Killed in action during the Persian Gulf War.
March 2, 1991|By KIM MARGOLIS, Staff Writer
A young man who joined the Army to uphold his family`s military tradition is thought to be the first South Floridian to die in the 100 hours of the Persian Gulf ground war.
On Monday, a small bomb exploded two miles from the Kuwaiti border in Saudi Arabia. When it did, Robert Daugherty Jr. was killed. He was 20.
Pvt. Daugherty left the United States in December; he left to march in the footsteps of his dad and his granddad: Robert Daugherty Sr. 41, is a Vietnam veteran; his father, Louis, 70, served in World War II.
In about two weeks, Pvt. Daugherty will come home. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington, D.C., joining thousands of soldiers who have died in the Gulf war and other wars while fighting for America.
``He enjoyed his military life,`` said his father, Robert Daugherty Sr. of Cooper City. ``He died in a war and will be honored from now until eternity. He will not be forgotten.``
Pvt. Daugherty, of Sunrise, was a member of the Army`s 5th Battalion, 16th Infantry Division, a systems mechanic for Bradley Fighting Vehicles.
He was born Robert Lawrence Daugherty Jr. at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, S.C. His military father was stationed there. He grew up in Sunrise, and he loved to go fishing and hunting with his dad.
He was described as a child full of curiosity, always interested in machines and electrical appliances.
``As a little kid, he helped me rebuild automatic transmissions on cars when he was old enough to pick up a wrench,`` his father said.
He seemed born to be a mechanic, and he grew up to use his skills in the Army.
Pvt. Daugherty left for Saudi Arabia on Dec. 26. He had received his orders a few days earlier, but he could not call home. His family`s telephone had not been working right for a few days.
On Dec. 26, the soldier finally got his call through. He had 10 minutes before he left, Pvt. Daugherty told his dad. There was a lot of static. The phone went dead. That was the last phone call the two had.
``I don`t know if he heard me,`` his dad said. ``I don`t know if he heard me tell him I love you and take care of yourself.``
On Friday afternoon, Daugherty`s father put a black ribbon on his front door and an American flag on his house. He will keep the yellow ribbons on his trees and pickup truck until all American soldiers return home, he said.
Robert Lawrence Daugherty Jr. died at 4 p.m. on Monday, Saudi Arabian time. In Cooper City, where it was 8 a.m., his father was turning on the VCR to tape the war news for his son to see after he came home.
At 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Robert Daugherty Sr. was awakened by Army officers in uniform. He had worked his night shift as an aircraft mechanic at Florida West Airlines. When the Army visits in uniform during wartime, the family knows what it means.
Pvt. Daugherty`s mother, Dorothy Daugherty of Sunrise, said she would miss her son, the ``very affectionate, loving, little boy.`` But she said she knew her son died for a purpose.
``It`s very difficult,`` said Dorothy Daugherty, 40, who works for Orange Street Industries. ``It`s a very, very hard thing to accept. ... I`m very proud of him. I want everyone else to know how proud I am. At least he died doing something important.``
Daugherty was close to and protective of his younger sister, Theresa, especially after his parents` divorce. The children lived with their mother in Sunrise but saw their father often. They had a typical older brother-younger sister relationship, his mother said.
``She idolized him, and he tortured her,`` she said, laughing. Her ponytail holder got stuck in her hair when she was 4. Robert Daugherty, then 11, didn`t cut the holder out; he cut the ponytail off, his mother said.
Robert didn`t have much use for high school, his father said. It wasn`t that he was not intelligent. In fact, he said it was unchallenging. He said he could get an A on a test if he never opened the book.
Todd Reaney, 19, had known Daugherty since they were in the third grade.
March 2, 1991|By KIM MARGOLIS, Staff Writer
A young man who joined the Army to uphold his family`s military tradition is thought to be the first South Floridian to die in the 100 hours of the Persian Gulf ground war.
On Monday, a small bomb exploded two miles from the Kuwaiti border in Saudi Arabia. When it did, Robert Daugherty Jr. was killed. He was 20.
Pvt. Daugherty left the United States in December; he left to march in the footsteps of his dad and his granddad: Robert Daugherty Sr. 41, is a Vietnam veteran; his father, Louis, 70, served in World War II.
In about two weeks, Pvt. Daugherty will come home. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington, D.C., joining thousands of soldiers who have died in the Gulf war and other wars while fighting for America.
``He enjoyed his military life,`` said his father, Robert Daugherty Sr. of Cooper City. ``He died in a war and will be honored from now until eternity. He will not be forgotten.``
Pvt. Daugherty, of Sunrise, was a member of the Army`s 5th Battalion, 16th Infantry Division, a systems mechanic for Bradley Fighting Vehicles.
He was born Robert Lawrence Daugherty Jr. at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, S.C. His military father was stationed there. He grew up in Sunrise, and he loved to go fishing and hunting with his dad.
He was described as a child full of curiosity, always interested in machines and electrical appliances.
``As a little kid, he helped me rebuild automatic transmissions on cars when he was old enough to pick up a wrench,`` his father said.
He seemed born to be a mechanic, and he grew up to use his skills in the Army.
Pvt. Daugherty left for Saudi Arabia on Dec. 26. He had received his orders a few days earlier, but he could not call home. His family`s telephone had not been working right for a few days.
On Dec. 26, the soldier finally got his call through. He had 10 minutes before he left, Pvt. Daugherty told his dad. There was a lot of static. The phone went dead. That was the last phone call the two had.
``I don`t know if he heard me,`` his dad said. ``I don`t know if he heard me tell him I love you and take care of yourself.``
On Friday afternoon, Daugherty`s father put a black ribbon on his front door and an American flag on his house. He will keep the yellow ribbons on his trees and pickup truck until all American soldiers return home, he said.
Robert Lawrence Daugherty Jr. died at 4 p.m. on Monday, Saudi Arabian time. In Cooper City, where it was 8 a.m., his father was turning on the VCR to tape the war news for his son to see after he came home.
At 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Robert Daugherty Sr. was awakened by Army officers in uniform. He had worked his night shift as an aircraft mechanic at Florida West Airlines. When the Army visits in uniform during wartime, the family knows what it means.
Pvt. Daugherty`s mother, Dorothy Daugherty of Sunrise, said she would miss her son, the ``very affectionate, loving, little boy.`` But she said she knew her son died for a purpose.
``It`s very difficult,`` said Dorothy Daugherty, 40, who works for Orange Street Industries. ``It`s a very, very hard thing to accept. ... I`m very proud of him. I want everyone else to know how proud I am. At least he died doing something important.``
Daugherty was close to and protective of his younger sister, Theresa, especially after his parents` divorce. The children lived with their mother in Sunrise but saw their father often. They had a typical older brother-younger sister relationship, his mother said.
``She idolized him, and he tortured her,`` she said, laughing. Her ponytail holder got stuck in her hair when she was 4. Robert Daugherty, then 11, didn`t cut the holder out; he cut the ponytail off, his mother said.
Robert didn`t have much use for high school, his father said. It wasn`t that he was not intelligent. In fact, he said it was unchallenging. He said he could get an A on a test if he never opened the book.
Todd Reaney, 19, had known Daugherty since they were in the third grade.
Killed in action during the Persian Gulf War.
March 2, 1991|By KIM MARGOLIS, Staff Writer
A young man who joined the Army to uphold his family`s military tradition is thought to be the first South Floridian to die in the 100 hours of the Persian Gulf ground war.
On Monday, a small bomb exploded two miles from the Kuwaiti border in Saudi Arabia. When it did, Robert Daugherty Jr. was killed. He was 20.
Pvt. Daugherty left the United States in December; he left to march in the footsteps of his dad and his granddad: Robert Daugherty Sr. 41, is a Vietnam veteran; his father, Louis, 70, served in World War II.
In about two weeks, Pvt. Daugherty will come home. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington, D.C., joining thousands of soldiers who have died in the Gulf war and other wars while fighting for America.
``He enjoyed his military life,`` said his father, Robert Daugherty Sr. of Cooper City. ``He died in a war and will be honored from now until eternity. He will not be forgotten.``
Pvt. Daugherty, of Sunrise, was a member of the Army`s 5th Battalion, 16th Infantry Division, a systems mechanic for Bradley Fighting Vehicles.
He was born Robert Lawrence Daugherty Jr. at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, S.C. His military father was stationed there. He grew up in Sunrise, and he loved to go fishing and hunting with his dad.
He was described as a child full of curiosity, always interested in machines and electrical appliances.
``As a little kid, he helped me rebuild automatic transmissions on cars when he was old enough to pick up a wrench,`` his father said.
He seemed born to be a mechanic, and he grew up to use his skills in the Army.
Pvt. Daugherty left for Saudi Arabia on Dec. 26. He had received his orders a few days earlier, but he could not call home. His family`s telephone had not been working right for a few days.
On Dec. 26, the soldier finally got his call through. He had 10 minutes before he left, Pvt. Daugherty told his dad. There was a lot of static. The phone went dead. That was the last phone call the two had.
``I don`t know if he heard me,`` his dad said. ``I don`t know if he heard me tell him I love you and take care of yourself.``
On Friday afternoon, Daugherty`s father put a black ribbon on his front door and an American flag on his house. He will keep the yellow ribbons on his trees and pickup truck until all American soldiers return home, he said.
Robert Lawrence Daugherty Jr. died at 4 p.m. on Monday, Saudi Arabian time. In Cooper City, where it was 8 a.m., his father was turning on the VCR to tape the war news for his son to see after he came home.
At 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Robert Daugherty Sr. was awakened by Army officers in uniform. He had worked his night shift as an aircraft mechanic at Florida West Airlines. When the Army visits in uniform during wartime, the family knows what it means.
Pvt. Daugherty`s mother, Dorothy Daugherty of Sunrise, said she would miss her son, the ``very affectionate, loving, little boy.`` But she said she knew her son died for a purpose.
``It`s very difficult,`` said Dorothy Daugherty, 40, who works for Orange Street Industries. ``It`s a very, very hard thing to accept. ... I`m very proud of him. I want everyone else to know how proud I am. At least he died doing something important.``
Daugherty was close to and protective of his younger sister, Theresa, especially after his parents` divorce. The children lived with their mother in Sunrise but saw their father often. They had a typical older brother-younger sister relationship, his mother said.
``She idolized him, and he tortured her,`` she said, laughing. Her ponytail holder got stuck in her hair when she was 4. Robert Daugherty, then 11, didn`t cut the holder out; he cut the ponytail off, his mother said.
Robert didn`t have much use for high school, his father said. It wasn`t that he was not intelligent. In fact, he said it was unchallenging. He said he could get an A on a test if he never opened the book.
Todd Reaney, 19, had known Daugherty since they were in the third grade.
March 2, 1991|By KIM MARGOLIS, Staff Writer
A young man who joined the Army to uphold his family`s military tradition is thought to be the first South Floridian to die in the 100 hours of the Persian Gulf ground war.
On Monday, a small bomb exploded two miles from the Kuwaiti border in Saudi Arabia. When it did, Robert Daugherty Jr. was killed. He was 20.
Pvt. Daugherty left the United States in December; he left to march in the footsteps of his dad and his granddad: Robert Daugherty Sr. 41, is a Vietnam veteran; his father, Louis, 70, served in World War II.
In about two weeks, Pvt. Daugherty will come home. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington, D.C., joining thousands of soldiers who have died in the Gulf war and other wars while fighting for America.
``He enjoyed his military life,`` said his father, Robert Daugherty Sr. of Cooper City. ``He died in a war and will be honored from now until eternity. He will not be forgotten.``
Pvt. Daugherty, of Sunrise, was a member of the Army`s 5th Battalion, 16th Infantry Division, a systems mechanic for Bradley Fighting Vehicles.
He was born Robert Lawrence Daugherty Jr. at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, S.C. His military father was stationed there. He grew up in Sunrise, and he loved to go fishing and hunting with his dad.
He was described as a child full of curiosity, always interested in machines and electrical appliances.
``As a little kid, he helped me rebuild automatic transmissions on cars when he was old enough to pick up a wrench,`` his father said.
He seemed born to be a mechanic, and he grew up to use his skills in the Army.
Pvt. Daugherty left for Saudi Arabia on Dec. 26. He had received his orders a few days earlier, but he could not call home. His family`s telephone had not been working right for a few days.
On Dec. 26, the soldier finally got his call through. He had 10 minutes before he left, Pvt. Daugherty told his dad. There was a lot of static. The phone went dead. That was the last phone call the two had.
``I don`t know if he heard me,`` his dad said. ``I don`t know if he heard me tell him I love you and take care of yourself.``
On Friday afternoon, Daugherty`s father put a black ribbon on his front door and an American flag on his house. He will keep the yellow ribbons on his trees and pickup truck until all American soldiers return home, he said.
Robert Lawrence Daugherty Jr. died at 4 p.m. on Monday, Saudi Arabian time. In Cooper City, where it was 8 a.m., his father was turning on the VCR to tape the war news for his son to see after he came home.
At 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Robert Daugherty Sr. was awakened by Army officers in uniform. He had worked his night shift as an aircraft mechanic at Florida West Airlines. When the Army visits in uniform during wartime, the family knows what it means.
Pvt. Daugherty`s mother, Dorothy Daugherty of Sunrise, said she would miss her son, the ``very affectionate, loving, little boy.`` But she said she knew her son died for a purpose.
``It`s very difficult,`` said Dorothy Daugherty, 40, who works for Orange Street Industries. ``It`s a very, very hard thing to accept. ... I`m very proud of him. I want everyone else to know how proud I am. At least he died doing something important.``
Daugherty was close to and protective of his younger sister, Theresa, especially after his parents` divorce. The children lived with their mother in Sunrise but saw their father often. They had a typical older brother-younger sister relationship, his mother said.
``She idolized him, and he tortured her,`` she said, laughing. Her ponytail holder got stuck in her hair when she was 4. Robert Daugherty, then 11, didn`t cut the holder out; he cut the ponytail off, his mother said.
Robert didn`t have much use for high school, his father said. It wasn`t that he was not intelligent. In fact, he said it was unchallenging. He said he could get an A on a test if he never opened the book.
Todd Reaney, 19, had known Daugherty since they were in the third grade.
