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<p>The best of us are sent here by our maker to take a different path through life. They carry the noblest of banners and walk the high ground to inspire and lead us all to greater accomplishments. They are driven by altruism and optimism and infuse the words Duty, Honor, Country with other words like Compassion, Hope, and Integrity as they bring new life and greater opportunities to those who wouldn’t otherwise have access to such. They are loyal and dedicated and make an indelible lifetime impression with mere moments of interaction. The best of us stands out as they stand up for those who can’t; <em>John </em><em>Frederick “Hans” Kurth</em> was indeed the best of us. Hans, as he was known to his classmates and friends, was a warrior in every sense of the word. There was never a doubt in anyone’s mind that, with his height and imposing physical stature, Hans would branch Infantry and be a leader of soldiers at the sharp end of the spear.</p>
<p>His fighting spirit manifested early in life. A native Midwesterner from Wisconsin, Hans thrived in any situation that required toughness and dedication. Hans was a dependable defensive lineman throughout high school, culminating in a 1990 state championship. Coaches remember him as a fast, dependable, and “top shelf” player. Hans wrestled as well; friends recall him going around and smelling other people’s food (but not eating anything) when he was trying to make weight. That discipline was typical of Hans, who practiced it in everything he did. </p>
<p>His sports skill and academic prowess brought him to West Point, where he majored in international relations. His warrior spirit and discipline led to classmates lovingly referring to him as “the consummate tool” and summing him up in his Howitzer entry as follows: “Copenhagen, Regs, Howmpff, Infantry, Sandhurst, Hairline, Bret-Beatings, Mass-essits, Pasta Night, Late Lights…and Great Friend.”</p>
<p>It’s fitting that Copenhagen is listed first in his description: he was a constant tobacco “dipper” and could always be found with a “lipper” tightly packed in his jaw. “Dip spitter” bottles were everywhere in his room. Even in class, he had to have his nicotine fix, and when challenged about it he would simply swallow the tobacco plug whole.</p>
<p>Friendship especially exemplified Hans’ time at West Point. Beast classmates remember him as leading the way in everything from table duties to climbing a wall to lining up for an endless number of formations. Classmates and subordinates alike remember him as the company commander of the D-4 “Dukes.” He was someone who would go out of his way to help others through a rough patch. Having Hans as a friend made others feel like a better person.</p>
<p>At Airborne School, he kept his fellow cadets laughing in the face of persistent pressure from the Black Hat Airborne cadre and led the class out the door in one of their early jumps. He marked that experience by coming back to West Point and buying his first pair of jump boots, shining them until they looked like pure onyx. His desire to look and be the best was described by one of his plebes as “the quasi-autonomous strike force of standards.” Unfortunately, that cleanliness did not extend to his beloved Chevy Blazer, which was notoriously filthy and cluttered.</p>
<p>After commissioning and Ranger School, Hans joined the ranks of the legendary 82nd Airborne Division, serving as a platoon leader and battalion S-4 in 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Senior officers remember him as exceptionally capable, competent, and caring. During a deployment to Kosovo, where his battalion was one of the first American units in country, he distinguished himself with his skilled planning and dedicated service. One subordinate put it simply: “There was never a time when he didn’t lift the spirits of all those around him.”</p>
<p>After the Captain’s Career Course and Bradley Leader Course, Hans reported to the Dagger Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division, the famous “Big Red One.” He quickly internalized the division’s motto: “No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First!” After a brief stint on staff, Hans finally got to live out his dream of infantry company command.</p>
<p>As the company commander of Bushmaster Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry, Hans had his soldiers greet him with “Bushmasters lead the way, sir!” to which he would thunderously reply “All the Way!” Hans died doing what he loved, leading soldiers. He was killed by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Tikrit. He was the first loss of the Big Red One in Iraq and the 12th person from Wisconsin to die in Iraq. At his first memorial service in Iraq, one of his squad leaders moved forward to Hans’ boots, dog tags, and Kevlar, and popped off with, “Bushmasters Lead the Way, Sir!”</p>
<p>Hans lived every moment with passion, pursued every effort with zeal, and touched the lives of untold scores as he fulfilled his calling of soldier and liberator. He is survived by his son, John Aleksander; his parents, John and LauRetta Kurth; and his younger sister, Mandy. Hans has left us, but his warrior spirit lives on in his son. In 2021, John Aleksander Kurth followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming an Army infantry soldier.</p>
<p><em>— Classmates, friends and family</em></p>
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