Corey Dodge, 40, died August 22, 2015 in Kabul, Afghanistan as the result of a terrorist car bomb attack on his NATO convoy. He was born October 31, 1974 in Dover-Foxcroft.  He graduated from Dexter Regional High School, Class of 1993.
Corey was one of the three U.S. civilian contractors killed in the blast that destroyed several vehicles where at least 12 people were killed, mostly Afghan civilians.  Corey was working for DynCorp International, a private military contractor based in McLean, Virginia in efforts for the U.S.-led coalition, NATO Resolute Support Mission.
He was a son, husband, father of four, uncle, cousin; his love for his family saw no boundaries. Corey had just been home in June and took his family on vacation to the outer banks of North Carolina. He returned to duty on July 6th and was due home again for good on October 9th.
Corey left this world a brave man. He died while protecting our freedoms doing a job he was so proud of. Corey served in the U.S. Army. He had worked at the Maine State Prison, the Dexter Police Department and with the Knox County Sheriffâs office in Rockland, where he was named deputy of the year in 2002. For the past 9 years he had been working in Afghanistan training police officers and later, escorting high-ranking government officials as security detail with DynCorp International.
âHe had a special way with people, and people respected him for it,â Larry Hesseltine, Waldoboro Police Officer, Corey’s former supervisor at Knox County Sheriff’s Department.
âWeâve lost a husband, father, son, colleague, friend, a patriot, a man who was living in the prime of his life,â Dodge âdedicated his life to protecting the innocent,â âIn the depths of his person, in the core of his sole, Corey was a warrior; wired from the womb to protect the defenseless,â Roger Davis, Chaplain, Maine State Police.
To honor Corey Dodge, his daughter Sami Dodge requested to retrieve his tribute stone from the shores of Nags Head, NC; this was were the family had their last family vacation in June.
Corey will not be forgotten.
17 Comments
I worked with Corey at the MSP, he was a great person and a true professional. He will be missed.
May 1, 2016 to September 11, 2016
To the family of Corey Dodge, thank you for inviting me into your life and sharing your son, brother, father, uncle with me. I was touched and moved when Tammy contacted me about wanting to participate in The Summit Project in honor of her brother Corey Dodge.
This has been an amazing life journey in supporting and assisting your family in honoring Corey. Corey and I never met in life but his spirit has touched me. Through this journey together with Corey’s memorial stone he has brought me some life lessons. It has not been lost on me that Corey was a peace keeper; he was a peace officer when he served for the sheriff’s department, was a teacher of peace as he trained police officers in Afghanistan. He served his country not only in the U.S. Army but as a civil servant and a world peace servant.
I have been on an extended journey with Corey’s stone this summer. His stone was turned over to me on the first of May. We were able to have his stone engraved in time for the 2016 Memorial Day weekend TSP Baxter State Park hike event. I had the stone on Mother’s Day, before it was engraved. My husband and I had planned a day hike for Mother’s Day at The Mountain in Rome, ME and felt compelled to bring the stone with me. This is not a very big summit, hardly a summit at all, more of a trail through the woods with peaceful views. There was a transformation occurring, this stone began as a rock on a beach in North Carolina and was now on its way to carrying the spirit of one of Maine’s fallen heroes. During this hike my thoughts were of Letha Dodge, Corey’s mother. My mind wondered how to pay tribute to her son who had been lost only months ago without causing her sorrow. As I walked along the trail my heart told me there is no greater sorrow than the loss of a child, but I could give her comfort and peace by showing her that her son continues to touch others and his memory will be carried on. This stone felt so fragile in my hands when ever I carried it. Handle With Care it spoke to me; as it holds the many hearts of those who love and cared about Corey. Corey and I traveled near and far physically. I carried his stone to work where I shared his story with co-workers, has been to yoga in Newport where we paid tribute with the Hero Pose, he was given a special place of honor with tribute candles during a meditation and message session…seeking inner peace. On Memorial Day weekend his stone was carried to the summit of the Owl during the TSP BSP hike and presented to his mother and family at their first TSP event. It has been an honor to be a part of this journey with your family. I truly enjoyed learning about Corey and laughing with the family at Twin Pines camp. I am grateful you got to experience and feel the embrace of love at this event.
In June Corey’s stone with his family over Father’s Day and then Derek and I brought Corey along with us on our family vacation to Atlantic Beach, NC. When Tammy was turning over the stone to be engraved she shared the letter from vacation rental office, the woman who found the stone on the beach for the family requested a picture of the stone once it was engraved. My heart skipped a beat in excitement… I reached out and touched Tammy’s arm and I told her we were going on vacation in June to the Southern Outer Banks which is only a couple of hours away from Nags Head where the stone was retrieved. I asked her, if her and her family would mind if we took the stone with us to share it in person with the woman at the rental office. What a moving experience this was for both me and my husband. The ladies at the office were overwhelmed with emotions and grateful to share this experience with a family they had never met. A woman in NC responded to a letter from a stranger in ME, asking if someone would be willing to find a stone on the beach and mail it to Maine in honor of someone they had never met. I present Suzy with a TSP patch for her actions in honor of one of our fallen. We shared his story and the family had sent a picture for the office to keep. This group of ladies in the Outer Banks of NC did not know Corey Dodge before this day, but now they will never forget him. During our trip we shared his story and stone with our daughter who was stationed in Portsmouth, VA, with our friends who were staying with us in Atlantic Beach. When I took Corey’s stone to the beach a family with a pre-teen son stopped to ask about the stone. I spoke about TSP and shared Corey’s story. The young boy spoke up to share his condolences to Corey’s family and his mother and father asked to please pass on their sympathy for your loss and shared their gratitude for Corey’s service.
On our way back to Maine we stopped in Maryland to celebrate the 4th of July with some of my family. Corey’s stone once again had a place of honor during our family gathering, sharing his story with my family and friends. The celebration of our Nation’s independence had a deeper meaning with the presence of one who paid the ultimate sacrifice in serving world peace.
In July I hiked with my husband, daughter and friends to the summit of Mt Katahdin. This was a monumental moment in my life; to be able to do this with my husband and daughter was priceless. I felt it was the highest honor I could give to Corey (pun intended) and his family. And in August Corey’s father carried his stone in the Corrina Bicentennial parade before the stone was transported to be placed on display at MEPS in Portland, ME.
Throughout this honor journey with Corey I have experienced lessons in love, compassion, kindness, strength, courage, forgiveness, family, tolerance, perspective, peace and being present. It has been a privilege to meet several members of Corey’s; thank you Ronnie Sr, Letha, Sami, Tammy, Kristen & Makenna and Joshua for sharing Corey with us and making me feel like a part of your family. I continue to learn about Corey and who he was. It is always on my mind to live a life worthy of their sacrifice. I will continue to honor Corey from my heart with compassion and respect, to the best of my ability. Remember and Honor. Not forgotten.
P. J. Laney
Hello,
October 1st was the day of the hike (TSP at ANP), but it started before that. In July my son and I were confirmed to be part of the day, that was more than a “day.” I’ve always been so grateful for those who fight for our country to keep us all safe, and try to make things right in the world. I don’t have any family members who have given the ultimate sacrifice, but service has changed some of their lives. TSP is a great way to keep the memories of those taken too soon to live on, the sharing of each of their stories is very powerful. It is hard to explain this event to anyone who has not been there.
Once confirmed as participants we were encouraged to let them know if we wanted to carry the stone of a specific person. I read numerous pages of Maine’s honored, so many wonderful men and women, so many sad and heartbreaking stories. I then let TSP know that I would carry the stone of whomever it ended up was meant for me to carry.
I received the great honor to carry the stone of PFC Corey Dodge of the U.S. Army. As soon as I started to learn about Corey I felt a connection, I’m so glad it was his stone I was carrying. He wasn’t much older than me, when he was killed in Afghanistan just last year. He was a man who cared dearly for his family, and was doing everything he could to take care of them. I feel deeply for his wife and 4 children. Having children of my own, I know you do what you have to do to make things better for kids. I couldn’t imagine not being there for them anymore. It is heartbreaking to know Corey planned to come home for good after one more time overseas. I hope his kids realize how special of a man their father is. It sounds like he was one to always help, in the military, in law enforcement, and especially in his family.
Arriving at the campground early Saturday morning it was amazing to see all the people who were going to be hiking. My son and I were on Team Kebo, we hiked the North Ridge Trail. Our team seemed to bond right away. We had 2 Gold Star family members carrying the stones of their loved ones for the first time, we also had an additional Gold Star mother carrying the stone of another fallen soldier while her son’s stone was being carried by someone on a different team. These 3 team members were amazing, they showed such strength, and I was glad I was there to support them on this challenging day. We had a beautiful day up the mountain. We had 2 big American flags leading the way, while myself and others carried small ones on our packs. Everyone not with our team who walked by noticed our US flag, and it was great to see everyone respect it. We also had a TV reporter along with us part of the way. He shared TSP mission, and some of our Team members shared the stories of their loved ones. What great exposure for TSP. I love that we carefully placed all 20 of the stones together midpoint during our hike on rocks besides the trail. I hope Corey’s family gets a chance to see the photo with the US flag blowing in the breeze behind them!
It was a long hike up, not hard physically, but emotionally. Some obviously were having a harder time than others, but we hiked as a team that had known each other longer than we did. We all knew up at the top that we had a very special mission. I shared Corey’s story midway of our circle time. I don’t love public speaking, but I was determined to do a great job letting everyone know about Corey. He was one to always help others, and he was helping me speak. It was so quiet and peaceful as we all shared the different stories. 20 different stories, all left an impression on me. There wasn’t a dry eye on top of Cadillac. I’m glad 20 more people know his story, and that I know the story of some of our Maine heroes.
Back at the campsite, we met family members and friends. It was somewhat sad to see all the people who have lost someone, but comforting at the same time to see they had all those same people in support. As all 80 or so heroes names were read and the stones transferred, that was powerful. The day was more emotional that I anticipated it to be. I’ll remember it for life. Corey and our other heroes are often on my mind. I’m telling others about TSP, maybe one of them will bring Corey’s stone somewhere special one day soon. To his wife and children, stay strong, and live life as Corey would want you to.
Hi my name is Connor Verreault and on May 12th, 2017 I had the honor to carry the stone for Corey J Dodge up to the summit of Little Bigelow. I am a sophomore at Nokomis Regional High School, I am 16 years old from Corinna. I did this climb because I heard that I had the opportunity to carry a stone for a fallen soldier up the mountain. When I went to pick my stone I looked for the fallen soldier who lived closest to me. When I saw that Corey J Dodge worked in Dexter as a police officer before he was deployed I knew that that was the stone I wanted to hike up the mountain. I learned many things about Corey, that he loved protecting others, that he loved his family very much, and that he was a hard worker. I donât get many opportunities to honor the fallen soldiers of Maine, and iâm very glad I could for Corey.
Hi everyone, my name is Bryn Gallagher. On October 14th, I had the honor to carry Corey’s stone and story to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. It was a joy to read about Corey’s life and legacy – the line in his TSP biography by a Maine State Police Chaplain that reads “he was wired from the womb to protect the defenseless” spoke deeply to me. While carrying Corey’s stone, I could sense the selflessness with which he carried himself. The route our team took traversed two peaks. At the first peak, the clouds and fog were so thick that we could barely see ten feet in front of ourselves. I have been working through an irrational fear of falling off mountains (TSP has helped!) and, in those foggy moments, I thought of the depths of Corey’s courage and helping nature. I felt his spirit empowering our team to continue through the limited visibility and wind. I am so grateful to Corey and to all of the men and women like him who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can peacefully go on these hikes and adventure all over Maine (and beyond) with the freedoms that they have ensured for us. Thank you to Corey’s family for dedicating his beautiful stone to The Summit Project. It was a great honor to spend the day with your son, brother, loved one.
To the family of Army PFC Corey J. Dodge,
this Memorial Day weekend, I had the honor and privilege to carry Corey’s stone and story during the TSP base camp spirit hike. Even though we did not summit Owl Mountain, a team of base camp volunteers and gold star family members set out on a 1 mile hike to ensure that all of our fallen heroes were honored on this special weekend. As I carried Corey’s stone in my hands, my 8 year old daughter by my side, I reflected on the true meaning of Memorial Day, a day to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, but also a day that should be reserved for their families that were left behind.
I thank you for the privilege to carry your loved one’s stone and share his story in the circle ceremony we held at the shores of beautiful Millinocket Lake. MNANF
To the Dodge family â On 29September2018, I had the honor and privilege to carry the story and stone of your son, husband and father Army PFC Corey J. Dodge on Cadillac Mountain. I want to share with you how humbling it was for me to receive Coreyâs Tribute stone and carry his story that day. Corey was an experienced soldier and protector, someone who had been there before and chose to return to the war. His courage and resolve to go back was admirable and honorable. And that struck a chord in me.
While doing some research into Coreyâs life, I found a common theme that rings true for young men raised in small northern towns. One of the things that resonated with me included his love and appreciation for his family and communities. His adult life was one of service in many diverse ways.
Corey demonstrated a personal ethos of service and protection in his life. Whether it was his time in the Army, as a member of the Law Enforcement, or Corrections communities. He served in small towns where the role of Protector is often needed in acute situations. I really admire his consistency in that aspect of his life â being present for the members of his own community in their time of need.
A Fire Chief shared a memory from an auto accident in Knox County that described the protector role Corey practiced. âHe was a good cop because he seemed to actually care for the people he responded to. I responded with him to a car accident in Owls Head. We arrived to find a minor accident but the people involved were very scared and upset. He took the time to talk to them and listen to their concerns and before you knew it, the scene was calm and operating much more smooth. He had true command presence and I think that is something you canât learn, itâs just inside you.â
I didnât lead the Bubble team up Cadillac that day, but I did my best to honor Coreyâs character and his service as a leader of the small packs I found myself in as the team stretched out on the climb. I tried to use humor and encouragement to keep morale and confidence up, and to keep the pack moving upward. When I found myself getting tired, I reminded myself that Corey would have pulled the group together, and that I owed his legacy my best efforts to bring stability and to keep the team safe, no matter how I felt.
To help ensure that Coreyâs legacy of being a community servant, I will focus on being a more effective leader in the various community and church groups that I am part of. My hope is that by sharing his sense of loyalty to community with developing young people, and modelling those parts of his character, others will follow and help to make a positive impact at the grass roots level. I will also continue to share Coreyâs story with other informal leaders that I meet. While this cannot bring him back, I hope that it helps to keep his legacy to continue making an impact on future leaders of our towns, state and nation.
Semper memento Corey.
Russ Shoberg (aka Sensei)
My name is Steve Prewitt, and I had the honor and privilege to carry the stone and the story of Corey Dodge over the Memorial Day weekend, TSP at BSP 2019. This was the third time that I have been involved with the Summit Project, and just as before, I felt a distinct connection with Corey. Unfortunately, I was kind of last minute signing up for the hike, so I had a limited amount of time to learn about Corey. But, as I read his bio and began to learn his story, I understood his devotion to serving others, and I understood his love for his family, and even his desire to continue service to others and provide for his family. I hope to never really fully understand the sacrifice made by Corey, or the sacrifice that his family and loved ones have made. I will say that I am thankful of the price that was paid, and I will do my part in making sure that Corey’s life and sacrifice continues on, and gets shared with others. We are so fortunate to live in a country where young men, like Corey, place themselves in harms way in order to make sure that others may live in peace.
The Summit Project allows us to carry a part, a representation of that fallen service member. It allows us to learn about them, their life, their sacrifice, and maybe even a little about what made them so special. It kind of happens on it’s own, but a connection grows with that fallen hero, and an obligation to share their story begins to take over. I cherish the time I spent with Corey, although I never met him, I am pretty sure he was with me on that hike. I hope he was proud to have his story shared, and to know that his memory will live on. The Summit Project is a great tool for that, keeping that memory alive.
I would like to thank Corey and his family for their sacrifice for freedom. I cannot begin to understand, but want you to know that Corey has a legacy that will continue, from hiker to hiker, and summit to summit. Thank you for the honor of allowing me to carry your fallen loved one!
To the Family of Corey J Dodge,
Hello my name is Jason Ramsdell I am a sophmore at Nokomis Regional High, and I am a cadet in the Nokomis JROTC program and on Wednesday June 5th, I had the honor to carry Private First Class Corey J Dodgeâs stone up Tumbledown mountain. I wanted to carry a stone of a fallen Soldier who lived near me so thats why I chose Corey. I donât know much about him other than what I learned on the website, but I do know that he was a family man and he loved what he did. I just want to say that it was an honor to carry Coreys stone and learn about his legacy.
Sincerly,
Cadet Corporal Jason Ramsdell
To the Family & Friends of Army PFC, Corey J. Dodge
On Saturday, September 28, 2019 I had the honor & privilege of carrying the stone and story of Army PFC Corey J. Dodge who was from Garland, Maine up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. This was my third hike with TSP here in Acadia. I live here in Southwest Harbor and Acadia National Park is essentially my backyard.
I chose to join TSP @ANP 3 years ago (and again this fall in 2019) as I thought âWhy not? Itâs a great event and how could I not join as I hike in Acadia every day so why not thank our fallen heroes as I get to do something I love?â However, itâs never âjust a hikeâ. When you participate in TSP you feel a sense of belonging to a family with folks youâve never met before. You are all there to thank Maineâs fallen heroes and honor them for their service as well as the ultimate sacrifice they all made for us. It brings you together so the feeling of true humanity is tangible and that gives me such hope for a better tomorrow. This yearâs hike was the most rewarding and memorable hike for me to date.
Army PFC Corey J. Dodge died at the age of 40 in a NATO convoy terrorist car bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan in August of 2015. He left behind his wife Kelli and 4 children, his parents, a brother & two sisters and many other family members and friends.
I got a chance to connect and speak with Coreyâs older sister, Tammy, on the phone just before the hike. This was the first time ever I was able to actually make a connection to a Gold Star family member for the soldier of the stone in which I was to carry on the hike. It made such an impact on me and added so much more meaning to this event. To actually âhearâ the voice of a loved one tell you about the soldier they lost was so moving. I could hear the love and pride in Tammyâs voice for her younger brother. She was and is so devoted to him. It truly made âmy soldierâ real. We all know he was indeed real but when that soldier is gone and youâve never met them before then family & friendsâ stories are the only way to âmeet themâ and get to âknow themâ and in turn make sure they are NOT ever forgotten.
I hope and pray Tammy or any of Coreyâs family members will consider joining a TSP event one day. I think they would be honored to see how Corey and all the Maine heroes are remembered and it would most likely be very therapeutic for them. Thank you, Tammy, for spending a few moments of your time to share your love & stories of Corey with me. To hear you tell about his love for Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and his fun comical sense of humor was such a joy for me. I shared most of the stories you shared with me, with my TSP team mates on the summit of Cadillac. My team this year had a fun-loving comical sense of camaraderie throughout the entire hike and I knew Corey would be smiling and enjoying it all right along with us!
Army PFC, Corey J. Dodge not only served us before entering the military with his Law Enforcement work, in the Army with his service to our country but he continues to serve us after he is gone with his memories as we honor his life. He was born to serve his fellow humans and bring a sense of community to all. Thank you Corey!
At this particular TSP event, I witnessed several other personal human connections and positive human progress. I wonât elaborate here but again I want to reiterate the importance of TSP and honoring our fallen soldiers. TSP really does more than honor the lost soldiers, they help heal those left behind and support living veteranâs that are still here but may be struggling with their memories of their time in service to this country.
Listening to the stories of all the fallen heroes of my Teammates is always an emotional time. Itâs important to hear these stories and say the soldierâs names out loud so our fallen heroesâ lives do live on and remain a part of all of us. We have the freedoms we do thanks to those who served, continue to serve and sacrificed all for this great nation. Many thanks from the bottom of my heart to Army PFC Corey J. Dodge and all of Maineâs fallen heroes. I salute you and I will never forget you. #MHANF
Hello, My name is Riley Sinclair-Day a junior of Nokomis Regional High, on October 6, 2020 I had the pleasure of carrying the stone of Corey J Dodge. On the way up I continued to think about what he accomplished in his life, and about how great of a guy he was. When we had the stone ceremony, I talked about how he was a great husband, and father. I also talked about how he passed away. This was a great experience to have and I am very glad that I took the opportunity to do this trip. The weather was great! Tumbledown MTN. was a great mountain to climb. Beautiful, and very quiet. It has a great view at the summit of the mountain over Tumbledown pond, it was an honor to carry his stone.
Hello, my name is Rachel Creswell. I am a sophomore at Nokomis Regional High. On 17 May, 2021 I had the honor of carrying PFC Corey J Dodgeâs stone up Tumbledown Mountain. Nokomis JROTC hiked the Brook trail to Tumbledown Pond where we held our ceremony. We stood in a circle and took turns sharing our fallen heroâs stories. There were tears shed, especially from the ones who knew their hero well.
The hike was a challenge for me seeing as I donât hike very often, but it was beyond worth it for the view and the cause.
I am very honored to have had the opportunity to share Coreyâs story and legacy. I wish his family and friends the best.
I was in Kabul that day and deployed to the scene as the Company Commander. We brought Corey and his friends home. That night I prayed and remembered Corey and his team. My thoughts remain with his family and friends. Rest in Peace. Gone But Never Forgotten.
I would happily speak to his family or friends if needs be.
I had the honor of carrying Corey’s stone. When I was first notified that I would carry the weight of his rock, I immediately came to this site to learn more about him. I was struck. Corey died a husband and father of four in a cowardly attack. I felt an instant connection to him and his story. I am a father, roughly the same age that Corey was when he passed away. I can only imagine the deep feelings of loss and grief that I am sure linger to this day. I found myself in his position departing in the same manner. I choked up for my family in these imaginary moments; I had shed some tears for his.
I made sure to express how Corey was a man of service demonstrated from his time in the US Army, to the various law enforcement positions he held, to ultimately his last act of service: assisting his nation in a time when they needed help most. Giving his all to teach Afghan law enforcement how to police the right way and escorting and providing security for politicians and dignitaries that would come in and out of Afghanistan. Those were his last act of patriotism and selflessness.
Expressing the background of how the stone from Nags Head, NC was chosen really flooded me with emotion. It was overwhelming to ensure I was presenting this information in a clear, direct, and correct way. It all came back to him being a father. It came back to him being a husband and family man. I hope the group I presented to felt and knew that sentiment as I finished my presentation of Corey.
I know Corey’s story will continue on due to organizations like this, love from his family, and our desire to recognize those who have given the last full measure. I was honored to represent Corey. Thank you all for that opportunity.
To the family of Corey Dodge:
I had the honor and privilege of carrying Corey’s stone up Cadillac Mountain as part of this year’s Summit Project hike. Reading everything I could about the kind of man Corey was, I was struck by the depth of his convictions in what he was doing, the fortitude it must have taken to repeatedly put himself in harm’s way to carry out his mission of training Afghan police officers in how to protect and serve their communities, just like he had done here at home.
âWhen I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, âLook for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.â To this day, especially in times of âdisaster,â I remember my motherâs words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers â so many caring people in this world.â – Fred Rogers
Mister Rogers may not have known Corey personally, but I can’t help but feel that he would have counted him as one of the helpers we should all look for.
Thank you for the opportunity to learn about Corey; I know that no kind words I may say will lessen your pain but please know that his memory and legacy live on in those of us who are lucky enough to be part of this project.
To the Dodge Family.
On September 23, 2023 my wife and I attended the Summit Project event at Acadia. I had opted out of hiking this year to remain at basecamp with my wife and other Gold Star Families. After all the hikers had boarded the busses to head out for Cadillac Mountain and completed their mission of honoring our fallen heroes many of us at basecamp realized there were many stones that had not been assigned to hikers. We formed a group of people, chose a hero’s stone and struck off on a short, pleasant hike to Echo Lake. Once we arrived we had a ceremony where each of us talked about the hero we were carrying. I chose Corey. Although I did not have time to do a lot of research on Corey I felt it important to participate in order that his name be spoken and a few words said. It was an honor and a privilege to carry Corey’s stone on this day. In this way our heroes are not forgotten. As a Gold Star family my wife and I know the meaning of having our loved one’s name said aloud and their story be told. MAINE HEROS ARE NOT FORGOTTEN!
On August 10, 2024 I participated in a Summit Project event called “Ruck For The Fallenâ held at Pineland Farms, New Gloucester, ME. I carried Coreyâs stone in my Rucksack wrapped in a special towel with many hearts woven into the cotton material. The course was 10k long up and down through meadows and forests. I paused at his photo displayed along the race course and we had our photo taken together. Corey is not forgotten and will be remembered always.
Allmuth Perzel