N.C. guardsmen died Saturday

Sgt. Thomas C. Ray II, 40, of Weaverville, in Buncombe County, served three years in the Navy as a medical specialist after he joined in 1985. His wife said he joined the Army National Guard in May 2006.

"He wanted to save lives and bring back our guys," his wife, Linda Kay Ray, said in a statement released by N.C. Army National Guard officials.

Born in Asheville, Thomas Ray grew up in El Paso, Texas, and joined the Navy shortly after high school. After joining the National Guard, he became a qualified military police officer in June 2007.

He served in the 1132nd Military Police Company of the N.C. Army National Guard.

His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, which he received in January for his service as a gunner.

He is also survived by a teenage daughter.

Sgt. David B. Williams, 26, of Tarboro, in Edgecombe County, joined the Army National Guard in July 2003. Williams, a military policeman, first served in Iraq as a member of the 105th Military Police Battalion. He transferred to the Guard's 1132nd Military Police Company, where he was a team leader.

Williams, called Blake by his family, was hesitant to go back to Iraq for a second tour. His mother, Susan Williams, said it didn't take long for him to get reacclimated.

"After he met some of the people over there this time, he knew he needed to be there," she said through N.C. Guard officials. "He was making a difference."

He received the Combat Action Badge and the Army Commendation Medal.

And he received a second Army Commendation Medal in January for his role as a driver in his latest deployment.

"The uniform made him feel ten feet tall," Williams said.

He is also survived by a sister.

(News researcher Lamara Williams contributed to this report.)