SHUBUTA – A crowd gathered Thursday morning at Bethel United Methodist Church to honor a fallen hero who died while serving his country in 2003. 

The intersection of Mississippi Highway 18 and U.S. Highway 45 in Clarke County was offcially renamed the “Pfc. Damian Laquasha Heidelberg Memorial Intersection” as state leaders joined with Heidelberg’s family to memorialize him.  

“It was truly an honor to be here,” said Southern District Transportation Commissioner Tom King. “As a Vietnam veteran, it’s always hard to see a fellow soldier make that ultimate sacrifice, and he’s a hero for what he did.”

“We all just appreciate him for giving his life for the country, and we just thank his family and pray for them to have comfort and peace from his love,” King added.

Pfc. Heidelberg was born on Nov. 3, 1982, and grew up in Clarke County,  where he attended school in the Quitman School District. As a former choir member and church usher at Bethel, he was said to be very respectful, sweet, and mild-mannered.

“Damian was a great kid and was someone you could always lean on,” said his mother, Deborah Heidelberg. “I just feel wonderful and honored about this dedication to him.”

“One thing I will never forget is his loving smile and his passion for singing in the church choir,” she added.

After the 9/11 terrorist attack, Pfc. Heidelberg was motivated to serve his county and joined the Army on Sept. 17, 2002, where he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division Fort Campbell, Kentucky, as an administrative specialist.

During his deployment in Iraq, his convoy was ambushed, and he attended to the wounded, refusing to leave the area until his fellow soldiers were evacuated.

One of the members of his unit described him as “a soldier who had the makings of a true hero.”

Pfc. Heidelberg was killed Nov. 15, 2003 when two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Mosul, Iraq. He was 21 years old, and Thursday would have been his fortieth birthday.

“Today we honor Pfc. Heidelberg and always remember that freedom truly isn’t free,” King said. “From now on, when you see the “Pfc. Damian Laquasha Heidelberg Memorial Intersection” sign, I hope you’ll remember all the heroes like Damian who protect America and keep our freedom intact.”