Richard Essex/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis - Another Hoosier family has lost a son in Iraq. He is the fifth Hoosier solider killed in the conflict in the past two weeks.
Ten days ago, Cody Putman, his wife Molly and little girl Maddy were in Florida for their first and last family vacation.
His mother Pam Mow recalls her son's last trip home. "Actually he had just been back in Iraq for ten days. We just spent really wonderful time with him".
Thursday, Cody was killed in Iraq.
On Thursday there was a knock at Mow's back door. She knew it was bad news.
"Ya know they have to ask me if I'm Cody's mom and I say 'yes' and then 'we're so sorry to inform you that he's been killed in action today.'"
The only thing the Army has told the family is that Cody was killed in an explosion.
Cody Putnam enlisted two years ago and went to the recruiters office with his mother. It is a tradition of sorts in this family, where almost everyone has served. But all along he maintained the decision was his.
"He said 'ya know mom, you didn't make me do this. You didn't talk me into it. It was my decision,'" said Mow.
Entering the service would, according to his mother, provide an avenue for him to attend college.
"He always wanted to go to college and this was the way. The military provided a really good outlet for him to do that and it also helped him grow up."
His family say's the military transformed this easy going athletic kid from Monticello into a proud confident young man, husband and father.
"It's sad they didn't have more time together as husband and wife," his mother said.
