U.S. Army Second Lt. Richard ‘Brian’ Gienau Remembered During Memorial Day Weekend

Randomly Selected by Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson and Orville Susong

2LT Richard “Brian” Gienau, above, is remembered during Memorial Day Weekend. Gienau died in Ar Armadi, Iraq, on February 27, 2005, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson and Orville Susong selected Gienau’s name randomly from the Global War on Terrorism Wall to honor and remember during Memorial Day Weekend 2025. (Image: find a grave)

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – What is Memorial Day?

Plain and simple, it is a day set aside for us, as Americans, to pay homage to the many soldiers who paid the ultimate price so that we may enjoy our freedom.

In our 249 years as a country, approximately 1.2 million soldiers have died defending our great nation.

My broadcasting/business partner, Orville Susong, and I decided to select one name from the Global War on Terrorism Wall to recognize and honor. It is our intent to put a face and story with a name.

This year, we randomly selected U.S. Army Second Lt. Richard “Brian” Gienau from Peoria, Illinois.

Brian joined the U.S. Navy in 1994 and served as an avionics mechanic. After his discharge from the Navy in 1999, he enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard. Brian graduated from the University of Northern Iowa.

Brian was killed in action on February 27, 2005, in Ar Armadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck his military vehicle.  He was the commander of the mission when the IED hit his Humvee.

Katie Allen of Peoria, Illinois, the young lady that Brian intended to marry, had just spoken with Brian a few hours before he was killed.

She said they chatted about various things, including Army life. He told her he expected to be busy the next five days. The last thing she told him was, I love you.

According to the JohnsonCountyIowa.gov website, Richard Gienau, Brian’s father, said that Brian “played with Army toys as a young boy, and that he joined the military to pay for school.”

Richard Gienau said, “It (military service) was important to Brian. He enjoyed the military. He was continuously figuring out ways to make it easier for his men.”

Gienau also said about his son, “Children loved him. He wasn’t prejudiced. He didn’t give a hoot what you looked like or how you were dressed. He loved everyone.”

Brian was an outdoorsman. He loved children and taught Sunday School.

Brian was laid to rest with full military honors in Tripoli, Iowa, the city in which he attended high school. Lt. Col. Todd Jacobus, commander of the 224^th Engineer Battalion, was one of many who spoke at Brian’s funeral.

According to The Hawk Eye newspaper, Jacobus told those in attendance, “Brian could be counted on to do the right thing. His soldiers loved him. They would have followed him anywhere. They are taking his death very hard.”

Today, we honor the life and memory of 2LT Richard “Brian” Gienau. On this Memorial Day Weekend, I am reminded of the words of General George S. Patton, “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia.  He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.

Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018,  Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey, Florida House District 32 Constituent of the Week 4/20/25.

Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.

He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 26 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.

The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.

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