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Additional Comments &
Reference Sources
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Aguilar, Andres,21 Corporal
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Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd
Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
He
joined the corps in June 2002 and reported to Hawaii in March 2003, served in Afghanistan from November 2004 to June 2005. Assigned as a communications technician.
Killed
on 2 April 06
when the seven-ton truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Asad, Iraq. |
Born in Corpus Christi and grew up in Victoria,
Texas, he signed
up for eight years with the Marines while still a student at Memorial High School in Victoria despite his mother's strong
objections. A week after graduating
in May 2002 and turning 18, he left for boot camp. Despite the fact that he scored a 1470 on his SAT and graduated in the top 15 percent of his high
school class of moof more than 900 students. Officials at Princeton,
Harvard, Yale, Duke and other universities urged him to apply.
He is survived
by his parents, Olivia and Andres Sr. and three younger siblingse |
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Aguirre, Anthony, 20
Lance Corporal
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Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd
Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Died 26 Feb 07 of wounds
received while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. A roadside bomb exploded near his convoy, fatally wounding
him.
Awarded: the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign
Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
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Hometown: Channelview, Texas
Joined the United States Marine Corps 1 year after graduating from
Channelview High School
Survived by his sister Christine Castillo,brother, Earnesto Salinas and numerous other
siblings and cousins.
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Alonzo, Joshua C., 21
Lance Corporal
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Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Killed
22 November 06 while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province, Iraq.
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Hometown: Dumas, Texas
A fellow
marine who served with Lance Corporal Alonzo says:"I would like to state that Alonzo, to those who knew him, was an awesome
character. Though he was young, he was a great leader. I was able to watch his growth as a Marine and he is one of the few
who have made me the most proud. Not very many things make me smile about my time in the Corps anymore, but Alonzo is a person
who will put a grin on my face every time I think of him (which is quite often.) None of us will ever forget him. My apologies
to the Alonzo family. " Adding "My congratulations to them as well for raising such a phenomenal young man".
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Andersen, Nicholas R.,21
Lance
Corporal
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Assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Joined the Wisconsin
Army National Guard when he was 18, but an injured shoulder forced him to drop out. He then enlisted in the Marines January
2005
Died 13 Mar 06 of head injuries in the crash and died
as he was being transported to a hospital after the Humvee he was riding in rolled over as a group of Marines pursued a suspicious
vehicle near Jalalabad. |
Hometown: Sauk City, Wisconsin
Graduated in 2003 from Sauk Prairie High School. Enjoyed riding his motorcycle,
lifting weights, going fishing and hanging out with friends recalls members of his family.
Also was a member of
Lachmund-Cramer V.F.W. Post 7694, and Sprinkler Fitters, Local Union 669. Caroline, a close friend of LCpl Anderson
says "Nick was also very mechanically inclined, a perfectionist who enjoyed fixing things, enjoyed working out and lifting
weights, and was especially proud of his "pipes and had a passion for motorcycles and really enjoyed riding his Harley-Davidson
FatBoy with friends". |
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Bertolino, Mattthew L., 20
Private First Class
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Assigned to Alpha Co., 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment
Joined Marines in January 2005,spent six months learning advanced combat techniques.
Died 9 Feb. 06 when the vehicle in which he was traveling rolled over during a combat patrol near Jalalabad,
Afghanistan.
Awards include: the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign
Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
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Hometown: Hampstead, N.H Graduated fromThe Pinkerton Academy.
Kristen Bertolino read from her brother’s letters home. During his tour, in one of his letters home he wrote
"that he felt joining the military was the right choice, because he was protecting people".
PFC Bertolino
is remembered by family members as tall, muscular, and always smiling. And always busy. If he wasn't sprucing up his red
Jeep Wrangler, he'd probably be skiing or rock climbing somewhere. ''He was my rock," Kristen said. ''And
he gave the best bear hugs."
Survived by his parents, Stanley and Joyce, and two older sisters Kristen and
Kimberly.
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Bland, Brian D., 26
Staff Sergeant |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Joined Marined in 1995 and graduated from
drill sergeant school.
Killed 26 Jan. 05 when the CH-53E helicopter in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah,
Iraq
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Hometown: Weston, Wyo Graduated from Newcastle High
School in 1995.
Rev. Leslie Barnett recalls when SSG Bland was a boy, he saved money as a paperboy to buy his
first horse, and went on to compete in local rodeos. Later when he was a teenager, had saved money from working at Pizza Hut
to buy his first motorcycle.
SSG Bland was legendary around their base in Kaneohe for riding his motorcycle on
its rear wheel and for being in top physical shape says 1st Sgt. John Waddell a close friend who served with him.
Adding also that SSG Bland didn’t always agree with his orders, but it was for good reasons. “If he was giving
me a hard time, it was because he was looking out for his Marines".
“Brian has finished the race. He has kept the faith,” said the Rev. Leslie Barnett. “If you value
what he has done, this sacrifice needs to be made meaningful through your lives.”
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Blanton, Jeffery S. , 23 (Lance
Corporal)
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Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine
Expeditionary Force
Enlisted in the Marines in 2002 and
attended the School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune, N.C., from June to November 2002. Trained as an anti-tank assaultman
and had three years service time.
Killed 12 Dec. 04
by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq. Lance Corporal Blanton had been released from a hospital just two days
prior to the incident after having previously been wounded by gunfire.
Awards:
National Defense Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. Recommended for Purple Heart |
HomeTown: Fayetteville, Ga Lance Corporal Blanton grew
up in Senoia, in Coweta County, southwest of Atlanta. While in high school, he enjoyed football and baseball.
LCpl Blanton met his wife Amber boyde, a Army paralegal, while both were stationed in Hawaii,
They were married 29 Feb,
2004 on a beach in Kaneohe, Hawaii.
Sandra
Blanton, his aunt says, “He lost three toes and had an opportunity to come home, but he would not,” “He
wanted to stay. He didn’t want to give up his career with them.” His aunt was referring to her nephew being released
from hospital, recuperating from a gunshot wound to the foot. Continuing, “He was very
happy about being in the military. He had a lot of pride for the uniform that he wore.”
Survived by his wife,
mother, Tracie Botts, father, Steve and stepmother Donna and several other relatives.
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Booth, Joshua L. , 23
2nd Lieutenant |
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division,
Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps
in May of 2005. Later attended TBS, followed by Infantry Officer School in Quantico and was subsequently stationed at the
Marine Corps Base in Kaneohe Bay. He was 3rd Platoon leader in Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, that was
deployed to the Al Anbar Province in September of 2006.
Killed 17 Oct. 06 while conducting
combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq.
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Hometown: Fiskdale, Mass
A 2001 graduate of St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, and a 2005 graduate of The Citadel Military
College in Charleston, S.C., earned a degree in criminal justice.
When he was 7 years old, Joshua hopped on the
bus and went to Burgess Elementary School dressed as Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Josh wanted to be in the military since
he was a little boy," said his father. "He was in the Sea Cadets in Worcester when he was going to St. John's
(High School in Shrewsbury) and he just fell in love with the Marines. And from that point forward, he was not going to be
denied."
"Joshua had a strong sense that he was going to be giving his life for his country," Mrs.
Booth said. "A Marine believes that their name is written in a book on a certain day. … Unfortunately, that was
his day. We love him. We're proud of him. He supported what he did, so we supported what he did."
2nd
Lt. Booth is survived by his parents, wife, Erica, 21, daughter, Grace M. Booth, son , Tristen Joshua Booth.
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Bow, Jeremy D., 20
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Joined the Marine Corps in August
2003. He attended the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton during February 2004, where he trained to become a machine gunner
.
Killed 30 Oct. 04 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.
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Hometown: Lemoore, Ca Graduated from Lemoore High School in 2002.
He was a great guy,” said Pvt. Jeremy Betteridgeid, a Marine who said he had attended Lemoore High with Bow.
“I’m going to miss him.” “Everyone is
just in shock,” said family friend Shelly Fortner. “He was 20. Just a baby. Too young to die.”
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Branning, David M., 21
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine
Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Joined Marines in 2002
Died 12 Nov 04 as result
of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq
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Hometown: Cockeysville, Md Attended the Waldorf School,
the Carver Center for Arts and Technology and graduated in 2001 from Dulaney High School. He was known as a talented sketch
artist.
Both his parents are pacifists and family members were surprised when he decided to join the Marines.
He said he wanted to see the world and earn money for college recalls members of his family.
“He wanted to know what was beyond here,” says LCpl Branning’s stepmother,
Tia Steele “He was also interested in the discipline. He was testing the self. We honored his decision. We weren’t
happy, but we didn’t want to not support him.”
Lance Corporal Branning is survived by his father and
his sister.
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Brixey Jr., Billy D.
Lance Cpl.
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Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; attached to 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary
Force, Okinawa, Japan;
Joined the Marine Corps in 2002 and moved to Hawaii one year later. He deployed
to Afghanistan as a motor transport mechanic.
Died 27 Jan. 06 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany,
of wounds sustained 25 Jan. 06 when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was traveling in a convoy in Afghanistan.
Awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the
National Defense Service Medal.
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Hometown: Ferriday, La
Graduated in 2002 of Vidalia High School, participated in Dixie Youth Baseball and was a member of the Vidalia High School
Football team
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“He was a fellow that touched a lot
of lives around Ferriday,” his grandfather, Joe Brixey said. “He was a good Christian boy. He loved the
church, and he loved the Marines, and he made the sacrifice.”
Lance Corporal Brixey is survived by his father,
Billy Don Brixey Sr. and wife Cassandra of Vidalia; a brother, James “J.J.” Brixey and wife Angela of Ferriday;
two sisters, Alexandra Brixey of Vidalia and Kristin Nicole Limpkin of Hammond, La.; two step-brothers, Jerry Brownell Jr.
of Texas and Adam Brownell of Natchez; a step-sister, Samantha Brownell of Vidalia; grandparents, Joe and Betty Brixey of
Ferriday; a nephew, James Brixey Jr.; a niece, Kathey Brixey; and a number of aunts, uncles and cousins
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Brown, Donald S., 19
Private First Class
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Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Joined the Marines in September 2005 and
trained at the Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, S.C.
Died 25 Oct. 06 from wounds sustained while
conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
Awarded the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
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Hometown: Succasunna, N.J Graduated from Roxbury
High School in 2005 He was the youngest of four children.
Mark Solis, a former classmate who played football
and ran track, recalled LCpl Brown always talked with friends about how excited he was to join the Marines. "He
just always seemed to be the perfect kind of person to be in the military," "He was very disciplined, he was very
honest, very positive, nice to everyone."
He chose the path of his older brother, Kenneth who had served
three tours in Iraq before leaving the service . "I think he knew that when he went in he would have to go to Iraq -
Kenneth told him that," his father, Philip Brown, said. "He wanted to be a history teacher, but he wanted to go
into the Marines first. He wanted to take part in history.
Also adding, "There was only one thing made
his son flinch from the assignment "He knew he was going to leave his fiancee behind, so there
was a little reservation there."
Annette Brown said her son always had a smile and loved four-wheeling, eating
"no-fuss" baked chicken - his favorite meal - and hunting at his grandfather's farm.
In addition
to his mother and father and siblings Kenneth, Michele, and Joshua
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Brown, Timothy W., 21
Lance Corporal
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Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary
Force at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 2005 after finishing an 18-month
curriculum to be an auto mechanic
Killed 14 Nov. 06 while conducting
combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
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Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Described as a standout athlete ,a varsity wrestler and soccer player at Sacramento's
Foothill High School. LCpl Brown'hobbies included: shooting, collecting guns and knives, working on cars, wrestling with
his fellow marines back on base in Hawaii, and spending time with his fiancee, Ashley Milami
LCpl Brown was engaged
to be married in the spring to his high school sweetheart, Ashley, whom he began dating when he was 16. "They were madly
in love and they had their whole lives planned," his mother said.
While in Marine Corps boot camp, he got
word that his mother, had been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, his message to her, she recalled, was one of comfort:
"Hold on, Mom. I'll take care of you." "Now I'm planning my son's funeral," his mother said.
"It was supposed to be mine, not his. It's really hard."
Timothy is survived by: Mother, Susan
C. Brown, Father, Richard K. Brown, Brother, Richard K. Brown Jr., Sister, Sabrina D. Brown, Grandparents, Joe and Elma Brown,
Babs Brown, and Ruth Ganz, Great aunt, Thea Loffelhart, and Fiancee Ashley M. Brown.
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Byrd II, John T., 23
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Joined the Marines in 2002
Killed 30 Oct 30 04 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.
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Hometown: Fairview, W.Va. He was a graduate of North Marion High School
LCpl
Byrd is described by family and friends as a serious, quiet person who always took people as they came and treated them with
respect.
Pastor Delas Stuzen, who remembers LCpl Byrd
attending Noah’s Ark Assembly of God Church’s youth center and playing basketball with his friends, also noted
his kindness and bravery. “I saw some qualities in that young
man that were a little different,” he said. “He was quieter. He was a gentleman. He was a good guy.”
Lance Corporal Bryd II is survived by his wife, a son. a sister, four uncles, paternal grandmother and maternal grandmother.
His paternal grandfather, Clifford Earl Byrd and his maternal grandfather,
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Calapini, Lewis T.D
Private First Class
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Assigned to Anti-Terrorism Battalion, 4th Marine Expeditionary
Brigade, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.;
Joined Marines May 2004
Killed 23 Jan. 06
in a non-hostile vehicle accident near Taqaddum, Iraq. |
Hometown: Waipahu, Hawaii
A native of Laoag, Philippines, Private Calapini graduated from the Hawai’i National Guard Youth Challenge
Academy He enjoyed playing basketball and practicing tae kwon do. His second tour in Iraq began Oct. 3, 2005.
Navy Chaplain Raynard Allen, from Camp Lejeune, who represented Private
Calapini’s Commanding Officer is quoted in part as saying “I
want to tell his family that his courage, honor and commitment will be missed, and about his contagious spirit and smile that
galloped and rippled their way through his company. No parent expects their son to die before them, and I know they feel a
dagger in their heart".
Private Calapini is survived by his parents, Orencio and Helen Grace Calapini;
older brother, Marvin; and grandparents, Filipinas Basug, Amado and Veronica Duquez, and Adela Arucan.
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Chaires, Daniel B., 20
Private First Class |
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine
Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Killed 25 Oct 06 while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq
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Chamroeun, James, 20
Lance Corporal
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Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd
Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Lance
Corporal Chamroeun joined the Marines in July 2004 and had been in Hawaii since February 2005 and was stationed in Afghanistan
with the 2nd Battalion, which returned in January from an eight-month deployment there. Assigned as a radio operator
Died 28 Sept. 06 of wounds received while
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq.
He has been awarded a Purple Heart and other service medals. |
Hometown: Union City GA
survived by his parents, Victor and Weena
Ny of Union City; sister, Rebecca Chamroeun; brothers, Specialist John Chamroeun (US Army), Jeffrey Chamroeun, Joel Chamroeun
and Wilton Ny
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Christoff, David R., 25
Sergeant
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Assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Enlisted
in the Marines the day after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Had re-enlisted and was
serving his second tour in Iraq.
Died 22 May 06 from wounds sustained while conducting combat
operations against enemy forces in Asad, Iraq
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Hometown: ROSSFORD, Ohio Sergeant Christoff
graduated in 1999 from Shawnee High School near Springfield in western Ohio. An only child who was single loved golf and hoped
for a career in law enforcement.
His grandmother Ann
Christoff says “He was very smart and got good grades and worked his way up to sergeant very quickly in the Marines.
He was so sure that that was what he was supposed to be and that was what he was supposed to be doing.“He thought as long as the Marines were over there fighting we could all sleep good
at home.” "I was so proud of him. We're all proud of him."
While on leave in February, 2005
- Sgt Christoff saved his father's life by driving him to the hospital when Mr. Christoff was suffering a heart attack.
"He came home to save my life," his father says. "Just having him here [safe] and not in Iraq saved my life."
"He's all I had, he was my only child and he was my best friend."
Adding that because his son was
"married to the Marine Corps," he did not have much of an opportunity to have a family of his own, which is something
his father said was yet another blow, because he'll never have grandchildren.
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Clark, Matthew W.,22
Lance
Corporal
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Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
He served in Afghanistan
from May 2005 until January 2006 and later deployed to Iraq
Died 14 Dec. 06
due to injuries sustained from enemy action in Anbar, Iraq.
Awards include: Purple Heart, National Defense
Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and two Sea Service
Deployment Ribbons.
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Hometown: St. Louis, Mo 2002 Ladue Horton Watkins
High School graduate.
Family members remember LCpl Clark as a renaissance
man and reflected on his broad intellect, interest in history and honest charm."He was very intelligent," he spoke
French and wanted to study philosophy. He could have done anything, but he wanted to be on the front lines" sayes his
grandfather, Thomas Chamblin.
His mother, Lee Hundelt, said her son had wanted to be a Marine since he was a boy.
She recounted a time when Clark wanted to hang an American flag over his bed but was too young to do it himself. She hung
it for him instead.
Matthew W. Clark's father, Kenneth Clark, a Marine veteran, died during Matthew's senior
year of high school with his son always close by. "Few fathers and sons are as close as Ken and Matthew were," said
The Rev. Monsignor Vernon Gardin. "Ken doted on Matthew and, when he was dying, Matthew was his angel."
A month before his death, Lance Corporal Clark e-mailed his priest a "personal manifesto of his life." "I
am American," Writing the following: These are my people. I will always be more like them than the Britons or French
men. I will forever desire to protect them." Before joining the Marines, LCpl Clark considered entering the priesthood.
After his father's death in 2002, a friendship with the Rev. Monsignor Vernon E. Gardin of the Archdiocese of St. Louis,
a man he called a mentor.
One of his former highschool teachers Kurt Knoedelseder, comments, "He was always
thinking about other people more than himself.
Lance Corporal Clark is survived by his mother; grandfather Thomas
Chamblin, of Smithton; uncles Thomas Chamblin, of Belleville, and Todd Chamblin, of Granite City; aunt Lynn Llanos, of St.
Cloud, Fla.; and cousins who live in Belleville and St. Cloud. |
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Conboy, Adam, 21
Corporal
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Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force,
Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Joined
the United States Marine Corps on 21 March 2005 at MCRD Parris Island. Graduating as a Private First Class meritoriously from MCRD Parris Island, he continued his training at the School of
Infantry (SOI), Camp Lejeune.
Killed 12 May 06 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Awards include: the National Defense Service Medal, the
Iraqi Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
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Born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, on 9 August 1984. He is survived by his parents Charles and Mary
Conboy
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From the Associated Press:
PHILADELPHIA: Lance Corporal Adam C. Conboy didn't realize it, but five days before he was
killed in Iraq, he inspired his own memorial fund.
During a Sunday morning phone call from the Anbar province, he described being quartered with 20 men per room
in an old schoolhouse, packed into bunk beds in the scorching heat. The stench, he said, was overwhelming.
He asked his mother if she could send clean sheets — 40 sets of them, one for each member of his platoon.
"C'mon Mom, get Operation Bedding going," he joked.
He was killed the next Friday, May 12, 2006, by friendly fire. He had been in Iraq for eight weeks. Your
help is needed; http://www.adamconboymemorialfund.org/
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Courtney, Kelley L., 28
Sergeant |
Assigned to 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary
Force, Okinawa, Japan;
Joined Marines in 1998
Killed 30 Oct 04 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.
Awards : Purple Heart (posthumously), the Combat Action Ribbon (posthumously), the Navy and Marine Corps
Achievement Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Letters of Appreciation and the Certificate
of Appreciation.
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Hometown: Macon, GA Sergeant Courtney dropped out of high school, later
completed his GED before Attending Central Georgia Technical College and Barstow College, Barstow, CA
He read newspapers and Christian, Jewish and Muslim holy books, concluding that major religions
shared basic truths twisted by extremists. “So are we at war with an enemy? No,”
he wrote. “We are at war with false prophets and... humans spreading death and lies throughout the earth.”
Sergeamt Courtney said in his last e-mail to his older brother,
Joey Fernandez, “Don’t tell Mom, but I’m scared . “We are about to stir up a hornets nest here shortly
and I’m going to be right in the middle of it.” He also apologized for any past disagreements with his brother, “I
thought he was homesick,” Mr. Fernandez told a local reporter from The Telegraph. “But he knew that he was going
to die.”
Sergeant Courney is survived by his wife, Cindy Jacobs Courtney of Macon;
his children, Kellie Marie Courtney and Robert Logan Courtney of Macon; his parents, Robert and Eugenia B. Courtney, Macon;
two brothers, Sgt. Donovan Eugene Courtney, and Robert Joseph Fernandez, Macon; his grandparents, John and Janess Bostick
Harrell; several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
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Davenport, James, R, 20
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd
Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Joined the Marine Corps on January
12th, 2005. August 16th, 2005 began his basic training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California. He graduated from basic
training on November 11th, 2005. He remained in California for additional training, until he was stationed at Kaneohe Bay,
Hawaii, in February of 2006.
Killed 22 Nov. 06 while conducting combat operations
in Anbar province, Iraq.
Awards: Purple Heart, the National
Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
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Hometown: Brownsburg/Danville, Indiana Lance
Corporal Davenport spent the first few years of his life in Archie, Missouri. At the age of 5, he moved to Danville,
Indiana where his family still resides. From kindergarten through the eighth grade James attended Kingsway Christian School
in Avon, Indiana. James attended Bethesda Christian School in Brownsburg, Indiana from the ninth grade until he graduated
on May 25th, 2005.
LCpl Davenport is survived by his parents Clifford and Tammie (Rayl) Davenport of Danville,
Indiana ,older brother Daniel JR Davenport of Indianapolis, Indiana,
his Grandparents Everett and Ruby Rayl of Versailles,
Missouri
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Davis III, Edward G., 31
Sergeant |
Assigned to the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.;
Killed 28 April 06 while conducting
combat operations against enemy forces in the Anbar province, Iraq.
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Hometown:Antioch, Ill a former Antioch resident Sgt. Edward Davis
III attended Warren Township High School in Gurnee.
His sister Rachael Rodriguez says. "He was
a funny, funny guy." "Eddie could always make people laugh. He had a great sense of humor and the biggest
dimples," she said. "And he just loved his family and his kids so much."
She also recalls that
about a week before he died, he ran into a 24-year-old cousin in Iraq who is also a Marine. "They got a chance
to talk for about an hour and a half." I think myself, personally, I had a false sense of security because my cousin was on his second trip to Iraq. "I guess I thought because he had been safe there, it
probably wasn't as bad as they were saying. I thought they were helping more than fighting," she said.
Sergeant Edward Davis III is survived by his wife and three children
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| SGT Davis and sister Danielle |
Years will go by just like this one did, but I will love you just the same as i did when we'd go to the pendleton
beach and "talk about all our problems" hahaha. damn i miss laughin with you.
xoxo love, your little sister danielle davis
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Marin-Dominquez Jr., Jose M.,22
Lance Corporal
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Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
killed 14 May 06 while conducting
combat operations in the Anbar province, Iraq.
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Jose MarinDominguez was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and emigrated to the United States in 1991. His family later moved
to Liberal, Kansas where he became a U.S. citizen.
Growing up in Liberal, Jose loved music and cars, and even
started a car club. He was known as a sweet guy with a tough exterior, a familiar face in church, and devoted to his adopted
country.
Jose told his automotive mechanics instructor he was going to join the Marines right after high school,
and he did. He was excited about it, believing God "had him there for a reason".
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Downey, Michael, A., 21
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Joined Marines in 2002, combat engineer
was his duty position
Died 19 Nov. 04 at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., of wounds sustained
Nov. 11 nine days after being hit by a sniper’s bullet in Anbar province,
Iraq.
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Hometown: Phoenix Arizona
Lance Corporal Downey and two close friends, Gregory Kennedy and Jasper Yuan, joined the Marines
shortly after they graduated from Thunderbird High School in north Phoenix in May 2002.
“Michael had a keen intelligent mind and a wicked sense of humor, and he loved
being a Marine. He was proud of protecting our freedoms and way of life.” says his mother. “Michael was a bright, respectful teen who would make any
parent proud,” Mark Kennedy, a close family friend said. “The world may not know it, but it is a poorer place
to live with him now gone.” His parents, Lauren Eiler and William J. Downey, and other loved ones,
including a grandmother, were at his bedside at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda.
“My
son was the bravest, strongest person I’ve ever known,” Eiler said when the family was reached by phone. “My
son was the bravest, strongest person I’ve ever known,” Eiler said when the family was reached by phone. Phoenix resident Glenda Stewart, a longtime Downey family friend,
also were at the Marine’s bedside.Stewart said, “He was coherent for a while and even joking with his loved ones,
but things then took a turn for the worse.”
Lance Corporal Downey is survived by Lauren Eiler and William
J. Downey, brothers Matthew Eiler and Benjamin Anderson, stepfather, Joseph Schwartz, grandmother Marcie Downey, aunt Pauline
Aiken, "Aunt" Glenda Stewart, family friends Adam Thornton and fellow Marine Gregory Kennedy Downey also leaves
behind another brother, Axel Downey, sisters Ashley Cunningham and Carrie Anderson, United States Navy, HM3E4, and many aunts,
uncles, cousins and friends. |
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Dykeman, Phillip J., 38
Captain |
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine
Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Captain Dykeman joined the Marines in June 1991 and was assigned
to Hawaii in May 2007. Leader of Fox Company in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines at Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Died
26 June 08 while supporting combat operations in Karmah, Iraq.
Awards include : Purple Heart Medal,
two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award,
the Navy Unit Commendation Medal, the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal and two National Defense Service Medals.
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Hometown: Brockport, N.Y
Captain Dykeman grew up in Bernhards Bay, Constantia, and graduated from Paul V. Moore in 1998 later
went on to Brockport Community College to complete his associate's degree. He married Virginia Moore in
Skaneateles in 1998
Captain Dykeman is survived by his loving wife, Virginia; son, Austin; daughters, Emilee and
Ashlee of Kailua, Hawaii; brother, Master Chief Petty Officer Arthur Jr. (Judith) Dykeman of Oxnard, California; sister, Kathryn
(Raymond) Shoults of Oswego, New York; seven nieces; five nephews; two great-nieces; one great-nephew; several cousins; and
the devoted Marines and sailors of Company F
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Elliott, Terry J., 34
Gunnery Sergeant |
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Served with 14 years and 7 months
Killed 1 Feb. 07 while conducting
combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq during combat operations in Anbar, a western Iraqi province where Sunni insurgents
are reported to remain well-entrenched and some of the bloodiest street battles of the war have occurred.
Awards: The Purple
Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two Gold Stars, Combat Action
Ribbon with Gold Star, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Good Conduct
Medal with three Bronze Stars, National Defense Medal with Bronze Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global
War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, United Nations Medal, NATO Medal,
and Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon
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Hometown: Middleton Tennessee A native of Hardeman County, Gunnery Sergeant Elliott was educated in the Hardeman
County School System and is remembered by his Middleton Elementary School teachers as a strong-willed young man who showed
leadership qualities at an early age.
Gunnery Sergeant Elliott was a member in good standing at New Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, having been an active participant in youth activities and functions sponsored
by the Church while singing in the Youth Choir and later, the Male Chorus.
Gunnery Sergeant Elliott is survived by his parents Lee and Jo Ruth Elliott
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Estrella, Michael, A., 20
Corporal
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Assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Joined the Marine Corps in September 2003
Killed
14 June 06 by a sniper while on foot patrol in Haditha, in the insurgent stronghold of Al Anbar province. He was
assigned as a field radio operator.
Awards
include: the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign
Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment ribbon.
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Hometown: Hemet Ca At Hemet High, Corporal Estrella joined the Junior Reserve Officers'
Training Corps, appreciating the order and discipline required by the drills. He moved up the ranks and by graduation was
a flight commander overseeing 30 cadets.
"He was just special," said his mother, Maria. "He did
everything, and he never gave me any problems. He was always there for me and his brothers and sisters. He did a lot for his
family."
His sister Sasha, said her brother was her best friend, whom she would seek out for advice
about boys and other teenage issues. "I always used to talk to him about everything," she said. "He would always
tell me, 'Don't worry; you've got to keep your feet up and keep walking.' He would tell me that he would always
be there for me and support me."
She also added that, after a eight month deployment to Afghanistan in November
2004, he was changed. "He was just depressed about everything he had seen, and he was scared," his mother said.
"That's why when he left for Iraq, it scared us as well."
Knowing an Iraq deployment was inevitable,
she tried to persuade him to tell the Marine Corps about his asthma problems in hopes he would be relieved of duty. But he
refused: Telling her, 'No, I have to go.' I want to be there with my brothers." Cpl Estrella
was sent to Iraq in March. The day before he left, he shipped his car home, an unexpected act that makes his mother wonder
whether he had a premonition. "I'm thinking he was being prepared," she said. "He knew, or maybe he had
that feeling: 'I'm not coming back, I better get everything in order for my mom.' "
Estrella is
survived his father Francisco, mother, five younger brothers and approximately 30 cousins.
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| Francisco Estrella holds the uniform of his brother |
Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Death of Cpl. Michael Estrella"With respect and gratitude, Maria and I express our sympathies to the family and
friends of Cpl. Estrella. As a Marine, Michael courageously fulfilled his duty to service and responsibility. We owe a debt
of gratitude to Michael, his family and all other service personnel for the sacrifices they make to ensure our freedom."
Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff.
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2006/06/166026.php
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Etterling, Jonathan, 22
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Enlisted in the Marine Corps May 28, 2002, and attended the School of Infantry during Sept. 2002, where he trained
to become a machine gunner.
Killed 26 January 2005
when the CH-53E transport helicopter he was in crashed during a sandstorm in Rutbah, west of Baghdad
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Hometown: Wheelersburg, Ohio Lance Corporal
Etterling was a good student in
high school who played football, ran track and participated in his school's class plays.
He was an easygoing young man "who didn't make any enemies,"
said his father, William. "If he was your friend, he was your friend. He could not abide a bully."
From the time he was a little boy, Jonathan E. Etterling
wanted to be in the military. He enlisted in the Marines while still in high school. "Some people have a higher calling.
John's was his country," said Cathy Sizemore, his Sunday school teacher. He had dreamed of becoming
a Marine since he was a young boy. "He was very mature," said track coach Carol Bialkowski. "He always knew
what he wanted to do. One of the reasons he ran track was to get in shape. He was a good, all-around kid. He was an all-American
boy."
"I cried off and on all day," said Cathy Sizemore,
John Etterling’s Sunday school teacher at Bloom Freewill Baptist Church. "He was a special young man. Some people
have a higher calling. John’s was his country. "He was a Marine through and through," she said. "When
he came home on leave, he came by and talked to the class about what it was like to be a Marine. He knew the dangers. I prayed
for him.
He was also an accomplished research member
of The Ohio Bigfoot Research Team. The group was founded in 1999; the team had a core of his family members,
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Messages from memorial site celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Etterling
""Jon
was a great guy. I went to school with him all my life and also church when we were little.He was always upbeat about things
and was never negative. He was always doing the right thing and never once the wrong thing. Everyone could count on Jon and
no-one questioned his loyalty. He believed in what the United States was doing against terror. All of us that knew Jon will
never forget him; we will always remember him being a great guy. My payers are with you and I believe God received a
special angel when Jon came to him. My thoughts and prayers are with Jon and his family. He gave his all and that will never
be forgotten. I love you like a brother Jon and will never forget you. I thank you and your wonderful family for the times
we had." Semper Fi Devil Dog! You WILL NOT be forgotten. Sincerly, Lcpl (levi) Hunter" Lcpl
(levi) Hunter of Wheelersburg, Ohio/USA
"Soldier rest! thy warfare o'er, Sleep the sleep thast
knows not breaking, Dream of battled fields no more, Days of danger, nights of waking." ~~ Sir Walter Scott"
Paula (Justice) Saintours of Corcoran, California
http://www.geocities.com/squatch_45694/Jon.html
http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/911/
http://www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/oif/profiles/etterlingjonathane.html
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Finke Jr., Michael, 28
Sergeant |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Killed 26 Jan. 05 when the CH-53E helicopter in
which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq.
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Hometown:Huron, Ohio He enlisted when
he was a senior in high school. "We had to sign the papers because he was under age," said Michael Finke Sr. "Once
he graduated, he went right out to basic training." He married his wife in 2002. "I know it sounds corny, but everybody
loved Michael," his father said.
Michael
Finke had less than two weeks to go before heading back home to Arizona. But before leaving, he helped to provide security
during the Iraqi elections. Two days before his death he left the following message for his family: “I am nowhere out
of trouble yet. These elections are going to be a bitch. Please continue to pray for us all here. All of us are homesick.....
,“We finally got two beers and a shot of rum the other night. That was nice. Only problem, that wasn't enough.”
“His dream was to be a Marine ever since he was a little kid,” said his aunt, Mary Lou Collier.
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Fox, Travis A., 25
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Joined Marines in 2003
Killed
30 Oct. 04 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.
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Hometown: Cowpens, S.C Lance Corporal Fox
was a 1998 graduate of Broome High School, and was a member of Westside Baptist Church in Cowpens.
LCpl.
Fox loved being a Marine. His family said it was all he talked about after graduating. “That’s all he talked about — being a Marine.”He loved it,” his mother,
Cheryl Fox. “He looked handsome in that uniform,” longtime
friend the Rev. Joey Wampler said. “I was proud of him.”
Lance Corporal Fox is survived by his
wife and parents, are a maternal grandmother, Ruth Lowery of Pacolet; a paternal grandfather, John Fox of Cowpens; a sister,
Tiffanie Fox of Cowpens; and a nephew, Bryson Fox of Cowpens.
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Fuller, Travis J., 26
1st Lieutenant |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
1st Lt. Fuller graduated from Mass
Maritime Academy and was commissioned in June of 2001.
He was 3rd Platoon commander for Company C, 1st Battalion,
3rd Marine Regiment, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Killed 26 Jan. 05 when the CH-53E helicopter in
which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq
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Hometown: GRANVILLE, Mass
Graduated in 1997 from Southwick-Tolland Regional High School and later attended Massachusetts Maritime
Academy in Bourne, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in marine transportation.
1st Lt. Fuller was on the 19-member New England All-Star team in 1996 that participated in
an international wrestling competition in Puerto Rico, where he won the 132-pound class in his age division. “He was a good student with outstanding work habits, again, both in the
classroom and the wrestling mat,” said James E. Vincent, the assistant principal when Fuller attended high school.
Described as a leader by Eduardo Martinez, his high school wrestling coach. He was respected by his teammates and
was captain of the team his senior year. “Travis was very
good and everyone enjoyed being around him,” Martinez said.
1st Lt. Fuller is survived by his parents,
David and Joanne (Ayotte) Fuller of Granville, two sisters, Jennifer Francis and her husband Robert of Bowdoin, ME, and Rebecca
Fuller and her wife, Patricia Grant of Roslindale; and his grandmothers, Jean Ayotte of Agawam, Marilyn Fuller of Granville,
and Jean Jinks of Tolland.
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Galeai, Max A., 42
Lt. Colonel |
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine
Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Lt. Col. Max A. Galeai was Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd
Marines at Kaneohe’s Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Killed 26 June 08 while supporting combat operations
in Karmah, is believed to have been killed in the town of Karmah in Anbar province, about 30 miles west of Baghdad, in a suicide
bomb attack.
Awards: include two Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart Medal, five
Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Navy Unit Commendation,
the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, two National Defense Service Medals, two Southwest Asia Service Medals, two Iraq Campaign
Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, six Sea Service Deployment Ribbons and two Kuwait Liberation Medals.
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Hometown: Pago Pago, American Samoa; He was the son of the late Tafaoa Pati and Kalala
Galea'i of Leone, and a brother to seven siblings. He graduated from Marist Brothers High School in 1983 and later Joined
the Marines after graduating from Oregon State University.
Growing up in a Navy family, Joan Galeai described
her brother as a "quiet boy" who was "kind of nerdy" and was "always into his books and never played
sports." "I've always looked at it where I was the protector.She feels a little guilty, that she couldn't
save him. But I know he wouldn't want me to feel guilty,"
Lt. Col is described as being devoted to his
family and his Samoan heritage, "He was a great role model," Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann is quoted as saying.
"It's a loss not only felt in American Samoa, but by Samoans everywhere."
Galeai is survived by his
wife Evelyn; son Thomas; daughters Kara-Ann, Selina and Tamara; mother Kalala; brother Forest; and sisters Lina, Joan, Lafo
and Vanessa.
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George, Phillip C., 22
Lance Cpl. |
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Killed
on 18 August 2005 by enemy small-arms fire while conducting combat operations near Taleban, Afghanistan
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Hometown: Houston,
Texas Lance Corporal George grew up in the Houston
area, but attended school and church in Pasadena. He graduated from Grace Christian School in May of 2000, and was an active
member at Alta Vista Church.
Lance Corporal
George is survived by his father, Carson, mother Penny, brother and sister-in-law, Aaron and Diana, his sister Sara,
and his maternal grandparents, Herman & Elsie Singleton, along with numerous other relatives
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Gibson, Timothy M., 23
Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Corporal Gibson enlisted in the Marine Corps
in April 2001.
Killed 26 Jan. 05when the CH-53E helicopter in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah,
Iraq.
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Hometown: Hillsborough, N.H
Graduated from Merrimack High School in 2000, where he played football and baseball
“He
said that he thought he was doing good and that he was helping people, but it was different than anything he could have expected,” says
his mother, Elaine. "He had talked about moving to upstate New York and training to become a state trooper
after leaving the service.
In one of his letters home to his mother Corporal Gibson wrote,"This has been a very different experience then I could ever imagine. I hope maybe someday
to sit down with you and dad and talk about what I’ve done here,” “Now we’ll never know,” she said.
George McKenna, Cpl Gibson’s grandfather and a World War II veteran, recalled advice he’d given his grandson
about going to war. “Make all the friends you can, learn what
you can and hope to God you don’t have to use it,” he said.
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Gilbert Jr. , Richard, A. 26
Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps
Base Hawaii.
Killed 26 Jan 05 when
the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq
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Hometown: Dayton, Ohio Corporal Gilbert' mother, Helen describes him as "a caring
boy, who loved animals and being outdoors. He hated when people cried. Also recalling that if he saw anyone
around him crying, he would go over to them, throw one of his small arms around their shoulders, and tell them it was "ok." He loved music and was a self-taught guitarist, who composed his own music. According to friends, he loved heavy metal
and he was always at peace when composing or playing his guitar. Prior to joing the Marines in December 2001, he
worked on the assembly line at Behr Dayton Thermal Products. He had just purchased a house, and with his love of politics
began studying political science at Sinclair Community College. Corporal Gilbert' interests in politics
was further fueled after discovering that President Harry Truman was one of his distant cousins, Richard made it
his goal to ascend one day to that same office. His passion for politics earned him the nickname "The Governor"
from his friends, and his mother jokingly recalls that, "[h]e was a natural-born politician. When you asked him a question,
he'd talk for a half-hour and never give you an answer!" Relatives recall that he didn't plan to join the
military but after September 11, saw a clear duty to his country and to protecting all of us from future threats.
When he was younger, he wrote an essay about his father, Richard Gilbert, Sr.,
who was a Vietnam veteran. In the essay, Cpl Gilbert described his dad as a hero. Recently, Mr. Gilbert said of his son:
"He was my hero, and he was the bravest person I ever met." This sentiment was echoed
by his friend, Lonnie McMurchy: "He was a warrior. He was a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and a U.S. Marine. He
wanted nothing more and nothing less."
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Gonzalez, Mario D.(Danny), 21
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Killed 14 Nov. 06 while conducting
combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
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Hometown:
La Puente Attended Nueva Vista Continuation High School (Riverside)
Lance
Corporal Gonzalez' father, Mario Gonzalez recalls how his son struggled in school for a while and went to a continuation
school, where he studied harder and graduated. He began working full time, unloading trucks, his father said, but increasingly
began to focus on his dream of being a police officer. "Ever since he was 8 or 9, he wanted to be a cop,". He told
his father that joining the Marine Corps would give him the experience to become a policeman.
LCpl Gonzalez liked to go camping and fishing with the family while growing
up, they would go to Mexico or Kings Canyon National Park. His family couldn't quite understand how the young man who
would got seasick while fishing as a boy with his father grew up to be a well respected Marine.
That year he spent eight months in Afghanistan. His family would send him energy
drinks and other items, and he would tell stories about firefights. But he always closed their conversations with reassurances.
"He would say, 'Hey, we're all right, Dad, don't worry. I have to do what I have to do to get back,'
" his father remembers. "He was always trying to find a smile in everyone." But later, the stories that the young Marine told when he first went overseas, to Afghanistan, were more serious.
Yet his father was always impressed by his calm, the tone of his voice, his refusal to linger on the bad.
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Grimes, Kyle J., 21
Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Killed Jan. 26 when the CH-53E helicopter
in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq.
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Hometown: Bethlehem, Pa. —
Cpl. Grimes was a 2001 graduate of Liberty High where he played offensive guard and defensive tackle for football team. Also
loved fishing and learning about other cultures, planned a career in law enforcement,Cpl. Grimes and wanted to work for the FBI after he got out of the Marines, according to his mother,
Marybeth LeVan.
“His dedication made him
a good Marine." Adding, “He was always a Momma’s boy, so lovable and affectionate and really sentimental.
We always could talk really well.”
In a previous letter home Cpl Grimes wrote, "I'll be happy
to be alive next week," "It is in places like these where you realize how fragile life is, how fast it goes
away." Later as his unit prepared to battle insurgents in Fallujah , Cpl. Kyle Grimes thought about the possibility he
might not survive and in his final letter home wrote, My biggest fear is not dying," he wrote from Iraq. "It's
thinking of my family having to carry on without me."
Corporal Grimes is survived by his Father,Robert
Grimes, mother, MaryBeth, stepfather,Steven LeVan, sisters, Rachael , Jacqueline ,maternal grandmother,Phyllis (Kriesel) Hazler
, paternal grandmother, Kathleen (Dallego) Grimes ,grandparents, Sally and Donald ,niece, Kayla Barnett; nephew, Gabriel Herschman;many
cousins; several aunts and uncles |
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| In memory of Kyle by Debra Estep |
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Hardy, Brandon M., 25
Corporal
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Assigned to the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division,
I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.;
Killed 28 April 06 while conducting combat operations
against enemy forces in the Anbar province, Iraq.
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Hometown: Cochranville, Chester County, PA Graduated from Octorara High School in 1999.
Brandon played organized baseball with the Octorara Little League from 8 to14 years of age. At the age of 12, he started
to hunt and fish, trying to quench his desire for the outdoors. He enjoyed hunting in the mountains of Centre County,
PA and around his home in Chester County.
His family says that Brandon loved being in the military and served with
honor and pride. His mother, Jill, recollects, once while home on leave from the Marine Corps, he showed her a statement from
his Marine Corps manual. It said, “I am an American, fighting in the armed forces which guard my country and our
way of life. I am prepared to give my life in her defense.” He said to his Mother, “This is me, Mom,
this is what I feel.”
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Hooper, Brian C., 21
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Enlisted in the Marines in 2002. Attended School
of iInfantry in 2003
Killed 26 Jan 05 when the CH-53E helicopter in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah,
Iraq.
Awards: Three Purple Hearts, one posthumously, National Defense Service Ribbon, the Global War on
Terrorism Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Medal
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Hometown: Wynne, Ark Lance
Corporal Hooper graduated in the Spring of 2002 fromWynne High School, where he was a member of the drama club and the
school's broadcast journalism class, also helped with the daily news program.
Family members recall that LCpl
Hooper enjoyed the outdoors, spending his time in the woods and trails near his home, spending time with his "hunting
buddy", his father Rob, who taught him how to shoot when he was six. Initialy he was turned down by Marine
Corps recruiters in Arkansas because of recent reconstructive knee surgery, but later was allowed to enlist in September of
2002.
Donald Hopper, his cousin said "To me he was a hero, because he wouldn’t leave his men,”
. “He was my hunting and fishing buddy.” Wynne Mayor Paul Nichols said
of Lance Corporal Hooper, “He was a fine young man.”
There is a lot of concern. People I have come into contact with have expressed sorrow.”
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Jafarkani-Torshizi Jr,
Saeed, 25
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Joined the Marines in 2003, trained as a rifleman and assigned to Hawaii in 2004.
Killed
26 Jan 05 when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq.
Awards include:
National Defense Service Medal, The Gllobal War on Terrorism Serivce Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment ribbon.
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Hometown: Fort Worth TX, where he spent most of his childhood, also had ties to Butler Pa where he attended
sixth, eighth grades in the Moniteau School District then later attended Tarrant County Community College in Fort Worth.His
father Saeed Jafarkhani-Torshizi Sr is Iranian and his mother Rani is American.
"He was just a typical
American young man. He liked music. He liked sports. He liked having a good time. He made friends easily," his grandmother
Gladys Travis said. Adding that Lance Corporal Jafarkhani-Torshizi wanted to become a police officer and joined the Marines
because he felt it would give him a solid foundation for his career.
Lance Corporal Jafarkhani-Torshizi Jr. is
survived by his mother Rani, father ,a half-sister, Mona Jafarkhani-Torshizi, maternal grandmother, Gladys Skinner Travis
and his maternal grandfather, Harvey Travis
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Johnson, Stephen P., 24
Corporal |
Assigned
to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Joined the Marine Corps in 2000
Killed 26
Jan 05 when a military transport helicopter crashed during bad weather near Rutbah, in western Iraq. |
Hometown: Covina, California Attended Yreka High School
Corporal Johnson' mother, Aurelio said she and her son were best friends, so much so that he took her bar-hopping
on his 21st birthday. "We both got sick," he was"a little comedian" who had an infectious laugh and loved
doing impressions.
His sister Kari added, “He was a ham. He loved
doing impressions and making people laugh,” “He didn’t like things to get too serious. If it did,
he’ll crack a joke". I know his whole world evolved around his
son,” “When he was stationed in Hawaii, he couldn’t wait to finish work to go home to his son. That
was his whole world.”
Levi Machado who was Corporal Johnson's best friend and the
best man at his wedding The two describes him as the most "loyal person I ever met".
Megan Aurelio said
she would always cherish a phone call she got from her brother while he was stationed in Hawaii. She was in a hospital and
had just undergone surgery for a genetic lung disorder. "He called me ... just to tell me that he loved me and that he
would always be there for me".
His wife, Kelsey says Johnson was looking forward to coming home this
month and taking a post as a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton, and that he was a good husband and father, spending five
months with his son before he was deployed. Adding that she last spoke to him the day before the crash, recalling that he
was concerned about his mission, and that he had "a really bad feeling" about where he was about to go. "I
cried and wondered where he was and watched the news all the time," she said. She learned of his death while visiting
a sister in Medford, Ore. "I dropped down on the ground and started screaming," she said.
Corporal Johnson
is survived by his wife, son, mother sisters Megan, Kari , and two half brothers.
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Jones, Derek W., 21
Lance Corporal |
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Joined Marines in 2003 and had served eight months
in Afghanistan
Died 8 October 2006 after sustaining wounds during combat operations in Anbar Province,
Iraq
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| Derek and daughter Madison |
Hometown: Salem, Oregon Graduated from Sprague High School in 2003 where Lance
Corporal Jones was a member of the football and racquet ball. Described as an outdoorsmen who was enthusiastic
about hunting and fishing.
Chad Jones remembered his brother as a kind person who had time
for everyone. "He liked to hang out with friends," "He was a good guy and a good friend."
He and his high school sweetheart, Pamela Petty, eloped to Hawaii. LCpl Jones planned to go to college after his military service
to become an architect. If he was nearby, odds were that he had a pen or pencil in his hand and was drawing say family members.
His mother, Laurie Hadden recalls, "He was always good with his hands," "He was just drawing up plans
for the house they were going to build one day when they came back to Salem. They were going to continue their family."
His mother continued, "His daughter, Madison, "has the same smile that he has, and we feel lucky that
we'll have her to remember him by," "My last hug with him, my last moment with him, he told me not to worry,"
"He wanted his mom to know that everything would be OK."
Lance Corporal Jones is survived by his wife,
Pamela; daughter, Madison; mother, Laurie Hadden of Salem; father, Jeff Jones of Salem; brothers, Cameron and Chad; sister,
Katie; grandparents, Jim and Ellen Hadden, and Richard and Barbara Jones; great-grandparents, Joe and Louisa Hadden, and Harriet
Martinson.
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| Lance Corporal Jone' Wedding Reception |
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Joyce, Kevin B., 19
Lance Cpl. |
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Lance Cpl. Kevin B. Joyce graduated from
boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
Aug 2004 and arrived in Hawaii Oct 2004.
Killed
25 June 05 after he fell into Afghanistan's Pech River while conducting combat operations
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Hometown: Ganado, Ariz
"Before he left, I asked him why he wanted so bad to be
in the military," says his mother, Effelita George. "He said he would like to think he made a difference in some
child's life by taking the place of a parent who didn't have to go over there." Stating also that her son
was the best son a mother could have: gentle, understanding and full of love. "He wasn't ashamed to tell us that
he loved us.
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Kelly, Sean P., 23
Corporal |
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2000
Killed 26 Jan 05 when the CH-53E helicopter in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq.
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Hometown: PITMAN, N.J A 2000 graduate of Pitman
High Schoo where he played football and wrestled. His parents said he loved fast cars and motorcycles.
In a yearbook when he was a sophomore at he wrote, “In
the future, I plan on being a United States Marine.” He enlisted immediately after his graduation.
Corporal Kelly told his parents that he intended to be a career Marine, and when
he was home on leave he talked to students at his old elementary school where his mother is a secretary, about life
in the military. Growing up with a father, two grandfathers, a great uncle and other veterans in the family, he knew
the dangers of life in the military they reflect."He always wanted to be a U.S. Marine.
He died a U.S. Marine and was fulfilling his life choice,"
Corporal Sean P. Kelly
is survived by his mother Lynn and father, Alexander..
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