TRIBUTE TO OUR MILITARY
Keith Matthew "Matt" Maupin
Cincinnati, Ohio
April 9, 2004
724th Transportation Company
Bartonville, Illinois
DOD April 12, 2004
The Department of Defense announced today the identity of two soldiers listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN) who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The soldiers were unaccounted for since April 9 when their convoy came under attack by individuals using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. Both soldiers were assigned to the Army Reserves 724th Transportation Company, Bartonville, Ill. Reported as DUSTWUN are: Sgt. Elmer C. Krause, 40, of Greensboro, N.C. and Pfc. Keith M. Maupin, 20, of Batavia, Ohio.
Keith Matthew "Matt" Maupin
Born on July 13 1983 in Batavia, Ohio, Maupin was a student at Glen Este High School in Union Township, Clermont County, Ohio. He graduated in 2001. In 2002 he joined the United States Army Reserve and was stationed with the 705th Transportation Company based in Dayton, Ohio.
On April 9 2004, Maupin's fuel convoy came under attack near the Baghdad International Airport. In what was described as a 5-mile (8.0 km)-long ambush, the 26-vehicle serial was pummeled by gunfire, mortar rounds and RPGs, disabling many of the civilian fuel tankers and Army vehicles. After the remnants of the convoy reached safe ground it was learned that around ten soldiers and civilian KBR contractors were wounded, while one soldier, SPC Gregory Goodrich, and a civilian driver had been killed in the battle. PFC Maupin was among the nine people unaccounted for – seven civilians and two soldiers.
On April 16 2004, Maupin appeared on a videotape that was broadcast by the Arabic-language television network Al Jazeera. The tape, reportedly delivered to the U.S. Embassy in Doha, Qatar, raised hopes that Maupin was still alive. In the video, the soldier identified himself as "Private First Class Keith Matthew Maupin", a standard procedure followed by prisoners of war that protects their rights under the Third Geneva Convention.
Maupin's remains were found in Iraq, nearly four years after he was captured by insurgents.
Maupin's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service, POW, and Good Conduct Medal.