These brave Americans sacrificed their lives while fighting for Ukraine, and now their parents have a direct message for President Trump.
“Our loved ones stood firm for what they believed in. My son and many others stated, ‘It’s clear to see that this war is a battle of good against evil,’” shared Terri Hepworth, the mother of Dane Alan Partridge, who lost his life in 2022.
“I still believe President Trump doesn’t fully comprehend the extent of our loved ones’ sacrifices. I wish he, as well as Congress, would connect with us and listen to our experiences.”
Numerous parents who conversed with The Post expressed their optimism regarding Trump’s increasing backing for Kyiv and emphasized their desire for him to understand why their sons gave their lives in a distant land.
“If you analyze the Russian rhetoric, they are not merely fighting Ukraine; they are challenging America and the Western way of life,” noted Gennediy Baturin, whose son David was killed in action two years ago. “This is fundamentally why our sons chose to engage in this conflict.”
Recently, the Trump administration has approved the sharing of intelligence on Russian refinery locations with Ukraine as the president debates the possibility of allowing Kyiv to procure advanced Tomahawk missiles to intensify pressures on the Kremlin to conclude its aggression.
“Trump’s support brings hope that I might visit there, meet the individuals for whom my son Dalton fought and fell,” mournful father Warren Medlin said.
“It means I could visit the location where he fell, connect with the land, feel his spirit and presence, and be in proximity to him for a brief moment.”
As estimated, over 4,000 foreign fighters from various nations have joined the fight for Ukraine. Many enlisted in foreign legion units formed after the military conflict began, while others — particularly those with specialized skills — were integrated into regular Ukrainian military forces.
There is no definitive count of U.S. casualties in the Ukraine conflict, but the RT Weatherman Foundation — a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans and their families, providing humanitarian assistance, and being active in Ukraine since the war began — has aided the families of 62 Americans who were killed in action.
Overall estimates suggest the actual figures are notably higher, with the Museum of the History of Ukraine reporting 92 Americans as having lost their lives.
Here are some of their poignant stories.
Dane Alan Partridge: May 4, 1988 – Oct. 11, 2022
At age 34, Partridge enlisted in the U.S. Army post-high school, serving in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division as an infantryman and driver of a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. Despite marrying and fathering a child, he felt a deep urge to aid Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, according to Hepworth.
“The need to travel to Ukraine to help nagged at him… Eventually, he spoke to my husband and then to me,” she recounted.
“I voiced my concern that if he went, he wouldn’t return. He conveyed that he had already left Iraq behind,” she mentioned, referencing the psychological impacts of war. “As we sat in silence, I felt compelled to let him go. His abilities were invaluable.”
In Ukraine, Partridge leveraged his military training to “enhance soldiers’ capabilities,” instructing them in the use of M2 Browning heavy machine guns while performing logistics, reconnaissance, and mine-clearing duties.
Rather than return home after sustaining a foot injury on a mine, he intensified his commitment to service.
“During his final engagement, he took prisoners, cleared out enemy hiding places, and provided cover for his comrades when ammunition was exhausted,” his mother recounted.
“Dane was struck in the neck by tank shrapnel. He succumbed to his injuries eight days later in a hospital.”
Cedric Charles Hamm: Sept. 26, 1997 – March 15, 2024
Cedric Charles Hamm departed for Ukraine in January 2024, shortly after concluding his U.S. Army service.
A combat veteran of Afghanistan, he was pulled towards training new Ukrainian troops but “quickly transitioned to serving in an elite group of foreign special operations fighters,” said his mother, Rachel.
“Most of his unit was lost in combat on March 15, 2024, in the Sumy Oblast region during his first mission,” she recounted.
With Hamm initially categorized as missing in action, Rachel resigned herself to the likelihood of never seeing him again or giving him a dignified farewell.
However, months later, the RT Weatherman Foundation informed her that they believed they had located her son’s remains.
The foundation confirmed his identity through DNA matching to his mother and a tattoo of the American flag on his arm.
“My son’s courage offers an invaluable lesson about the necessity for society to cherish freedom, as he did, sacrificing his life for the people of Ukraine,” Rachel said. “My family hopes the world learns from his legacy about the embodiment of selflessness and staunch patriotism.”
Edward “Eli” Wilton: March 23, 2001 – April 7, 2023
Disillusioned by the Biden administration’s inaction against Russia, U.S. Army veteran Edward “Eli” Wilton “felt a divine calling to engage for freedom,” shared his mother, Amy Broome.
Conscious that one of his grandmothers hailed from Ukraine, Wilton informed his mother that he would be joining Kyiv’s foreign legion.
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“Freedom is not exclusive to America, Mom. I feel a deep responsibility to defend my heritage,” Broome recalled her son stating.
She last saw him about a week before his death when visiting him in nearby Poland. He reassured her: “Mom, have no worries — I live without regrets. I’m at peace with my Lord and Savior.”
“He playfully smirked and sent me away with memorabilia for his little brother,” she recounted.
Collin Teem: March 30, 2001 – May 11, 2024
Collin Teem, a former Marine Corps machine gunner, received an honorable discharge in July 2023. Just two months later, he volunteered to fight in Ukraine, believing the Ukrainian people merited the same freedoms that Americans enjoy.
Throughout his eight months of courageous service, he ultimately laid down his life during a mission that enabled his team to reach safety, according to his mother, Dawn.
“We learned that he and another soldier, who also perished during that mission, played a crucial role in allowing their team in the field to escape,” she explained.
“He fell in love with the breathtaking land and the wonderfully kind people of Ukraine,” Dawn added.
“He frequently mentioned the kindness of the people — though he didn’t view himself as a hero, just someone helping and doing what he knew best.”
Corey Nawrocki: May 3, 1982 – Oct. 27, 2024
Corey Nawrocki dedicated 20 years to the Marine Corps, experiencing six deployments to Iraq and two to Afghanistan prior to retiring with two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star with valor.
Nawrocki was pursuing his master’s degree in human resources when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, prompting him to return to active service.
“He believed he could provide valuable assistance with his military experience. He was horrified by the atrocities Russia was inflicting upon Ukraine and its citizens,” his mother Sandy stated. “He told me, ‘Mom, this is my skill set, and I’m quite adept at it.’”
At her urging, Nawrocki completed his degree — and informed her the day after graduation of his intent to head to Ukraine, where he met a battlefield death on October 27, 2024.
“Corey was my only child,” Sandy Nawrocki shared. “His father passed in a car accident when Corey was merely eight months old. I never remarried or had any more children; it was always just the two of us.”
She added, “I am immensely proud of my son and his unwavering commitment to doing what he perceived as morally correct.”
Ethan Hertweck: July 17, 2002 – Dec. 4, 2023
Ethan Hertweck enlisted in the Marine Corps at 17, but was honorably discharged due to a rare blood disorder, as mentioned by his mother, Leslie.
Upon Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Hertweck traveled independently to offer assistance, initially rescuing women and children trapped in the war-torn landscape. At just 20, he returned to train as a combat medic in Poland and later joined the Ukrainian field units, imparting critical lifesaving skills before aligning with the 131st Reconnaissance Battalion, a foreign unit of the 59th Brigade.
Hertweck assumed the role of team medic and developed deep connections with his fellow fighters. Tragically, he was killed on December 4, 2023, while attempting to save a teammate during a mission in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast.
His remains were retrieved during a prisoner exchange over a year later, allowing his family to return him home for burial in Los Angeles.
Friends and comrades remember Ethan as wise beyond his years, fully dedicated to the Ukrainian cause. Leslie Hertweck remarked that her son lived by the belief that “all that’s necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Dalton Medlin: Dec. 29, 2000 – Sept. 27, 2023
From an early age, Dalton Medlin harbored a fascination with the military. He enlisted as an infantryman in the Army immediately after high school. However, civilian life left him unfulfilled.
“He could recite the specifications of various military equipment,” recounted his father Warren, reminiscing about Dalton’s childhood as he devised traps and built mock battle bunkers with friends.
Upon Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “he viewed this as an opportunity to apply his combat skills to help,” according to Warren Medlin. Dalton saved money for a one-way ticket to Poland and soon felt at home among the defenders of Ukraine.
“Upon arrival, he developed a deep appreciation for the people, the culture, and their unwavering unity against Russian aggression — no political agendas, merely survival,” Warren Medlin stated.
His fellow soldiers affectionately called Dalton “Gimli,” likening him to the loyal dwarf warrior from “The Lord of the Rings,” describing him as selfless, loyal, and always willing to sacrifice for his comrades.
On September 27, 2023, Dalton made the ultimate sacrifice, as his unit was overwhelmed by Russian forces.
“His comrades encountered injuries and were dragged into the open, only to be executed,” Warren Medlin recalled. “The adversaries ensured a drone was monitoring, so his brothers could witness the execution.
“Afterward, the Russians looted his equipment and set explosives around his body.”
Winton “Bud” Hardy: May 11, 1983 – June 10, 2024
Winton Hardy was a man driven by conviction, choosing to live and die on his own terms, his family noted.
“Bravery is not merely about a lack of fear,” stated his brother Will. “It signifies recognizing risks, feeling afraid, yet marching ahead regardless.”
Winton headed to Ukraine to provide protection. While under heavy fire, Bud rescued the wounded, willingly venturing into situations that others would dread.
“He wasn’t merely fighting; he was fighting for the lives of innocent people,” shared his brother.
“A World War II maxim a friend shared with me resonates: ‘War molds men, just as motherhood shapes women.’ Bud embodied precisely what war demanded — resilience, strength, and steadfastness.”
Ian Frank Tortorici: May 10, 1991 – June 27, 2023
Marine veteran Ian Frank Tortorici had a fulfilling career as a park ranger and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent when he made a pivotal decision days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Without notifying his family or girlfriend Nadia, Ian resigned from his job and made his way to Ukraine,” his father, John Frank, recalled, arriving on March 3, 2022.
Initially serving as a medic in Irpin during the Kyiv offensive, he soon joined as a machine gunner in the International Legion under Ukraine’s Department of Intelligence, largely due to the atrocities he witnessed.
While he had never encountered combat before, Ian demonstrated remarkable bravery alongside seasoned veterans in high-stakes operations.
By December 2022, only a handful from his initial 16-member team survived. Nevertheless, “Ian resolved to remain until the war concluded,” his father remarked.
On June 27, 2023, after a trench operation near Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ian and three companions stopped at a restaurant in Kramatorsk when a Russian informant pinpointed their coordinates, leading to a missile strike.
Ian lost his life along with 13 others, including children.
Alexander William Banas: April 18, 1999 – May 29, 2025
Marine Corps veteran Alexander William Banas, affectionately known as Alex, decided to volunteer for the fight in Ukraine because “he truly believed that everyone deserved to live under democratic governance and be liberated from tyranny,” stated his father, Joseph.
“He felt destined to participate in this struggle and was unwavering in his determination to serve as a Legionnaire.”
David Gennadiyouvich Baturin: May 20, 1997 – Oct. 7, 2023
Born in Kyiv, David Baturin immigrated to the United States with his parents at just 9 months old, eventually settling in Ohio. As an adult, he pursued a career as an HVAC technician before joining the U.S. Air Force.
David later transitioned into the Marines, expressing that he found the Air Force to be “too tame,” his father, Gennadiy, recounted.
When war broke out in Ukraine, David initially provided financial support to the war effort — donating approximately $10,000 within the first year of conflict — but soon prepared himself to fight, dedicating hours at local gun ranges, honing physical fitness, and learning the Ukrainian language.
“I am resolute,” his parents recalled him stating. “My place is in Ukraine. I am equipped, and they need trained individuals.”
Gennadiy Baturin shared that he and David’s mother had warned their son about potential dangers — PTSD, injury, capture, or “the unthinkable,” even asking him at one point: “And what if you get killed, son?”
According to Gennadiy, David confidently responded in flawless Ukrainian: “Then you will be proud of me, Mom.”
On October 7, 2023, while stationed with his unit holding a defensive line mere feet from the enemy, a Russian artillery shell struck their position, resulting in David’s death, yet his unit maintained their stance.
