Little League International Mourns the Passing of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Richard Berry, Jr.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Richard L. Berry

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

Little League International mourns the passing of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Richard L. Berry. He was 27.

Staff Sgt. Berry of Scottsdale, Ariz., a paratrooper, was killed in the Kandahar province, located in southern Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

A native of Scottsdale, Staff Sgt. Berry was a graduate of South Scottsdale Little League. His father, Rick Berry, Sr., is a former president of South Scottsdale Little League.

“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Staff Sgt. Ricky Berry,” Stephen D. Keener, President and Chief Executive Officer of Little League Baseball and Softball, said. “Ricky embodied the values of character, courage and loyalty, and now his memory will serve as a reminder of the daily sacrifice made by men and women in uniform. Little League’s deepest condolences are with Ricky’s parents, Rick and Pat, and the rest of the Berry family.”

Staff Sgt. Berry was a combat engineer with A Company, 508th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

This was the third deployment for Staff Sgt. Berry, who joined the Army in February 2006. He previously deployed to Afghanistan in August 2009 and Iraq in September 2006.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart with one oak leaf cluster and the Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, among others.

Staff Sgt. Berry is survived by his father, Rick, and mother, Pat.