Residents are looking for ways to show support for the family of local Marine Adam Loggins.

Danny and Becky Loggins of East Limestone were notified Thursday their son Adam, 23, was killed earlier that day in Iraq, but the Department of Defense has not released details on how he died.

Adam Loggins is the first Limestone County resident killed in the war with Iraq.

Members of the Loggins family have said through friends and relatives that they do not wish to speak to the press and would like people to respect their privacy at this time. A Fire & Rescue car was parked Friday in front of the Loggins home on Sandy Lane and a firefighter told anyone who approached that the family was not accepting visitors.

Athens Fire Chief Cliff Christopher, who knows the family, said firefighters are waiting to see how they can best help.

“Whatever their needs are, we’re going to try to help them,” he said.

Lance Cpl. Adam Loggins, a graduate of East Limestone High School, was deployed as a member of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines about two months ago. His brother, Josh Loggins, was to arrive home Friday from Hawaii, where he is a private first class in Army training.

Danny Loggins was sworn in as fire chief for the City of Huntsville last week. He and Becky were attending a cookout for the Huntsville/Madison County Seniors Crime Prevention Academy at John Hunt Park in Huntsville when they received word about their son.

Although it was reported that Adam was killed by sniper fire, the Department of Defense will not release any information on the incident. A Department of Defense spokesman said a press release typically is issued over the Internet at http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/ about 24 hours after family members of all soldiers killed in a particular incident have been notified. It is unknown if other soldiers were also killed in the same incident.

Family friends said it would likely be seven days before Adam’s body is returned. A relative said he would be buried at Limestone Memory Gardens.

Christopher said Athens and Huntsville firefighters would attend any ceremony planned.

“A lot of firefighters from all over the state will probably be there,” he said.



Remembering Adam

Athens Mayor Dan Williams and Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer ordered flags flown at half staff at city offices in memory of Adam.

Williams said he did not know Adam but met Danny recently at a League of Municipalities meeting. Williams said he heard about Adam’s death when he returned to the office following a Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce luncheon Thursday.

“It made me physically ill,” Williams said. “To see a man happy about his new job and then have the worst tragedy ever to befall him. They’re a nice family and we hope everybody will pray for them.”

Becky Loggins joined an area group called Alabama Marine Moms at about the time Adam was deployed, said Athens resident Helen Hickman, a member of the group whose son, Andrew Hickman, is a Marine stationed in Okinawa. She said Andrew would be deployed to Iraq later this year.

“We have been in contact with the family and they’ve asked us to give them space,” Hickman said Friday. “When they’re ready, they said they’d contact us. Immediately yesterday, we planned to make meals, clean house, hold hands — whatever the family needed us to do.”

Until they know what they can do to help, Marine Moms will begin preparing a book of condolences, which they do after each military death, from any branch, in the state.

“It’s a 12-by-12 scrapbook of poems and letters of condolence with a patriotic, military theme that we personally deliver to the families of people killed,” Hickman said.

Residents can send condolences, and also make donations of money or scrapbook supplies to Marine Moms president Pam Adcock at 338 Joe Quick Road, Hazel Green, Ala., 35750.

Hickman said the 20 members of Marine Moms meet monthly to offer support but they do not discuss the possible death of their children who serve in the military.

“I don’t know if we’ve ever really had that conversation,” she said.