DOB/DOD: March 10, 1977 (Waterbury, CT) – November 18, 2004; 27 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: Bateswood Road; Waterbury
ENLISTMENT: April 25, 2000
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY: 98G20; Signal Intelligence Voice Intercept
UNIT: B Company, 312th Military Intelligence Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division; Fort Hood, Texas
FAMILY: Born to Joseph P. [Vietnam veteran] (1949-) and Inga Martinson Nolan (1944-1992). One brother, Matthew (1973-). One sister, Martha (1980-).
DECORATIONS: Awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War On Terrorism (Expeditionary), Global War On Terrorism (Service), Army NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Military Intel Badge, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon.
CIRCUMSTANCES: Sergeant Nolan was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated near his Humvee while his unit was on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq.
Wolcott High School Class of 1995. Joseph Nolan did not have a senior photo. He is in this photo, back row, 3rd from the right.
From Saint Joseph’s University Magazine: Volume IX, Number Three, Spring 2005. Sergeant Nolan graduated in 1999 with a degree in International Relations. He didn’t sit for a photo for the yearbook. Contributed by Lesley Carey of Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
JOSEPH MICHAEL NOLAN ’99
The war in Iraq has claimed one of Saint Joseph’s own. Army Sergeant Joseph Michael Nolan ‘99 was killed while traveling in his vehicle on November 18 in Fallujah. Fluent in Arabic, Sergeant Nolan was a military intelligence expert assigned to the 312th Military Intelligence Battalion out of Fort Hood, Texas. He had been in Iraq since January 2004. Military service was somewhat of a tradition in the Nolan family — his father is a Vietnam veteran, his grandfather fought in World War II, and his great-grandfather fought in World War I. Sergeant Nolan majored in international relations at Saint Joseph’s, following older brother Matthew, a 1997 graduate, to Hawk Hill.
From The Boston Globe on November 26, 2004
CONNECTICUT NATIVE KILLED BY EXPLOSION IN FALLUJAH
Served As Army Intelligence Officer
HARTFORD — A military intelligence specialist born in Waterbury, Connecticut, was killed November 18 in Fallujah, Iraq, when his vehicle was struck by an explosive device, military officials announced Wednesday. Army Sergeant Joseph Michael Nolan, 27, graduated from Wolcott High School, where he played football, said his uncle, John Nolan. He was one of three children. Funeral arrangements have not been finalized, the military said, but Nolan’s uncle said he will be buried in Waterbury next to his mother, who died 12 years ago. Nolan had moved to Philadelphia to attend St. Joseph’s University, his uncle said. Named after his father, he was known to family members as “Joey.” A linguist, he began reading military books at age 10 and was fascinated with international affairs. “He speaks Arabic,” John Nolan said. “The Army sent him to school for a year and a half.” Brian Cleary, a longtime friend, told the Republican-American of Waterbury he remembered taking a trip to New York with Nolan before he left for Iraq. He had a successful conversation with an Arabic speaker, he remembered. “I can’t believe it works,” Cleary recalled him saying. “You’re dealing with somebody who had an unbelievable impact on people,” Cleary told the newspaper. Nolan was assigned to the 312th Military Intelligence Battalion, First Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, Texas, the governor’s office and family said. Governor M. Jodi Rell ordered state flags to fly at half-staff until Nolan’s burial. “I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Sergeant Nolan,” Rell said in a statement. “As we prepare to mark this most American of holidays, I ask everyone to pause and offer a special word of Thanksgiving for the men and women who risk their lives to guarantee our freedoms.” Nolan’s father, a former Marine, and his brother and sister were gathering in Philadelphia on Wednesday, John Nolan Said. He said his nephew’s body had arrived in the United States. He said family members had been traveling in Rome when the explosion happened. “It took some time to notify the next of kin,” said Lieutenant Colonel John Whitford, a spokesman for the Connecticut National Guard. Nolan was the 19th person with Connecticut ties to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
From FallenHeroesProject.org
Joseph Nolan, originally from Waterbury, Connecticut, was one of three children born to a devout Irish Catholic family. He played football in high school and was a voracious reader who was intensely interested in foreign cultures. Joseph began reading books on military history at 10, learning about the wars that were fought by his father (in Vietnam), grandfather (in World War II), and great-grandfather (in World War I).
Joseph moved to Philadelphia to attend St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where he also studied Japanese.
He had an unquenchable curiosity about the world, which sometimes made him seem older than he was. But Joseph-Joey was also known for his great sense of humor, albeit at times politically incorrect. He was always fun to be around and was sought out for his company wherever he went.
Given his family’s history, it was no surprise when Joseph decided to pursue the Army. Joseph was fluent in Arabic after an intensive Army language program in Monterey, California.
He then went to Iraq. Matt, his brother, said he was “doing this to get his feet wet for later in life” and didn’t plan on “being a career military guy.” Matt was the last to speak to Joseph (a Sergeant) before his vehicle was hit by an explosive device in Fallujah, Iraq. Joey was working as a military intelligence expert.
From IraqWarHeroes.org in 2004
They Served in Silence
The Sacrifice of Cryptologic Hero
Sergeant Joseph M. Nolan, USA
Joseph Michael Nolan was born into an Irish Catholic family in Waterbury, Connecticut. According to his family, from his earliest days, young Joe (or Joey, as they called him) had exhibited an insatiable thirst to engage and influence the world around him. To those who knew him, there was little doubt that he was insightful and intelligent beyond his years. But scholarly pursuits were only a part of young Joe Nolan’s life. Despite his less than massive frame, Joe also spent a great deal of time playing defensive tackle for the Wolcott High School Eagles near his hometown.
The fall of 1995 found him at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. St. Joe’s is a Jesuit institution that revels in the idea that those with great gifts have an obligation to live their lives not only for themselves but also for the “greater glory of God.” Many expected Joe to follow in the footsteps of many of his fellow classmates by pursuing a career in the civilian world, but he had other ideas. Although educated in the Jesuit tradition, he was also part of another legacy – that of service to his country in times of war. Joe’s great-grandfather had served in WWI, his grandfather had served in the Navy during WWII, and his father was a Marine in Vietnam. In 1999, Joe joined the long line of Nolans who had answered the call to the colors when he enlisted in the United States Army. His interest in and aptitude for foreign languages would lead to his being chosen to attend a highly selective, 63-week course in Arabic at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. He would finish fourth in a class of eighteen. His training at Monterey began in the early summer of 2001. By late fall, the world had changed forever for Joe Nolan and for America.
Joe was assigned to the 312th Intelligence Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division. The fall of 2003 found him in Baghdad. In early November 2004, he was sent to Fallujah to provide critical language and cryptologic support to coalition troops in the area. Cryptologists must be versatile and skilled in the areas of language, technology, and mathematics. In times of war, these skills must be made available to those closest to the battle’s fray. Sergeant Nolan excelled in this kind of environment. Sometimes, he was a translator. On other occasions, he was involved in moving critical information to those in harm’s way. But in whatever capacity he served, his work was crucial in helping to save the lives of soldiers and civilians alike.
Life in the military is one of constant service and sacrifice. Sometimes, those who wear the uniform of our nation are called upon not only to endure hardship but also to make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom. On 18 November 2004, Sergeant Nolan lost his life when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle. Joe Nolan died, never knowing that his sacrifice, and the sacrifices of thousands like him, had brought the possibility of freedom and liberty to a land that had known torture and fear for decades.
Back in Connecticut, the Waterbury Republican-American reported that a wooden placard greeted cars pulling into the parking lot at Wolcott High School for the annual Thanksgiving morning football game. The hastily scrawled message simply said: Game Canceled. That morning, Wolcott’s athletic director and head football coach, Joe Monroe, remembered his former player as someone who really just wanted to be part of the team. “He wasn’t a standout. He wasn’t a name or a face that a lot of people would remember, but he was the kind of kid who would do absolutely anything you asked him to do.” Coach Monroe’s words were meant to honor the late Sergeant Nolan, but in a larger sense, he was also describing the uncanny ability of common Americans to overcome uncommon challenges no matter what the cost. Let us hope that as our nation embarks on yet another long twilight struggle, we will always have Americans such as Joseph Michael Nolan to help us preserve freedom and liberty for generations to come.
From the Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) November 26, 2004
By Matt Apuzzo | Associated Press
Waterbury native AMONG LATEST IRAQ CASUALTIES
HARTFORD, Connecticut — A military intelligence expert born in Waterbury was killed November 18 in Fallujah when his vehicle was struck by an explosive device, military officials announced Wednesday. Sergeant Joseph Michael Nolan, 27, was born in Waterbury and graduated from Wolcott High School, where he played football, said his uncle, John Nolan. He was one of three children. Funeral arrangements have not been set, the military said, but Nolan’s uncle said he will be buried in Waterbury next to his mother, who died 12 years ago. From Connecticut, Nolan moved to Philadelphia to attend St. Joseph’s University, his uncle said. Joseph was known to family members as “Joey” because his father was also named Joseph. A linguist, he began reading military books at age 10 and was fascinated with international affairs. “He speaks Arabic,” John Nolan said. “The Army sent him to school for a year and a half.” Brian Cleary, a longtime friend, told the Republican-American of Waterbury he remembered taking a trip to New York with Nolan before he left for Iraq. He had a successful conversation with an Arabic speaker, he remembered. “I can’t believe it works,” Cleary recalled him saying. “You’re dealing with somebody who had an unbelievable impact on people,” Cleary told the newspaper. Nolan was assigned to the 312th Military Intelligence Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, based out of Fort Hood, Texas, the governor’s office and family said. Governor Rell ordered state flags to fly at half-staff until Nolan’s burial. “I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Sergeant Nolan,” Rell said in a statement. “As we prepare to mark this most American of holidays, I ask everyone to pause and offer a special word of Thanksgiving for the men and women who risk their lives to guarantee our freedoms.” Nolan’s father, an ex-Marine, and his brother and sister were gathering in Philadelphia on Wednesday, John Nolan said. He said family members had been traveling in Rome when the explosion happened. “It took some time to notify the next of kin,” said Lieutenant Colonel John Whitford, a spokesman for the Connecticut National Guard. “They were out of the country on vacation, and the notification took a little bit.” Nolan was the 19th person with Connecticut ties to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since March 2002.
Memorialized on an Interstate 84 bridge over the Mad River in Waterbury, Connecticut.
From FallenHeroesMemorial.com
“My son, Daniel, was the roommate of your son at DLI, Mr. & Mrs. Nolan. I haven’t known how to contact you to tell you how deeply Daniel and I experienced your loss. Your son was a very special person. The last time we spoke, he asked if the 94-year-old monk at St Joseph’s Abbey could put together a reading list of Cistercian authors. He and Daniel once said when this was all over with (the war), they would go to the abbey and “make jam” together for a year or more. I reminded Daniel of this today. It is his 27th birthday. He was deployed again 10 days ago. Praying for you and with you,”
— Dana Goetz of Spencer, MA
“Of all of the soldiers in our company, Joe was probably my best friend during my first tour in Iraq. He was the same age as me and studied the same thing in college. I can’t count how many hours I spent in his trailer talking about Iraq, politics, Che Guevara, languages, anything and everything. Joe was a great man, and it was an honor to have served with him. His name has been written on my shoulder for nearly four years now. I’ve thought of him often in the last few days, having just arrived back in Iraq only a few days before the anniversary of his death. He was a great soldier, a great NCO, a great friend.”
— Captain Jonathan Stitt of San Antonio, TX
Honored on the City of Waterbury (CT) Global War On Terrorism Memorial
On June 8, 2022, Sgt Nolan’s remains were reinterred to Arlington National Cemetery, 1 Memorial Drive, Arlington, Virginia; Section 60, Grave 11933.
