navy on 22 November 1995, and served on the USS Memphis until his discharge on 21 November 1999. He was married to Patience and had one son, Devlin and 2 step-children, Edwin and Caitlyn.
He enlisted as a Food Service Specialist in the Arizona Army National Guard on 24 June 2003 and deployed to Iraq with the 860th MP Company on 7 March 2005. Although not qualified as a Military Policeman, he often participated in convoy or escort missions as a driver.
SGT Howard Paul Allen was killed in action on 26 September 2005 when his up-armored HMMWV was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device while performing a search and rescue mission near Baghdad, Iraq.
SGT Allen’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal (2nd Awd), Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, Army Service Ribbon, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Navy Arctic Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, and Enlisted Submarine Breast Insignia.