Blast kills Tacoma soldier, 23, in Afghanistan

A 23-year-old Tacoma man who was a member of the Army's premier 75th Ranger Regiment was killed Friday shortly after he was deployed to Afghanistan.

Sgt. Jay Anthony Blessing was killed after the Humvee he was riding in was struck by an explosive device in Afghanistan's Kunar province. Blessing was evacuated to a combat-support hospital at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, where he died.

An infantryman assigned to the 2nd battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Blessing was a decorated soldier who was sent to the Middle East earlier this month.

Members of the Blessing family, reached by phone yesterday, declined to comment.

Blessing attended Lincoln High School in Tacoma, where he was involved in Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). He volunteered for the Army shortly after he graduated in 1998.

Retired Sgt. 1st Class Al Harmon, an ROTC instructor at Lincoln, said Blessing had made a decision early on to join the military — and he was serious about it.

"I thought he was well-grounded. He didn't have a big head about things. If you started up a conversation, it wasn't like some of these guys, they hang you a line of crap. He knew what he was talking about. That's why you felt you knew what he wanted," Harmon said.

"Just having the label, being in the Ranger battalion, says something about the hours and the dedication," Harmon said.

Carl Wilson, chairman of Lincoln's English department, recalled Blessing as quiet and bright.

"A lot of kids get superficial in discussions," said Wilson, who had Blessing as a student in two English courses. "But when he had something to say, it was more insightful ... He seemed to have a lot of information that kind of startled the other kids. It was always an 'A-ha!' for the other kids.' "

After graduation, Blessing returned to his high school several times to visit teachers and friends. Wilson said Blessing sported shoulder-length hair in high school but returned to campus with a military haircut and proudly wearing his uniform.

Blessing attended the Basic Airborne Course and Ranger Indoctrination Program and graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger Course and Primary Leadership Development Course. He was promoted to sergeant in June 2002.

Blessing had been awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Combat Shoulder Sleeve Insignia and Ranger tab.

He is survived by his father, James A. Blessing of Tacoma, and several siblings of the Tacoma area.

Joe Hitt, public-affairs spokesman for Fort Lewis, said the military mourns whenever it loses one of its own. "I imagine the Rangers will hold a memorial sometime for the soldier who gave his life to fight against terrorism," Hitt said. "When you are in the military, when you sign up, you know that you may be involved in a situation where you might be placed in harm's way. There is the possibility of being killed or injured in combat, and that is something that is part of the job."

The last Fort Lewis soldier killed while serving abroad was Green Beret 1st Class Nathan R. Chapman, 31, of Puyallup, who died in January 2002 in Afghanistan.

Rachel Tuinstra: 206-464-2580 or rtuinstra@seattletimes.com