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 acommunications 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
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.
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.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Aguirre are located at the following addresses:
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.
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".
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Alonzo are located at:
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".
Additional memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Anderson are located at:
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.
Additional memorial sites celebrating the life of PFC Bertolinom
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
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.”
"I had the Hornor of knowing SSgt Bland when he was my D.I back in 2002 for Platoon
3095 and was one my Drill Instructors that instilled in me strength of body and mind, also help build honor & confindence
in myself. My recruit company all had much Respect for him.
Thank You SSgt Bland for your selfless service for
your God, Country, and Corps. Also Thank You Very much for showing and training me to be a Marine. Hope to see you after I
report in to where you are.
Thank You & we will miss you
Semper Fi Marine!" Anderson,
Dennis D of Conroe,Texas
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Blanton, Jeffery S. , 23
(Lance
Corporal)
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.
Memorial sites dedicated to the live of Lance Corporal Jeffery
S. Blanton are located at:
On 12 December 2009 Line Creek on Georgia Highway
85 at the Coweta-Fayette county line was renamed in honor of Lance Corporal Jeffery S. Blanton. The ceremony marked the fifth
anniversary of his death
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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.
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.
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.
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.”
Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Death of Lemoore Marine Lance
Cpl. Jeremy D. Bow:
“Jeremy will be remembered as a brave Californian who gave his life in the defense of
freedom. Maria and I honor his memory and send our sincere condolences to Jeremy’s family and the community of Lemoore.”
In honor of Bow, Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff.
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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
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.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Branning are located at:
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.
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
. “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
Additional memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Brixey Jr.
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
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
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.
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.
Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Death of Sacramento Marine: Lance Cpl.
Timothy W. Brown
“California
has lost a valiant service member. Lance Cpl. Brown lost his life while serving our country abroad. Maria and I send our deepest
condolences to Timothy’s family, friends and fellow Marines that served alongside him.”
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.
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,
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.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Private Calapini
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
Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla Private First Class Chaires
was homeschooled and earned a GED, then attended Tallahassee Community College to earn the 15 college credits needed to enlist.
Described as a strapping outdoorsman, who liked to ride horses, fish, hunt and work on the family's property and
also was known for a genuine politeness, an eagerness to help friends and neighbors. "He was a lamb, just a lamb. He
was beautiful inside and out," said neighbor Isabelle Blakey. .
PFC Chaires enlisted in the Marines, in no
small part because his father was a Marine. He had to take the military physical four times because his excitement the first
three times led to a rapid heartbeat. "Daniel wanted to follow in my footsteps," said his father, Harry Chaires.
"You never saw anybody work harder to be in the Marine Corps." On his last call home, "Daniel said, 'I
just want to tell you that I love you and Mom very much, and I don't want you to ever forget it,'"
He is survived by his parents
"My son was doing what he could to uphold our freedom," "I'm proud of what my son stood for,
and I'm proud he gave his life for his country." -Harry Chaires-
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
Born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, on 9 August 1984. He is survived by his parents Charles and Mary
Conboy
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.
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.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Kelley L. Courtney Family Fund, New Southern Bank,
4077 Forsyth Road, Macon, GA 31210. -Visit www.mem.com to express tributes.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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".
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.
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.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in Michael's name to the Injured Marine Semper
Fi Fund, 825 College Blvd., Suite 102, PMB 609, Oceanside, CA 92057, www.SemperFiFund.org. The Fund provides financial assistance
to injured marines and their families for injury-related expenses not covered by military benefits.
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.
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
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Dykeman Family Memorial Fund, c/o any branch
of the Navy Federal Credit Union, PO Box 3100, Merrifield, VA 22119. Please make checks payable to the Dykeman Family Memorial
Fund and include savings account number 3014576460.
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
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
Memorial sites dedicated to Gunnery Sergeant Terry J. Elliot
7 APRIL
08, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF
TENNESSEE ENACTED THE FOLLOWING:
The bridge spanning
Porters Creek on State Route 125 in Hardeman County, such bridge being the first bridge traveling north from Middleton on
State Route 125, is hereby designated the "Gunnery Sgt. Terry J. Elliot Memorial Bridge" in recognition of the life
of valor and death in combat of Gunnery Sergeant Terry J. Elliot, United States Marine Corps.
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Estrella, Michael, A., 20 Corporal
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.
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.
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.
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
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,
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Travis Fox are located at:
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
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.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Granville - Tolland Citizen's Scholarship
Foundation for the Lt. Travis Fuller Memorial Scholarship, P.O. Box 215, Granville, MA 01034-0214. http://www.militarycity.com/valor/624351.html
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.
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.
"He was a friend, mentor, bigger than life, extremely bright,
just one of those guys,” “sunk his teeth into his work” and expected a lot from
people, but also praised them when they delivered. “He was definitely an inspirational guy. He was caring, compassionate.” -Marine
Master Gunnery Sgt. Paul Moniz, of New York-
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
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
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal George are located at the following:
"WE MISS U BRO. I THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. IL SEE U SOMEDAY BROTHER... SEMPER FI. CPL OVERTURF" CPL. OVERTURF of KANEOHE BAY, HI
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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.
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.
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
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."
Memorial sites dedicated to Corporal Richard A. Gilbert Jr.:
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.
Hometown:
La Puente AttendedNueva 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.
Memorial sites dedicated to Lance CorporalMario
D. Gonzalez are located at the following:
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.
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
In memory of Kyle by Debra Estep
"Some people spend
an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem". ~Ronald Reagan, President of the United States; 1985
Memorial sites dedicated to Corporal Kyle J. Grimes are
located at:
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, please direct memorial contributions
to The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, 825 College Blvd., Suite 102 PMB 609, Oceanside, Calif. 92057.
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Hardy, Brandon M., 25 Corporal
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.
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.”
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
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.”
Memorial sites dedicated to Lance Corporal Brian C. Hooper:
On 18 February 2005, Senator Blanche Lincoln
paid tribute to Lance Corporal Brian C. Hooper:
Mr.
President, today, I rise with a heavy heart to honor the life of a courageous young man from the State of Arkansas, and to
pay tribute to the sacrifice he made on behalf of our way of life. Brian Hopper lived his life with an energy, sense of adventure,
and courage that we can all admire. These were the qualities he displayed throughout his childhood, playing and hunting in
the woods around his home in northeast Arkansas. They were also the qualities that ultimately drew him to military service,
bravely defending freedom in a land he had never known.
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.
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
Memorial sites dedicated to Lance Corporal Saeed . Jafarkhani-Torshizi Jr. are located at:
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.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Corporal Johnson are located at:
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
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.
Lance Corporal Jone' Wedding Reception
Memorial sites commemorating the life and sacrifice of Lance Corporal Jones are located at:
Charitable contributions can be made to the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund.
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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
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.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Kevin B. Joyce are located at:
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.
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..
Memorial sites celebrating the life and sacrifice of Corporal Sean P. Kelly are located at:
Assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III
Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Lance Corporal Kirven enlisted in the Marine Corps 31 Dec 2001, and reported to his unit at Marine Corps
Base Hawai'i in Kane'ohe on 26 March 2003.
Killed 8 May 2005,
as a result of enemy action in Alishang, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.
Hometown: Richmond,
Virginia Lance Corporal Nicholas C. Kirven attended Benedictine High School but graduated from Freeman. "For us, it was beyond father and son," said Rusty Kirven, Nick's father, "We
were best friends, partners in life. We had a lot of things we wanted to do together."
"He
was highly trained, not just a grunt," adding that his son had received additional training in swimming and mountain
warfare. He had a soft side too, and enjoyed the humanitarian work that he and his fellow Marines
were doing in Afghanistan. He would pass out Beanie Babies to the children and rebuild houses and schools. LCpl Kirven is also described as a practical joker who was so fashion-conscious that his squad buddies nicknamed
him Paris;
Margaret Whitlow, LCpl Kirven's grandmother: "The family always
referred to him as the peacemaker. I never saw him mad. He was always laughing, always had a way of making a joke out of everything."
Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Hawthorne says he cried a little when He realized
that there would be no more funny notes home and no more pictures of Marines in desert camouflage posing next to Afghan orphans,
camels and mud hutsHis life ended so soon. He just wanted to do something good for his country, for folks
to be proud of him. I wish I could hug him."
In addition to his mother, stepfather
Michael Belle and father Leo Kirven, Corporal Nicholas Kirven is survived by sister Pride, brother Joseph.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Nicholas
C. Kirven are located at:
Losing a child is an actual physical pain, like you exhale but don't inhale again—your
breath is gone".
-Beth Belle, Lance Corporal Kirven's mother-
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Klein, Allan, 34 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 in October 2001,
and attended the School of Infantry during February 2002, where he trained to become a rifleman.
killed
26 Jan. 26 05when the CH-53E helicopter in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq.
Awards include:
the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Hometown: Clinton Township, Mich
Lance Corporal Klein is survived by his parents
From memorial site dedicated to Lance Corporal Allan Klein
"I was Kleins Roomate in hawaii and we were also in the same platoon. it put a hole in my heart when
i found out that the helicopter that crashed was my platoon. i was gonna extend one more year with them but i didnt think
we were gonna go to iraq and as soon as i went home,3 months later they left to go there. it was truly a sad day for me and
everyone else that was in that platoon. i really wished i was there with them. Klein went through more then anyone else that
i know but he always kept his head up and his mind straight. he was really humble and a good person. im glad that i got to
know him and help train him. my prayers go out to his family. Klein was never a quitter and from what i've been told he
gave the insurgents HELL which im very proud of. i am really glad that i got a chance to meet a person like Klein." Lcpl Palou of Salt lake city, Utah
Assigned
to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Corporal Knight
reported for recruit training in December 2001, and attended the School of Infantry, Camp Lejeune, N.C., in March of 2002,
where he trained to become a rifleman. He arrived in Hawaii in June 2002.
Killed 26 Jan 05 when a Marine Corps
transport helicopter crashed during a sandstorm near Rutbah.
Awards include:
the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on
Terrorism Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Hometown: Brooklyn, Ohio
Corporal Knight married his high school sweetheart, Gina, in 2003, and wanted to go into law enforcement
after serving in the Marines. "He was a respectful young man, just a real good kid," said his high school principal,
Gretchen Derethik.
Corporal Knight was looking forward to coming home from Iraq so he could meet his infant daughter
for the first time. "He's never seen the baby, never held her," said his father-in-law, Dean Delligatti. "He
was just talking to his wife saying he can't wait to get home to see her."
He is survived by his
wife and daughter, Chloe and parents
From memorial site dedicated Corporal Knight:
"Thank you Timothy Knight, you will not be forgotten. Your bravery goes beyond words. I want to express my
deepest gratitude for your sacrifice. To the family and friends, my prayers and deep condolences in your loss. May God strengthen
you from knowing that fellow Americans and people around the world care about you and grieve with you in your loss. God bless
you all. A very appreciative fellow American," Leo
Titus of Grayslake, Illinios
You are missed
you very much. You would be so proud of Chloe, she is so beautiful and she has her daddy's eyes. We show her pictures
of you and she says "Da-Da". Gina loves you and misses you very much. I have told Chloe that you are in heaven with
the angels and we know you watch over her and Gina.
We are very Proud of you!
~
Jackie Collins,
Strongsvill Memorial sites celebrating
the life and sacrifice of Corporal Knight
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Killed 30 Oct 04 by enemy action in Anbar province,
Iraq.
Hometown: Peoria, Ariz
Corporal Christopher Lapka
or "C.J" as his mother, Tina Lapka called him, says, " He was a Marine. That’s all he
was. He was dedicated to the Marine Corps. This is what he wanted to do,” He had waited until Thanksgiving to tell his
parents that he was quitting Arizona State University, where he had been a dean’s list civil engineering student
to become a Marine. He reported for military duty the following January after he had completed his third semester.
Her son had never spoken of joining the Marine Corps before, so she and her husband were shocked although, as a child Corporal
Lapka showed signs of being a Marine. “You could tell him to go stand in a place, and he would do it," said his
mother. “He would never cry. All he wore, until he was about 7 years old, was camouflage.”
Corporal
Lapka hoped to live his dream as a Marine after college, but then came Sept. 11. “I felt that I could not see myself
as a man unless I was willing to put myself in the same situation that my friends would soon be in,” he said. “I
could not ask another man to risk his life for me without being willing to do the same for him.” Mrs.Lapka said, they were very proud of him.
In addition to his mother, Corporal Lapka is survived by his father, Ken Lapka, and his sister,
Michelle.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Corporal Christopher
J. Lapka are located at:
Assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Joined the Marine Corps in August
2002. Duty stations included, Califorinia, Virginia, Australia, and a previous tour in Afghanistan before being assigned
to Iraq.
Died 22 May 06 after being wounded by a roadside bomb in Haqlaniyah, northwest of Baghdad.
Hometown: Sioux City, Iowa: Graduated from Sioux Center High School in 2003 where he played on
the football team, lettering in his junior year and starting in his senior year. Also was on the wrestling
team, band and chior member. Being very civic minded, family members say he was involved with the Sioux Stockman
4-H Club, named Sioux County Ambassador in his senior year and loved the outdoors.
Lance
Corporal Leusink and Mirand De Jager were married in 2004 after moving their wedding date three times. In a inteview with a AP reporter, Wayne Sneller, the reverend at the First Reformed Church
in Maurice, said LCpl Leusink had always hoped to be a Marine and did not want anyone to question his decision to serve. “He was what I would call patriotic — believed in his country, believed in
what he was doing". “He always said, ‘If
something happened to me, this is what’s supposed to happen. I’m doing what I’ve been called to do.”’
Lance Corporal Luesink also leaves behind his parents Bill and Elaine, brother Cody,sisters Abby and Katie.
From memorial site dedicated to Lance Corporal William "B.Jay" Leusink:
"hey
brother, i really dont know what to say. it sucks here without you, sure we're used to you being gone but knowing that
you arent coming back ever kills inside. its hard to do things that we used to do but i try doing them. i went to you the
other day and saw something weird, after the funeral they put this huge rose thing ontop of you, there had been lots of wind
and all but one had blown off, it was sitting there like nothin had been done. so now it sits on my tv with your medals. i
dont know what else to say just im trying to do sumthing that makes it hurt less, idk if this will work but i thought its
worth a try. ppl keep sayin that they pray for us, but i think they should be thankin us. idk it sounds stupid but thats just
how i think. but i just want you to know that i miss you and love you, dont know if it will ever be the same but i love you
and i know youll always be there,, o ya and joey got this sweet tattoo all for you im getting one just i cant think what would
be good for you but ya love you" Cody Leusink of maurice iowa
"Miranda, Leusink family &
friends
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Leusink
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe
Bay, Hawaii
Killed 19 October 2006 while conducting combat
operations in Anbar Province.
Hometown: Aurora, Ill: During his trip home,
he got his newest tattoo: a cross below the phrase “All those I love.” The symbol reflected his deep religious
beliefs that stemmed from his involvement in St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Aurora.
Described as outgoing, talkative and helpful Lance Corporal Lopez was the kind of guy who would reach
out to as many people as possible during his brief trips home. His goddaughter, 9-year-old Alexis Chavez, fondly remembers
their “dates” to Luigi’s restaurant and Odyssey Fun World.
He is survived by his parents; brother,
Alejandro Lopez; maternal grandparents, Zeferino and Julia Alonzo; as well as many uncles, aunts and cousins.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Edwardo J. Lopez are located at:
Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Joined the Marines in 2003, trained as a
field radio operator and served in Afghanistan from November 2004 to June 2005.
Killed 22 April 06
while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar Province, Iraq.
Hometown: Dubois, Indiana 2001
graduate of Northeast Dubois High School where he played basketball. Grew up on the family poultry farm,
The following are some excepts of an interview conducted by Andrew
Yeager with NPR News:
Eric Lueken was the kind of
guy who could always pull a smile out of you. He loved to hunt and fish and was very outgoing. Bill Hochgesang, his high school
basketball coach, says Eric was jokester, a cut-up, but when the ball went up in the air, it was all business.
His brother Brent said Corporal Lueken talked about joining
the Marines since grade school, but others in the family say they were surprised with his decision. Even his father Jake says
he didn't know until he woke them up at 4:00 in the morning to tell them the news.
Ericka Merkel, his girlfriend who he had known since childhood says "He was debating
if he wanted to reenlist or not. So we were going to start there and just see where it took him from there. So yeah, we had
a future together".
His mother, Melinda recalls that after
his time in Afghanistan, Corporal Lueken told his her he was not taking life for granted anymore. His father Jake
added that his son hated to see the way they were forced
to live. Before he left for Iraq, Corporal Lueken
told his brother, Brent, and Jake that he was ready. "He
took it serious," Jake said. "He knew the risks." Corporl Lueken had planned to marry his
girlfriend, Ericka when he came back from Iraq, his parents
say.
The Lueken family started
a campfire in the back yard the night they found out Eric died. His father Jake says the Native Americans had a tradition
where a fire would be started when someone went off to war, and it was kept burning until that man returned. The Luekens aren't
the only ones tending the makeshift memorial. Friends and neighbors are supplying wood and tending the fire.
Corporal Eric Lueken is survived by parents Glen and Melinda Lueken, relatives, friends and Ms. Ericka Merkel
From memorial site dedicated to Coproral Eric R. Lueken"Radio"
""E" DOG ... MAN DO I MISS YOU ... I HAD NO CLUE THIS HAPPENED UNTIL TODAY I WAS GETTING
ONLINE TO SEE IF YOUR UNIT HAD A DEFINITE DATE OF ARRIVAL SO WE COULD PLAN A PARTY AND I FIND OUT YOUR ALREADY HOME ... HOME
IN THE STATES HOME IN GLORY!!! YOU ARE A REMARKABLE HERO AND SINCE THERE IS NOW A "CAMP LUEKEN" IN IRAQ YOU TOUCHED
MORE THAN JUST ME WITH YOUR SERVICE. BRO YOUR DEATH IS NOT IN VAIN AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED!!! "THE MORE YOU
SWEAT IN TRAINING THE LESS YOU BLEED IN WAR" -SGT PITTMAN RANDY D" Sgt Pittman Randy D of Birmingham,
AL USA
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Corporal Lueken are located at:
On June 8, 2006 a tribute was paid on both the House and Senate floors to Corporal
Lueken by Senator Richard G. Lugar and Representative Michael Sodrel
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Lukac, John, 19 Private First Class
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Killed 30 Oct 04 by enemy action in Anbar province,
Iraq
Hometown: Las Vegas Private First Class Lkac was a2003 Durango High School graduate.
Two of
his Durango teachers Tia Price and Gina Toth remembered Lukac as a quiet, soft-spoken model student. He received a citation
in 1999 from President Clinton for scholarly achievement while attending a California middle school. He made the national
honor roll as a senior at Durango and received a certificate from President Bush for outstanding academic excellence.
PFC Lukac’s parents, Jan
and Helena Lukac, say their oldest son bypassed college to join the war on terrorism. Both are Hungarians who were
born in communist Czechoslovakia, waited 10 years to get a visa and emigrate to the United States with their family.
Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., praised the 19-year-old soldier for his sacrifice.
“Families should never have to go through this,” Ensign said. “Unfortunately, there is evil in
the world.” and that PFC Lukac did not die in vain, but was
“offering hope to the people of Iraq and was protecting you and me.”
“Families should never have to go through this,” Ensign said. “Unfortunately,
there is evil in the world.” and that PFC Lukac did not die
in vain, but was “offering hope to the people of Iraq and was protecting you and me.”
Associated Press
Jan Lukac comforted during PFC Lukac's funeral
Memorial sites dedicated to Private First Class John Lukac:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawai’i, Kane’ohe Bay
Lance Cpl.
Lynch joined the Marine Corps May 2006, was an engineer equipment mechanic.
Died 24 July 07 of wounds
received while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Diyala province, Iraq.
His awards include
the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Hometown: LOUISVILLE, Ky Lance Corporal Lynch graduated from Seneca High School in 2005
“He was a hero for us,” Michael McWilliams, a counselor at
Seneca, told The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. “He did a lot of things for us and a lot for our ROTC program.”
“Robbie was a little bit of a jokester. He put a smile on your face,
but when it came time to get something done, he was the first to jump in and stand shoulder to shoulder with you,” said
retired Marine Col. Richard Maloney, who taught LCpl Lynch in ROTC courses at the school.
Col Maloney continued, “He had so many friends here, the word went around
like wild fire, this is a big loss for us.” Mike Smith, pastor at Eastside Praise Ministry Center, said he baptized
Lynch about a year and a half ago. “He was so charming and kind,”
Smith said. “There was a side of him that truly believed in what he was doing. He was convinced his life in this capacity
was really going to make a difference.”
LCpl Lynch’s brother, Michael, also fought in
Iraq. “I would be honored to go the same way my brother went,” Michael Lynch said. “It would be an honor.
I’m so proud of him.” “He’d tell me all the time,
‘Mom, I’m going over there to fight for you,’ ” his mother, Angela Robinson, told WLKY-TV.
Lance Corporal Robert A. Lynch is survived by his parents, Angela R. Robinson and Mike A. Lynch Jr.; sisters, Melissa and
Candace Lynch; brothers, Joey and Michael "Tony" Lynch and Randall Thompson; his grandmother, Ida Lynch; and nephews,
Matthew and Jamey Kundert.
Memorial sites celebrating the life and sacrifice of Lance
Corporal Robert A. Lynch
Gov. Ernie Fletcher ordered that flags at all state office buildings be lowered
to half-staff until sunset on the day of Lance Corporal Lynch’s funeral. Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson issued
a similar order.
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Maciel, Fred, L., 20 Lance Corporal
Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Lance Corporal Maciel reported for recruit training
in December 2001, and attended the School of Infantry, Camp Lejeune, N.C., in March of 2002, where he trained to become a
rifleman. He arrived in Hawaii in March 2004
Killed 26 Jan 05 when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed
near Rutbah, Iraq.
Awards include: the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Hometown: Spring, Texas
(Source: Associated
Press)
WhenLance Corporal Fred L. Maciel last phoned his mom, there was plenty of laughing. That was normal.
"She was giggling a lot _ he was probably making her laugh. He always made her laugh," said Richard Garza, his stepfather.
"They were very, very close. In fact, they had never been apart till he went to the Marines." Maciel, 20, of Spring,
Texas, died Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash near Rutbah. He graduated high school in 2003 and was based at Marine Corps Base
Hawaii. In that last phone call, Maciel sounded upbeat, maybe because he was almost finished with his tour. He was to head
to Japan on Jan. 30 before returning to Hawaii and then home. Maybe it was because he and his fiancee, Jamie Hommel, were
going to get married when he got back. The rings and the wedding dress were ready. Katrina Matthews, Maciels stepsister, said
Maciel loved children, and her children loved him. "They just idolized him," Matthews said. "He was a kind,
caring, loving person." He also is survived by his father, Fred Copenhaver; and mother, Patsy Maciel. "He was a
kind son," Copenhaver said. "He'd basically do anything for anybody"
Lance Corporal Maciel
is survived by his mother Patsy J. Maciel and stepfather Richard Garza; brother, Carlos Maciel Jr. and wife Jessica; nephews,
Carlos III and Joshua; niece, Akela; his grandmother, Hope Nelson; and grandfather, Marvin Nelson. He is also survived by
step- grandparents, Carmen Garza and A.V. Garza; uncle and aunt Galen and Elizabeth Riffey; cousins, Galen Lee Jr. Riffey
and wife Kristy and Jonathan Riffey; aunts, Diana Nelson, Lou Ella; uncle Marvin Nelson Jr. and wife Bridgette; cousins, Bernadette
Oz, Megan and Stephen Nelson; and many other family members and loving friends
Memorial sites dedicated to the life and sacrifice of Lance
Corporal Fred L. Marciel:
"No one knows how hard it is from day to day without u by our side in life, more than your
family. Birthdays, Christmas, Easter and all holidays are never the same. We miss you more than words can say , more than
anyone knows, but understands. We will all be together one day with you and you will be waiting for us at those pearly gates.
Fred Happy late Birthday, Merry Christmas and Happy Easter, for all those you were there in life and those you will be in
spirit. We love you so much and will see you soon.
Love
always, Lee, Kristi, Nate, Aleah and Hayden Nelson." Kristi Nelson of Dayton, TX (USA)
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Magaoay, Blake A., 20 Lance Corporal
Assigned to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.;
Killed 29 Nov 04 by enemy action in Anbar
province, Iraq.
Pearl City, Hawaii. Lance Corporal Magaoay graduated from
Pearl City High School in 2002.
Friends described
LCpl Magaoay as "a ladies' man" who enjoyed going to the beach.
Others described him as a good and caring man. "He made sure his friends and family were taken care of,"
said friend Craig Caulk.
Lance Cpl. Joaquin McCurty a close friend who served with LCpl Magaoay in Iraq and
suffered shrapnel wounds and still dealing with combat stress says: "It all kind of hit me at once, depression,
sadness and anger" when he was informed that LCpl Magaoay had been killed. He also shared that they both enjoyed
playing pranks,making people laugh and that LCpl Magaoay had an ability to make people laugh at the ugliest times,
Gina Ellis-Williams said of her son during the burial services at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl,
"This is my warrior."
Also during the services
his father Tony Magaoay recalled: "When he first told me he was going to join the Marines, I asked him why, he
said, 'That's what I want to do, Dad.' But I found out later why he joined. It was because he wanted to show his
parents he was a man, and to make his parents proud," he said, his voice quavering. (Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin)
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Blake
Magaoay
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Killed 2 Feb 05 by enemy action in Anbar
province, Iraq.
Hometown: Grays Lake, Illinois Lance Corporal
Sean P. Maher gradated from Warren Township High School in 2003 where he was linebacker on the football team. Community members
still remember the game winning interception of his against rival Mundelein High School. Later attended Southern
Illinois University before joining the military, planning to resume his education afterward.
His aunt, Peggy O’Keefe says, "Sean was a very kind young
man,, h e was always there to help you. He was the kind of kid everyone wanted for their own.” She also describes him as generous and athletic and that he enlisted because he thought he
could make a difference in Iraq. Mr. Rocco Oddo, an art teacher at Warren High adds, "He
was a bright light. He would walk into a room and you would know he was there immediately".
Lance Corporal Sean P. Maher is survived by his parents, Dan and Janet Maher, brother, Daniel and sister Katie
Memorial sites dedicated to the life of Lance Corporal Sean P. Maher
We dedicated a memorial stone at Punchbowl.
Our program lists LCpl Marino as one of our fallen whose sacrifice gives us the duty and the priviledge to carry on
you legacy of freedom and liberty.
Mahalo from Oahu Chapter 858, Vietnam Veterans
of America." Luis Parker of Ewa Beach, HI
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McCloud, Joseph T, 39 LT. Colonel
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kane’ohe Bay, Hawai’i
Enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1990
and was commissioned in April 1992. After obtaining his commission, LtCol McCloud was assigned as an infantry officer. He
was a reservist serving on active duty.
In 2003, LtCol McCloud was assigned as a military fellow to U.S. Rep.
Joe Wilson, who serves on the House Committee on Armed Services. Later served as an instructor at the Marine Corps Officer
Candidate School in Quantico. Also served served on the USS Missouri during Desert Storm. One of his assignments was with
the Navy and Marine Corps News, where he produced a weekly television program that was broadcast weekly to sailors and Marines
around the world.
Killed 3 Dec 06 when the CH-46 helicopter he was traveling in malfunctioned and was
forced to make an emergency landing on Lake Qadisiyah.
Promoted posthumously to lieutenant colonel.
Hometown; Grosse Pointe, Mich Attended high school in Grosse Pointe, Mich., outside
Detroit, and later graduated from the University of Tennessee, where he studied liberal arts and history.
Longtime
friend Wade Hutchens says "He was fully committed and believed whole-heartedly in what he was doing."
"There was never a shred of doubt with anything he did, going all the way back to college."
Another close
friend, Marine Maj. Pat Zaleski who first met LtCol McCloud 13 years ago when they served together at Camp Lejeune and
later together on the staff at Officer Candidate School, says, "There were very few things he loved more than the Marines,
but things he did love more were his wife and children." "As good a Marine as he was, he was a much better
husband and father. He was an absolutely selfless and humble man. Those are the best kind."
In 2003, Lt Col
McCloud was assigned as a military fellow to U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, who serves on the House Committee on Armed Services. One
of the major projects Wilson's office was working on was a teacher loan forgiveness bill for teachers in schools in low-income
neighborhoods. The bill has become law.
"Our whole family loved him," Rep. Wilson said. "He
was truly a family member for us, and we will always remember him. He is a hero.
"He was the love of my life," "I'm so devastated that my children are not going to grow up with him,
because he was a man of character and honor." -Maggie McCloud -
"I know I am talking
like a father, but I never saw a more talented person in my life. He could do anything, he could restore cars, he could do
crown molding, he was good at everything." He was a good Marine, he loved the military," -Ron McCloud-
Memorial sites celebrating the lifeof Lt. Col Joseph Trane McCloud are located at:
Assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, I MEF, Camp Pendleton, California
Graduated from the Naval Academy in 1995. In 2004,
Maj McClung left active duty and went to Iraq as a private contractor for Kellogg, Brown and Root, a Halliburton subsidiary.
She came out of the Reserves in 2006 and returned to Iraq as a Marine Major and assigned as a Public Relations Officer.
Killed 6 Dec 06 by a IED while escorting journalists into downtown Ramadi Major McClung was the first
female Marine officer to be killed in the Iraq war,as well as the first female graduate of the United States Naval Academy
to be killed in action since the school was founded in 1845.
Hometown: Mission Viejo, CA Born in Honolulu, HI grew up in Mission Viejo, graduated from Mission Viejo High School. She was a top gymnast and once was rejected from the boy’s weightlifting program,
so she took her case to the school board and won.
Her mother, Re,
recalls that the senior prom was one of her few dates. Gymnastics and homework were her routine. Re and her husband Mike never
suspected she wanted to attend the Naval Academy until she announced she needed them to attend a reception for appointees.
She graduated from the academy in 1995.
Major McClung
wanted to fly in the Navy but learned early that she got airsick. She wanted to serve in the infantry, but frontline jobs
aren’t open to women. Lieutenant Colonel Bryan F. Salas, a public affairs
officer with the Multi-National-Force West was her supervisor in Iraq, and
says that Major McClung was an advocate of media coverage of military operations and she managed the Marine media embed
program, and worked with civilian journalists from major news outlets.
Numerous journalists
remembered her in online blogs and editorials as one of the finest public affairs officers they dealt with in Iraq. Recalling
that Major McClung had high standards and was dedicated to telling the story of the war and the Americans fighting it.
She belived strongly in taking care of the
troops. On one occassion her mother recalls, some young Marines newly returned from
missions in the field in Iraq – tired, dirty, hungry – were turned away by the KBR contractor
running the mess hall, told “no food” until they showered.
“Megan
saw that and immediately took KBR to task. Those men got fed. That story about the redheaded captain went rampant, all over,
because she understood what the mission was and who was important,” the troops, Re McClung says.
Re
and Mike support two charitable groups in Major McClung'name:
Re and Mike support two charitable groups
in Major McClung'name:
The Major Megan M. McClung Memorial Scholarship
C/O Women Marines Association
P.O.
Box 8405
Falls Church, VA 22041-8405
She’s become bigger than life, as if her energy and spirit are in people now.” Her headstone is engraved with her mantra, fitting perhaps for someone whose life was short
but lived so well: “Be bold, be brief, be gone.” -Re McClung-
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Major Megan Malia-Leilani McClung are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Killed 12 Nov 04 by enemy action in Anbar
province, Iraq.
Hometown: Woodridge, Virginia Lance Corporal
Brian A. Medina graduated from Garfield High School in 2002, living in Italy with his mother during his first three years
of high school. When he returned to the United States to live with his father during his senior year. He learned acrobatic
hip-hop dance style while overseas and started a break-dancing club at Gar-Field.
Excerpts from an interview with the Quantico Sentry, a Marine Corps newspaper LCpl Medina's father, Greg
Medin said the following:
As a junior Marine stationed at Kanhoe Bay, Hawaii, Brian Medina repeatedly requested
orders to Iraq, essentially fighting his way onto deployment. According to Medina, his son’s enthusiasm earned him a
reputation among his peers. Before deploying from Okinawa, he reportedly chastised a number of Marines in his unit for bemoaning
their mission to Iraq.
“He essentially told them to pack their gear or go home. He told them, ‘We’re
Marines and this is what we do,’” Medina recalled a later account from one of Brian’s squad members. Once
in Iraq, Brian continued to lead from the front. The citation for his posthumous Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal with
combat distinguishing device states he “consistently performed his duties as a rifleman in an exemplary and highly professional
manner … at a greater risk to his own life, he enthusiastically assumed point-man duties for his squad and occasionally
his platoon.”
Mr. Medina has come to understand Brian’s life in the Corps as best he can, developing
relationships with his son’s friends to come to terms with his own loss and to keep the memory of Brian close. He has
been comforted by Brian’s comrades, many of who he traveled to meet in Hawaii after the unit’s rotation home.
Like adopted sons, he listens to their war stories, stories he will never hear from Brian, and he reassures them that they
did everything they could for his son. He is grateful for the love they shared for Brian and irrefutably demonstrated through
their own acts of heroism and sacrifice.
Lance Corporal Brian A. Medina is also survived by his mother, Lolita
Converse, two sisters and brothers
Memorial sites dedicatated to Lance Corporal Brian A. Medina
are located at:
Assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment,
3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Killed 14 September 06 while conducting
combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq
Hometown:Pearland, Texas Lance Corporal Ryan A. Miller attended Pearland High
School, but finished secondary school as a homeschooler.
LCpl Ryan played in the 2004 Home School
World Series with the Houston Eagles. Unlike many former players, he was unable to continue his baseball career despite
the fact that he was eligible to play another year of High School baseball. He felt a strong need to graduate early so he
could enlist in the Marines. His parents supported his decision to serve, noting the fact that he was following in his grandfather
and father’s history of service in the Marine Corps.
"He was like a little brother to me," said
Katie King, a childhood friend, adding that LCpl Miller was a member of Fellowship Bible Church in Pearland and
an avid Astros fan. "He was supposed to be home in a few weeks," and that Ryan had not yet decided whether he would
re-enlist.
Lance Corporal Ryan A. Miller is survived by his parents Jeannine Maughmer-Miller and Frank Millerwas
brother, Brandon and a sister, Meghan
Memorial sites celebrating the life and sacrifices of Lance
Corporal Ryan A. Miller are located at:
Excerpts from speech given by Congressman Ted Poe on 19 September 2006
Madam
Speaker, to be a police officer or a member of the United States military is a gift, a sacrifice; and it is an honor. The
uniform they wear is a commitment to protecting society, guarding the weak, giving back to the community, and fighting the
forces of evil. Every day, they risk their lives, and tonight I want to talk about one of these of the rare breed.
His death was not a loss, because he gave his life over there for all of us over here. Today we honor Ryan, we honor the
parents of this marine and their sacrifices. I also pause today to remember the marines who served with Ryan, and all those
who volunteered to defend and protect this great country. They are the fabric of this great Nation.
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.
Hometown: Brooksville, Fla Sergeant Lea R. Mills grew up in Masaryktwon, Fla and graduated
from Hernando High School in 2002.
Later married his high school sweetheart Keesha, before joining the Marines.
Family members say he loved the Mississippi Gulf Coast and worked on his uncle Tom's charter boat as well as working with
his grandfather in the stockyards in Lucedale.
Sgt Miller's inner confidence was often
misinterpreted as "cockyness", he always gave a 100% effort in any situation, which earned him the
respect of his fellow Marines and he moved quickly through the ranks to a leadership position in training with amphibious
assult vehicles.
Sergeant Lea R. Mills is survived by his wife, Keesha, parent, Delores and Rob Mills, brother
Parker and grandmothers, Peggy Parker, and Marie Mills.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Sergeant Lea R. Mills
are located at:
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe
Bay, Hawaii
Killed 8 Oct 06 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar Province.
Hometown: Chinook, MT Lance Corporal Jeremy
S. Sandvick Monroe was a 2004 graduate of Chinook High School
Family and friends say that LCpl Monroe had a talent for making people laugh. Tall and rail-thin, with a long neck
and a mop of dark hair, he could lighten up any situation with his funny faces and comic timing. "He just did silly things,"
his mother, Mellissa Pike says, recalling the "Meeyok monster" he created to amuse his younger brother and sisters,
had always been funny, quick with a joke, rich with the lighter side of life.
"I met him in the fifth grade
and he used to crack me up even back then," said friend Jim Paul, who remembers playing king of the hill, hide and seek
and football with Cpl Monroe. "He was the sort of guy, if you were having a bad day, he''d be there for you,"
Paul said. "It didn''t matter what sort of day he was having. He''d be there to sort of take care of
you."
At a barbecue get-together , lots of people came up and shook Monroe''s hand, telling him how
proud of him they were. "He said, ''Dad, that there means more to me than anything,''" said his
father, Monte Monroe. "He could play music like no one else I''ve ever heard or probably ever will,"
said his brother, Zach Gard. "He loved his music and his poetry, and he was good at them
Ms. Pike says that
after serving in Afghanistan, her son returned home this summer visibly changed. LCpl Monroe's younger brother,
Zach Gard, had long dreamed of becoming a Marine. Cpl Monroe urged him against the idea. Gard recalls his brother's warning:
"He said, 'Don't go. Don't go into the Corps. It'd be the stupidest thing you'll ever do, 'cause
you see things that people shouldn't see.' And he also said, 'Somebody's got to do it, but it doesn't
have to be you.'"
Lance Corporal Jeremy S. Sandvick Monroe is survived by his mother, Mellissa (Ken)
Pike , his father, (Dana) Monroe, brothers, Zacharie and Danielle Gard, Logan, and Jordanne and Darryl Southwick
LCpl Monroe and his mom
Courtesy of Mellissa Pike
Memorial and information sites dedicated to Lance Corporal Jeremy
S. Sandvic Monroe are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Enlisted in the Marine Corps in December 2001, and attended the School of Infantry during March 2002, where he trained
to become a rifleman. He arrived in Hawaii, July 2002.
Killed
26 January 05 when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq.
Awards include: the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and
the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Hometown:Roseburg, Ore
Corporal James L. Moore was a 1999 graduate of Roseburg High School.
“James was just an awesome kind of person,” Suzanne Moore, his stepmother said. “He
could come over and just show up out of the blue, bring you a cappuccino and know exactly how you like it. He was really generous,
really good.” “He wanted to make a difference,” she said
of her step-son. “He was proud of what he was doing. He thought they were doing the right things and a good job. And
we support that. James would want us to support his brothers. That’s what he calls everyone fighting there.”
Karen Goirigolzarri, the principal at Roseburg High School,
moderated the service and drew a laugh when she said she remembered seeing Moore in the office “quite a bit.”
She described him as hardworking, independent and a person who believed in doing
the right thing.
Karen Goirigolzarri, the
principal at Roseburg High School, moderated the service and drew a laugh when she said she remembered seeing Moore in the
office “quite a bit.”
She described him as hardworking,
independent and a person who believed in doing the right thing.
Memorial sites dedicated to Corporal James L. Moore:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary
Killed 26 January 26, 2005. when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq.
Hometown: Champaign, Ill
Corporal
Moore came from a line of military men. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather served in the U.S. armed forces, and
he went to a military high school before joining the Marines.
"He blossomed in that military atmosphere.
He was a leader there. He really was," said Sgt. Dennis Brannon, of Lincoln's Challenge Academy. and had learned
to surf while he was there.
Corporal Moore' aunt, Jodee Bean says, "He loved sports. Nathan was really
into gymnastics I remember him doing flips around the house and baseball." Adding also that Cpl Moore
was very close with his mother, Amber, and younger sister. "He's just very caring and giving and that's
why it's so upsetting that this had to happen to him." Survivors include his parents, Duane and Amber Moore
of Champaign; one sister, Amanda J. Moore
Memorial and information sites dedicated to the life of Corporal
Nathan K. Moore are located at:
Memorial contributions may be made to: Nathaniel
K. Moore Fund, c/o marineparents.com, P.O Box 370, Columbia, MO 65205.
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Morris, Daniel T., 19 Lance Corporal
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Killed
14 Feb 07 while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province
Awards: Purple Heart, National
Defense Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Hometown:
Crimora, VA Lance Corporal Morris graduated in 2005 from Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville and played
trumpet in the band Donnie Moneymaker, his mother’s fiancé recalls "He was a joker, but it was never
with a mean streak." "He’d do stuff with a grin."
In one of Lance Corporal Morris'
letters home he worte "Despite what you hear on the news or what you read in the paper, it's not as bad as it seems."
"Sometimes things here get bad and we wonder why we're here, and we realize it's people like you that we
protect."
In
a telephone interview Johnny Wood, his grandmother says, "He wanted to go to Iraq to help people, which is what
he was doing." "He told people that one of the reasons was so maybe he could save a daddy or a husband from
dying, because he was a single young man."
Stating
also that LCpl Morris hadn't decided whether to reenlist and had thought about joining the Secret Service.
Fondly remembering that although he had more than enough
to worry about in Iraq, he didn't forget about his mother on Valentine's Day and sent her a dozen red roses and
several letters that said he loved her. "It just made her Valentine's
Day that her son was so sweet even while he was fighting over there in Iraq," said his grandmother, Johnny Wood.
Corporal Daniel T. Morris is survived by his father,
Billy Tanner Morris Jr. and his wife, Terry, brother, Tanner Morris; sister, Rebecca Morris, and his paternal grandmother,
Mrs. Jeralene (Marshall) Morris Eavers
Memorial sites celebrating the life and sacrifice of Lance Corporal
Daniel T. Morris are located at:
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Killed 24 Dec 06 while conducting combat operations
in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Hometown: Lake Jackson, Texas graduated from Brazoswood
High School in 2004. The family had moved to Lake Jackson in 1996.
According to his father Lloyd Morris, love
for the outdoors and driving his Ford pickup through muddy bogs and didn't like being in the Marines because he
didn't like dealing with military bureaucracy. In Hawaii "He had a girlfriend there and he loved it." Cpl
Morris also told his father that after his enlistment was over he planned to return to Hawaii to go to school and
to surf.
LCpl Morris grew up with a deep spirituality and during his last phone call, he
told his father "that he had helped lead a couple of the other guys to Christ," he asked for prayers for the
dangerous job of driving in Iraq.
Lance Corporal Stephen L. Morris survived by his parent, Lloyd and Anna
sisters, Kristin Cochran and Kathryn Morris, and his brother, Jonathan Morris.
Memorial sites dedicated to the life of Lance Corporal Stephen
L. Morris are located at:
"Our family is strong but are hearts are broken with
you gone. Everyday a tear is shed or a chuckle is let out because the thought of something funny we shared has crossed my
mind. Chloe knows you thru me and asks about you all the time. Dad visits your resting place often and his grief overwhelms
mine. We love and miss you and your smile will forever shine on are family but are lives will never be the same without you.
Thank you Ryan for everything you will forever be in our hearts, and thank you to the men who served alongside him." -Nicole Nass of Tampa FL-
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Peralta, Rafael, 25 Sergeant
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base
Hawaii
Duty assignment was scout team leader
Incident Account: On November 15,
2004, Sgt. Rafael Peralta volunteered to go on the very dangerous mission of clearing the city of Fallujah of terrorists house
by house, room by room. At the fourth house of the morning, the second room, Peralta lead his "stack" of six marines
throwing open the door of the room to be cleared only to be met by three hiding terrorists waiting with their AK-47s. Peralta
was immediately struck with multiple rounds impacting his chest and face and though mortally wounded managed to jump away
so as to clear the line of fire for the other Marines. While automatic gun fire was exchanged one of the terrorists rolled
a grenade into the room next to where Peralta lay dying. While I and any other person just shot in the face would be wholly
self-absorbed in our own pain, Peralta had the presence of mind and strength of will to commit one last selfless act. He reached
out grabbed the grenade and tucked it under himself--saving the lives of four Marines
Sgt Rafael Peraltra was
nominated for the Medal of Honor For his actions during a Nov. 15, 2004, firefight in Fallujah, Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert
Gates rejected the Marine Corps recommendation. Sgt Peralta will receive the Navy Cross, the service's
second-highest award for valor.
Rafael Peralta was born on April 7, 1979 in Mexico City Son of Rafael and Rosa Peralta, the oldest of four
siblings Icelda, Karen and Ricardo. He immigrated to the United States, graduated from Morse High School in 1997. After
graduation, he began working for the California Conservation Corps, being selected as a crew leader within six months.
Life had not been easy for Peralta. Three years earlier, his father, Rafael Peralta Rios, was killed when a truck
he was working on rolled over and crushed him. On the eve of his wedding day in 2003, the mother of his fiancée died.
Then while traveling in Mexico to bury her mother, his fiancee herself was fatally injured in a truck accident. By the time
Peralta learned that his fiancée had died, she was already buried in in Mexico, next to her mother.
Sergeant Peralta joined the Marine Corps as soon as he had a green card in 2000. He later became an
American citizen while serving in the Marine Corps. Before he set out for Fallujah, he wrote to his 14-year old brother Richardo
,"no matter what happened, he shouldn't feel sad or lonely. "Just think about God and we will all be together
again," he wrote. "If anything happens to me, just remember I lived my life to the fullest and I'm happy with
what I lived. 'be proud of me, bro...and be proud of being an American.'"[
"My estimate of him was formed on the battlefield many, many years ago, and has never changed. I regard
him then as I regard him now -- as one of the world's noblest figures, not only as one of the finest military characters,
but also as one of the most stainless. His name and fame are the birthright of every American citizen. In his youth and strength,
his love and loyalty, he gave all that mortality can give. He needs no eulogy from me or from any other man. He has written
his own history and written it in red on his enemy's breast. But when I think of his patience under adversity, of his
courage under fire, and of his modesty in victory, I am filled with an emotion of admiration I cannot put into words. He belongs
to history as furnishing one of the greatest examples of successful patriotism. He belongs to posterity as the instructor
of future generations in the principles of liberty and freedom. He belongs to the present, to us, by his virtues and by his
achievements. I have witnessed that enduring fortitude, that patriotic self-abnegation, and that invincible determination
which have carved his statue in the hearts of his people. From one end of the world to the other he has drained deep the chalice
of courage." SFC Howard C. Hudson, Ret of Myrtle Creek, Oregon
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Perez, Richard A., 19 Lance Corporal
Assigned to the 6th Motor Transport Battalion, 4th Force Service
Support Group, Marine Forces Reserve
Killed 10 Feb 05 in a non-hostile vehicle incident
in Anbar province, Iraq.
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada Lance Corporal Richard Perez
Jr. graduated from Coronado High School in 2003.
LCpl Perez
had already shipped his personal belongings back to Las Vegas, and he told his family on Super Bowl Sunday he couldn’t
wait to end his six-month stint overseas. When Perez returned home, he had hoped to play baseball for the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas.
Perez played baseball at Foothill High School after the family moved to Las Vegas from Denver in 2000. He transferred
to the newly opened Coronado in 2001.
“His destiny was to go to Iraq, to help all those people, to do all those
great things,” his father, Richard Perez Sr., said at his son’s memorial, also recalling the day his son left
for Iraq from March Air Force Base in Southern California. “He said, ‘Dad, if I d o not come back, I want you
to tell everyone I’m doing what I want to do.”’ “He’s a hero to Iraq, he’s
a hero to the USA ... We didn’t realize we were raising a hero, but we did.”
During the memorial service for Lance Corporal Perez Jr. Coronado Principal Monte Bay
had to compose himself several times at the podium as he remembered Perez for his infectious smile,positive attitude and how
LCpl Perez was extremely proud of becoming a Marine and being the first one from the new school.
Lance
Corporal Richard Perez Jr. is survived by his parents, Richard & Rosemarie (Hernandez) Perez, sisters, Richelle Perez,
Rheanne Perez, Risa Perez, Norma (Gallegos)Perez, Carl Perez Sr., Nancy (Santiago) Hernandez, Juan P.Hernandez, CA-Grandparents,Libby
Barela-Great Grandmother
Memorial sited celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Richard Perez Jr. are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base
Hawaii.
Killed 10 Nov 04 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq
Hometown:Marion,
Ill Lance Corporal Aaron C. Pickering graduated from Harrisburg High School in 2002. Played golf, baseball, ran track and loved to hunt and fish . His stepmother, Teresa
Pickering says that LCpl Pickering attracted friends easily and had followed his uncle into the military.During
one of his last phone calls home, LCpl Pickering had told his father his unit was preparing for action.“He said he was fine but that it would be awhile before he could call again because
things were about to happen. He was scared but he was like, ‘If everybody does their job and I do my job, we’ll
all be OK.”’
“Everybody is saying
he’s a hero,” she said, we were very proud of him. He was not afraid of anything, just really loved the Marines,
liked the whole military thing.”
Memorial sited dedicated to the life and servie of Lance Corporal
Aaron C. Pickering are located at:
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine
Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Corporal
Preudhomme joined the Marines in 2005, and was sent to Hawaii the same year.
Killed 26 June 08
while supporting combat operations in Balad, Iraq.
Awards: include the Purple Heart Medal, the Combat
Action Ribbon, two Navy Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan
Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.
Hometown:North Miami Beach, Fla Corporal Marcus W. Preudhomme was a 2005 graduate of Fletcher
High School and was employed at Beach Hut CafŽ prior to his military enlistment.
"He loved the competition,
the challenge," his sister Jessica said about his wrestling career. "It was something new for him to learn."
That thirst for knowledge marked his entire life, said Desiree Downing, who owns the Beach Hut Cafe where Cpl Preud'homme
and members of his family had worked. "Some kids just come and want to do one thing, he was one who wanted to learn everything,"
she said. "Marcus always had high standards and high expectations of himself."
Josh Carey, a former teacher,
told the First Coast News that Cpl Preudhomme was "the kind of kid that as a teacher you come to school every day looking
forward to the opportunity to teach."
He was a member of the wrestling team, and those who knew him called him
patriotic and involved.
Corporal Marcus W. Preudhomme is survived by his father, Jean Preudhomme; brothers,
Chris (Jennie), Stephane, and Anthony; sister, Jessica; niece, Lyric-Capri; and grandparents, William and Elda Aasen.
Memorial sites dedicated to celebrating the life of Corporal
Marcus Preudhomme are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force
Lance Cpl. Mourad Ragimov graduated with honors from Marine Corps Recruit
Depot in San Diego and attended the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton
Killed 26 January 2005 when the
CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq
Hometown:San
Diego, Calif Lance Cpl. Mourad Ragimov quit high school at 16 and took classes at a nearby college and worked
around the neighborhood repairing computers.
LCpl Ragimov’s mother and his father, Rufat Ragimov, initially
objected to their son’s plans to join the Marine Corps because they oppose war. In 1989, the family had fled civil war
in Soviet-controlled Azerbaijan. His father says, “When we asked
him why, he used to say: ‘While you are sipping your coffee and enjoying your life, someone needs to be protecting this
country,’ “ “And I would say, ‘Who is going to attack?’ And he would say, ‘You never
know.’”
His family was planning their son’s
February homecoming and his 21st birthday celebration the following April. He had called home twice that week to assure his mother he was safe and said he planned to buy a car for
his sister, Shayla, with his combat pay when he returned.
“The saddest thing was that he had so
many goals, so many things he wanted to achieve. To raise a family. He was full of good will,” Mr. Ragimov said.
“I talked to him about serving in Iraq and he said, ‘I chose this for my destiny.’”
Memorial sites dedicated to the life of Lance Corporal
Mourad Ragimov are located at:
Every night when I kiss my children I am thankful
for men like Mourad, who risk so much for our safety.
— Steve, southern Illinois
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Rairdan, Rhonald, D. 20 Lance Corporal
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force
Killed 26 January 2005 when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed
near Ar Rutbah, Iraq
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas Lance Corporal Rhonald D. Rairdan also know as Dain, was personable and made friends easily
family members recall
When he last called home, LCpl Rairdan was preparing for his last mission before his Marine
Corps unit rotated out of Iraq. "He told us that they were getting ready to get on a helicopter to go someplace for the
(Iraq national) election," his father David said. "Then they were going to go back to their ships." In
his letters, LCpl Rairdan wrote he was doing what he wanted to do, and that he enjoyed what he was doing, says his father.
He dropped his weight from 230 to 200 pounds so he could join the Marines after graduating from high school, and
weighed 146 pounds by the end of boot camp. His father is a retired master sergeant in the Air Force, and his grandfathers
and uncles were military men.
Lance Corporal Rhonald D. Rairdan is also survived by his mother,
Kimberly. "We're looking at the positive things, that we had as much time with him as we did."
Memorial sites celebrating the life ofLance
Cpl. Rhonald D. Rairdan are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force
Killed
26 January 2005 when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq.
Hometown: Aurora, Ill Lance Corporal Hector
Ramos was a 2003 graduate of East Aurora High School and was known as an energetic high school student who was heavily involved
in the arts and drama, said East Aurora School District spokesman Clayton Muhammad. He was president of the DECA marketing
club, starred in a number of school plays and always wanted to help other students.
LCpl Ramos told
friends and family when finished the military, he would attend Colombia College or the Art Institute of Chicago, pursue his
love of drawing or acting, maybe join law enforcement. "He wanted to go to college and learn and get married to his girlfriend,"
his father said, . "He had a lot of things going for him. But there were too many things in his head, and the only one
he got a chance to accomplish was going to the Marines."
His father added that when LCpl Ramos was just
17 years old when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks struck. He was so angry, "I tried to tell them not to go,
"but they were really upset after Sept. 11, and I couldn't stop them."
His mother, Nancy Ramos, told
WLS-TV Thursday in Chicago, when 9-11 happened, the first day he went to go sign up. He came home from school,
and he told me, ‘I signed up. I need to do this. I always wanted to, “I am the proud mother of a Marine.”
The last time she spoke with him she says that he sounded sick, and she told him not to go on the planned mission. "But he said, 'I'm a Marine.' "I raised him to be man" she says proudly.
Lance CorporalHector Ramos is survived by his mother, Nancy Ramos; his father, Aurelio Ramos; two brothers,
Noah who is a proud Marine and Isiah Ramos; two uncles, Joel (Nina) Becker and Manuel (Gloria) Becker; his aunt, Tawney Becker;
his grandmother, Irene Becker; and his girlfriend, Jessica Jimenez.
Memorial sites dedicated to the life and sacrifice of Lance
Corporal Hector Ramos are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division,
Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Killed 21 Dec 08 in Karmah, Iraq, while supporting combat operations.
Awards: include posthumous
awards of The Purple Heart and Bronze Stara combat action ribbon, sea service deployment ribbon, Iraq campaign medal, global
war on terrorism medal, global war on terrorism expeditionary medal, national defense service medal
Hometown:London, Ky Lance Corporal Thomas “T.J.” Reilly Jr. graduated from Laurel
High School in 2007. Liked sports growing up, including basketball, football and boxing, but he had a flair for cooking,baking
and was interested in a culinary career.
According to those who knew him, LCpl Reilly showed his potential
to lead as an office holder in both the local and regional chapters of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America,
a national organization for students in Family and Consumer Sciences education, formerly known as home economics. "He
took the lead in things like that," said Mary King, Reilly''s former teacher. "His senior year he was a
teacher''s aide for me. He was very reliable." “He was very, very close with her, very tight with his mother,
and so she is really struggling.”
“I didn’t
want him to go. He wanted to go. But I didn’t want to crush his dream,” his mother Gina Bray told WKYT-TV in Lexington.
“He was on a mission. There was a hostile situation, and they just hurt my baby. And they took him,”
Steve House, who taught LCpl Reilly in high school, called him sweet,
very respectful, very well mannered, and "just an excellent young man." "If he had not been my student, I would
have been proud to call him my son."
Lance Corporal Thomas “T.J.” Reilly Jr is survived
by his mother, Georgina Bray.
Steve House,
who taught LCpl Reilly in high school, called him sweet, very respectful, very well mannered, and "just an excellent
young man." "If he had not been my student, I would have been proud to call him my son."
Lance Corporal
Thomas “T.J.” Reilly Jr is survived by his mother, Georgina Bray.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Cpl. Thomas “T.J.” Reilly Jr. are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base
Hawaii
Killed 30 Oct 04
Hometown:WESTMINSTER,
Colo Private First Class. Andrew G. Riedel graduted in 2003 from Northglenn High School
Russ Montanio, his stepbrother, say PFC Riedel's was profoundly
affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, “I
don’t want people to forget, you didn’t have to go. You wanted to,” Mr. Montanio said at the memorial service.
Described as a a motivated young man with a ready smile, had grown up a lot after he became a Marine and told
his mother in one of his last letters home that he had begun to accept God.
Private First Class Andrew G. Riedel
is survived by his parents Richard Riedel and Sherri Busch; step-son of Patti Riedel and Randy Busch; brother of Russ, Stacie,
Dannette, Erin, Jennifer, Jessica, Joshua, Rashell, Cayla and Zach; grandson of Jean and Jerry Dehne and Eugene and Helen
Bland.
Memorial sites dedicated to Lance Corporal Andrew G. Riedel
are located at:
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of
LCpl Andrew G. Riedel c/o Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 37, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey 07046.
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Riviere, Christopher T.,21 Private First Class
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary
Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Died 26 September 06, of wounds received while conducting
combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq
Hometown: Cooper
City, Florida, Private First Class Christopher T. Riviere, known as "Kiki" to his family graduated from Cooper City
High School in 2004. After trying both work and college, he decided to enlist in the Marines
"Christopher
was an awesome kid. He is an awesome kid," his aunt Connie Pie said
"Chris always wanted to do the best that he could do. He wanted to excel, and he felt that being in the
Marines was his way of doing that, he was just very, very proud of himself."
She
also adds that at a going away party held over Labor Day weekend he requested both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners be served
because he knew he would not be back before the end of the year.
Private First Class Christopher T. Riviere is
survived by his mother, stepfather and two younger sisters.
Memorial sites celebrating the life ofPrivate First
Class Christopher T. Riviere are located at:
Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Joined Marine Corp. in June 1996, held a second-degree black belt in
the Marines' Martial Arts Program and served as an instructor in hand-to-hand combat. Duties included working as a bodyguard
for a commander on last tour of duty
Awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, three
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, three Combat Action Ribbons, a Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, three Good Conduct
Medals, a National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War
on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, three Sea Service Deployment ribbons and
the NATO Medal.
Killed April 20 while
conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar Province, Iraq.
Born in West Palm Beach, Fla, family moved
to Lenoir, N.C., when he was 12. Excelled at wrestling, soccer and baseball.
Signed up for the Marines before he graduated from West Caldwell High School in 1996.
Survived by his wife Mandy and their two daughters.
“He always
treated (his platoon members) with dignity and respect. He wouldn’t put them into type of a situation where he wouldn’t
go himself,” said Colonel Gregory Boyle. “He always led from the front.” in charge of a squad providing
security for the battalion commander.
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Ripley, John W. 69 Colonel (Ret)
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Saintvil, Gael, 24 Lance 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 in
which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq.
Hometown:ORLANDO,
Fla. Lance Corporal Gael Saintvil graduated Orlando High School in 1998 and was studying business administration
at Florida Metropolitan University
Belga Saintvil said he was leery of his son going
to Iraq and pleaded with him not to go. But Gael Saintvil wouldn't budge. "He said, 'Pappy, I must go and be
with my unit,'" his father said. "He wanted to be there so bad."
LCpl
Gael played basketball and football regularly with his siblings, took them to movies and helped them with their homework.
"First of all he was a big brother," said his father. He was a hero to his younger brother, Blasher. "He always
helped me. When I needed something he was there for me," he said. "He called me every chance he got."
LCpl Gael eventually wanted to be an engineer or a policeman. "He was a very decent gentleman with enthusiasm and with
a goal to do the best he could," said his father. He also is survived by his mother, Belga.
“It happened for a good cause, for the country. ... Don’t like it,
but what’s happened has happened,” “Even though I don’t
like the war, I do support the troops and the job they do,” Mr. Saintvil told the television station. Also adding that
his son was eager to go to Iraq and fight alongside his friends. "He would die for peace, he would die for our cause,"
Lance Corporal Gael Saintvil is also survived by his mother, Belga, three brothers and two sisters
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Cpl. Gael Saintvil
are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Killed 30 Oct 04 by enemy action in Anbar
province, Iraq.
Hometown: Washington, Ga. — Lance Corporal Michael
Philip Scarborough graduated from of Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive
High School in 1995 and later attended Athens Technical College before joining the Marine Corps at age 25.
LCpl Scarborough had told his parents he planned to leave the military when his commitment ended in spring, commenting that he was getting too old for reconnaissance duty and for his family not to send
packages or mail, since he had to carry all his personal belongings from place to place.
Mike Scarborough says his son always dreamed of a military career and traveled
the world with his company visiting 12 countries last year, He
had been stationed in the Middle East since before the start of the war, despite an injury that put him out of duty for six
weeks. Adding that LCpl Scarborough planned to get out and try to get into security work, using what he had been taught by
the Marines.
LCpl Scarborough was about three weeks into his second tour in Iraq. "We talked to him recently and he said it's the most dangerous place in the world right
now," his father said. "Evidently it was. He was a fine fellow, he loved to fish and hunt. Just enjoyed life
like most young men do,"
Lance Cpl. Michael Philip Scarborough is also survived by his mother,
Phyllis Scarborough.
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Michael
P. Scarborough are located at:
There are no words that can
possibly ease your pain but please know that many across this country are grateful to your son and you. His bravery and sacrifice
will never be forgotten. Please accept these words as a token of my heartfelt sorrow for your loss.
Respectfully" Rebecca of Los Angeles
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Schoener, Richard P., 22 Corporal
Assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Killed 8 May 05 while conducting combat operations in
Alishang, Afghanistan
Hometown: Lake
Charles, La. — Corporal Schoener graduated with honors from Bell City High in 2001. Elected King of
the Senior Prom and Class President.
He had lot of ambition and goals, He definitely was an asset to our community
and would have come back as a leader of our community, his loss is a “great blow” to the community says
Principal Reinette
Guillory.
. Corporal Schoener’s step-grandmother said his family
had just returned home from a camping trip Sunday evening when three men in uniform showed up at their door.“We saw them and we just knew,” Norma Breaux said. “We just knew.”
Memorial sites dedicated to the life and service
of Cpl. Richard P. Schoener are located at:
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 109 Introduced BY SENATOR MARIONNEAUX
A Resolution
To expess the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana to the family
ofUnited StatesMarineCorps Corporal Richard P. Schoener upon his death in Operation Enduring Freedom.
THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby express a profound sense of loss and sends
its heartfelt condolences from a grateful state and nation to the family of United States Marine Corps Corporal Richard
P. Schoener for his service, his sacrifice, and his uncommon valor in the face of a heavily armed and determined enemy
.
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Scholl, Michael D.,21 Lance Corporal
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Died 14 Nov 06 from wounds sustained while
conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.
Hometown: Lincoln,
NE Lance Corporal Michael D. Scholl was a 2002 high school graduate He studied
briefly at Southeast Community College, and he was active in a car club, where he met Erich Kaiser. "He was just one
of those kids," Kaiser said. "He brought a whole new kind of life to our club."
Ed Darack, a freelance
photographer, was embedded with LCpl Scholl's platoon in the mountains of Afghanistan in 2005. Scholl helped him, giving
him anti-malaria pills from his own supply and introducing him to the Afghans he had befriended. "He was very good at
what he did," Darack said. "He was smart and tough and dedicated. The best of the best."
LCpl Scholl
went through a troubled time when his older brother, Trenton, died in 2000. But he turned it around and graduated from high
school at 17. Had been denied enlistment at first because he was diagnosed with a kidney condition, but he obtained a medical
waiver.
Lance Corporal Michael D. Scholl is survived by his wife, Melissa, and daughter, Addison Rose.
Lance Corporal Scholl anc wife
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal Michael
D. Scholl are located at:
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.
Hometown: Cherokee, Iowa 2001 graduate of Washington
High School in Cherokee
Matt Schubert, his bother says "He was just the kind of person that would be
everybody’s best friend,” Corporal Schubert had plans to return to Iowa, the two brothers were going to spend
time working on an old Jeep Nathan had bought.
“He was kind of a patriotic person and I think he felt it
was his duty to serve the country,” Matt, told the Sioux City Journal, Adding, "a carefree man who “lived
a day for what it was worth."
Corporal Nathan A. Schubert is survived by his mother Cheryl Winklepleck,
brother Matt Schubert
Mother lays her son to rest
Memorial sites celebrating the life ofCorporal
Nathan A. Schubert are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Lance Corporal Schumann joined the United States
Marine Corps in June of 2002. completed basic training at Paris Island, South Carolina, followed by the School of Infantry,
Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. Graduated in the top ten percent of his class
Killed 26 Jan 05 when
the CH-53E helicopter in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq.
Awards include the National
Defense Service Medal, Distinguished Shooter's gold medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Global War On Terrorism Service Metal
and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Hometown: Hampton,
Virgina Lance Corporal Darrell J. Schumann traveled with his career Air Force parents and brother to
Germany in 1983 where he visited France, Austria, and Switzerland while involved with Scouts.
In 1987 LCpl Schumann's
family traveled to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, where he enjoyed archery and fishing with his brother. In 1994 he traveled to Robins
AFB, Georgia, and attended Houston County High School, graduating in 1997. It was there he met Nicole.
LCpl Schumann
worked in construction from 1997 until 1999, when he moved to Hampton, Va. There he attended Thomas Nelson Community College
and worked at Colonial Williamsburg until he joined the United States Marine
They were proud of what they had done,” Richmon
Schumann told The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. “They were so very proud of what they were able to accomplish in Fallujah.
“His last letter to
us, said: 'I do wish America could see how awesome a job we are doing over here without it being construed by the
Media. It’s really an honor to be fighting along side these men,”’
Lance Corporal Darrell
J. Schumann is survived by his wife, Nicole, parents, Mary and Richmon; brother, Richmon and sister-in-law,
April and many other relatives.
Wife, Nicole at services for husband Darrell
Memorial sites celebrating the life and service of Lance Corporal
Darrell J. Schumann are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary
Killed
26 January 2005 when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq
Hometown: Benicia, Calif. — First
Lieutenant Dustin M. Shumney a 1992 Benicia High School graduate. He went to junior college in Concord, where he played football.
Later 1st lt. earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Sacramento State University while
working as an assistant manager at a supermarket. He met his wife and the two learned they were both half Croatian and half
Irish, they were married in 1996. "He came to me after our youngest son was born and said, 'Do you want to travel
and see the world while the kids are still young?'" his wife Julie says. "He felt being in the Marine Corps
maybe we could give something back."
1st Lt. Shumney found his second
tour of duty in the Middle East particularly hard. "There were young kids who would come out shooting, and it was hard
for him to deal with that because we have kids the same age," said his wife.
“I loved him dearly. He was the apple of my eye. His mom was so proud of
him,” said his grandmother, Lucille Nunes. “He’s easygoing, lots of fun, loves sports. He loved kids, always
liked playing with kids.” 1st Lt. Shumney’s mother, said
her son had planned to make a career in the military. “He
just got my care package, and when I asked what he wanted, he said gummy bears. And so I brought him bags and bags of gummy
bears.”
Ray Lewis, a Benicia High biology teacher,
described 1st Lt. Shumney as “the kid next door. He was athletic, he played football. He was good-looking, popular,
smart.” “He’s the first person I know who died
over there. “When it comes so close to home, it puts a whole new face on it.”
First Lieutenant Dustin M. Shumney is survived by his wife, Julie, children Jordan, Mallory, 8 and Conner,
3. .
Memorial sites celebrating the life and sacrifice of First Lieutenant
Dustin M. Shumney are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base, Hawaii;
Killed 24 Oct 04 in a vehicle accident
near Abu Ghraib, Iraq.
Hometown:Saugus, Calif
Lance Corporal Richard P. Slocumgraduated in 2003 from Saugus High School where he played football and baseball and enjoyed
bodybuilding.
His father Rober says that LCpl Slocum joined the Marine Corps right after high school
because he wanted to become a man and viewed the military as a way to serve his country while gaining new skills and discipline.
LCpl Slocum broke his foot during boot camp, which delayed his Marine graduation by a week. His son had hoped to attend college
after a four-year stint in the military."Always a "tough guy," but deep down inside, he had a soft heart and
would do anything for family and friends."
Mr.Slocum and his wife, Kay, supported
their son's decision to join the Marines shortly even though no one else in the family had served in the military since
the Korean War. Mr. Slocum says that after straying from religion, Slocum began quoting Bible verses in letters home as he
approached his duty in Iraq. He had a lot of friends, said his uncle, Keith Lair. “He liked to have fun; he was really
popular.”
In
addition to his parents, Lance Corporal Slocum is survived by a brother, Robert, sister, Kimberly, his grandparents,
Bob and Shirley Slocum of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and Hilma Kelley of Lancaster; and a nephew.
Memorial sites dedicated to the life and service of Lance Corporal
Richard Patric Slocum are located at:
"The
memory of Ricky is strong as I look at the stars and wonder. I am constantly reminded of him as I proudly display the button
with his picture in his USMC uniform in my home office. He inspires me not to give up and I pray for all the troops overseas
to come home safely soon. Having been a civilian contractor in that area I know of the pain that one faces there. My prayers
and support are always with the Slocum family as well as the
families of service men and women." Herman Posada of Saugus, California
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Smith, Matthew, 24 Corporal
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Killed 26 Jan. 26 2005 when the CH-53E helicopter
in which he was riding crashed near Rutbah, Iraq.
Hometown:West
Valley City, Utah Corporal Matthew R. Smith enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, guns and his favorite
beverage of all, milk.
Corporal Smith’s father, Gary,
described him as a news junkie, always hungry for timely updates from newspapers, magazines and especially from the family.He was proud to be serving his country, being a military man had been a
lifelong dream. Mr. Smith recalls that as a child, Cpl Smith would talk about joining the Army to protect his family . “He would walk around and say, ‘I’m going to
protect you guys,”’ his mother, Colleen said. After
joining the Marines in 2001, Cpl Smith kept tales of his exploits from his mother.
“He tells his war stories to his dad and brothers but not Mom,” she said, "He died a
hero and brave."
“It’s hard to shed
tears and realize that it’s happened, especially since Matthew had been through and survived more chilling combat
experiences" his father added. His son had described situations
in Iraq when he could literally feel the bullets whizzing by, “He was my hero.”
Corporal
Matthew R. Smith is survived by parents: Gary Smith and Colleen Parkin; brothers: Spencer and Cory Smith; and many
other family and friends.
Memorial sites dedicated to the life and sacrifice of Corporal
Matthew Reed Smith are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Lance Cpl. Joseph B. Spence had previously served in Okinawa,
Japan, and the Philippines before his deployment to Iraq.
Killed 26 January 2005 when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq.
Hometown: Sotts
Valley, Calif. — Lance Corporal. Joseph B. Spence graduated from Beach High School, he worked in
construction and postponed enlisting for two years until he felt comfortable leaving his family.
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, LCpl Spence was ready to join
the Marines, his mother said. The day after LCpl Spence completed boot camp, he went to get the same Marine bulldog mascot
tattoo his father had. “He always liked looking at it when he was younger and would ask questions about the service,”
said his father, Jim, a former Marine. “I felt proud then and still do.”
LCpl Spence was
known as a free spirit with an ability for making people laugh. Aaron Bertsch, 25, his brother-in-law and best friend.
"Joey made sure he had fun in everything he did."
Mr. Bertsch Scotts Valley says, before I knew Lance Corporal Joseph Spence, I didn't understand
the weight and meaning to those words often eulogizing the fallen. 'America's finest!' surely is a fitting way
to begin describing the young man who cared so deeply about his friends, his family, his country, his fellow marines, and
his beautiful wife and daughter. Each relationship was rooted in a higher love that is familiar to us who follow the way the
truth and the life.
Before he married his wife Elisabeth on
28 Dec 2002, LCpl Spence had first asked permission to marry his childhood sweetheart when he was 16 and she was 14, her
parents said no. “His goal was to win her love and win her father’s approval. He never gave up, and he never
looked elsewhere,” his mother, Becky, said. But it wasn't until he showed up one day in his Marine uniform that
her parents finally gave their blessings, realizing that he would made a good husband for their daughter.
His
wife gave birth to their daugher Providenc while he was deployed. LCpl Spence was killed just nine days before he was scheduled
to leave the Middle East, never having had the opportunity to hold his daughter.
Lance Corporal. Joseph B. Spence is
survived by his wife,Elisabeth, parents,James and Becky , brothers, Tommy and Roger
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Joseph B. Spence are
located at:
Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division,
Lance Corporal Ray Spencer, joined the Corps in June 2006 and had just deployed to Iraq
for the second time in April. His first tour was from August 2007 to February 2008,
Killed 16 April 09
in Anbar province, Iraq. Shot in the chest and killed in a non-combat incident in Anbar province; the circumstances
were being investigated.
Hometown:Ridgecrest, Calif Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer II graduated
in 2006 from Burroughs High School where he was a member of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
“He had a great smile and a great sense of humor that probably got him
into trouble at times,” a former instructor George Anderson. "Charismatic and “a natural leader. He
could get his students to follow him into the jaws of death, which they would have ignored from other students.” “Ray was committed to be a Marine from the first day he walked into my
class,” said retired Lt. Cmdr. Jim Selle, who also was a JROTC teacher. “He always had a smile on his face.
His wife, Athena says, “He’s just a genuinely sweet person,” He respects
women and people in general. He’s never the type of guy to be rude. He was so polite and laid back, never aggressive.
He was perfect for me. Everything I ever wanted in a person, I don't know anyone who ever disliked him."
Lance Corporal Spencer and wife Arthena
Memorial sites dedicated to the life and sacrifice of Lance
Corporal Ray a. Spencer II are located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force
Killed
26 January 2005 when the CH-53E helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutbah, Iraq.
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland —Lance Corporal Michael
L. Starr Jr graduated from Perry Hall High School.
“He loved what he was doing, making a difference,” Starr’s father, Michael Starr Sr., told The (Baltimore)
Sun. “He was very proud to be a part of American history. He was very proud of what he did, and he was very comforted
in the fact that he thought he was protecting his family.”
“He
had a lot of friends, a lot of friends, and he recruited a lot of friends into the Marines,” his mother, Robin Starr,
told WBAL-TV.
LCpl Starr told his family that he hoped to transfer out of Iraq and use his four years of military
experience in a career as a Baltimore police officer.
Lance Corporal Michael L. Starr Jr is survived by his
parents, Michael Linda, brother Robin
Memorial sites dedicated to Lance Cpl. Michael L. Starr are
located at:
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd
Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Corporal Joshua C. Sticklen enlisted in October 2002
and was assigned as an intelligence specialist.
Killed 3 December 2006 died when
the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter he was in crashed in Al Anbar province
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va Corporal Joshua C. Sticklen graduated from York
High School in 2000
Dan Magistri, a
high school friend of Cpl Sticklen''s, remembers listening to his pal''s stories about his deployments and
military life. His friend often wore a black leather jacket, jeans, a tight black T-shirt with a link-chain necklace. He was
seldom without his Marine Corps gear, recalled Magistri. Mr. Magistri says he prayed for his friend during his deployments.
Yet despite the dangers of war and personal unrest, he said: "When you look into Stick''s face, you would never
know he had a care in the world."
"He was charismatic," said Senior Chief Daniel Loop, Sticklen''s
Naval Science instructor for four years. "He would stand up and lead and people would automatically follow him. That''s
a rare quality in a young person. I saw it in him as young as a freshman."
Corporal Joshua
C. Sticklen is survived by his wife, Jennifer.
Memorial sites dedicated to the life and sacrifce of Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen are
located at:
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii;
Killed 16 Dec 04 by enemy action in Anbar
province, Iraq.
Hometown: San Antonio, Tx —
Lance Cpl. Franklin A. Sweger was a 2000 graduate of MacArthur High School
His mother, Susie Hernandez said her son joined the Marines in the spring of 2001 after having trouble in his first
semester at Lamar University. He wanted to go back to school to study chemistry after completing his military obligations.
“He loved science,” she told The Associated Press. “He studied chemistry and everything on his own since
he was little. He wrote down all the definitions for everything.”
She says that LCpl Sweger was devoted to
his family and looked forward to starting one of his own. “He was always making everybody laugh He loved everybody.
He was just so full of love and laughter and joy.” She added that he was depressed when he first arrived in Iraq three
or four months ago, but was more upbeat when he last talked to them on the phone two weeks ago. “Everything’s
OK mom, don’t worry about me,” she recalled him saying. “I think I’m going to make it.”
His best friend, Mitch Carlson recalls that during their last phone conversation, "He told me he loved me and I
told him I loved him, I never say that to any of my friends."
In addition to his mother, Lance Cpl.
Franklin A. Sweger is survived by his stepfather, his father and stepmother, two stepbrothers and many aunts and uncles.
Memorial sites dedicated to Lance Cpl. Franklin A. Sweger are
located at:
Assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics
Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. His unit was attached to 2nd Force Service Support Group, II MEF
(Forward).
Enlisting Marine Corp. in December
1998, in basic training excelled and was chosen as flag bearer
Assignments included duty in Bahrain and Bangladesh before being moved to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Volunteered
to attend the EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) school. Also, Completed parachute jump school
Killed 1
Nov 05 by a roadside bomb in a town about 70 miles west of Baghdad.
Awards included: Navy and Marine
Corps Achievement Medal and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii Staff Sergeant
Daniel Tsue was a 1996 Kahuku High School graduate, "aced" his college entrance exam and attended the University
of Hawaii at Hilo.
Joan Murata, Tsue's aunt, recalls that, "At an early age, he delighted his grandfather
by solving math equations in his head quicker than it could be written out." He was always trying to learn something,"
says childhood friends Marc Togashi Togashi.
In a email home "I'm planning on doing a consecutive
tour out here. So, I'll be here for another year or so. I figure since I'm single, I may as well stay out here and
save some married guy from having to leave his family for six months."
"He was genuinely a good person,
one of those people who did the right thing." Gunnery Sgt. Jose Soto, Tsue's team leader in Iraq is quoted as saying.
Adding that while Tsue "had a relaxed, hair-down attitude about things," he was superb at his job. One of SSG Tsue's
habits after a mission was to "take off his boots and put on his flip-flops (slippers)," Soto said in an interview.
"He always brought a piece of Hawaii with him."
"What little time we had was perfect. He was just
such an awesome brother," SSG Tsue's half-sister, Joy Takemoto recalls.
Staff Sergeant Daniel
Tsue is survived by his father, Richard; mother Deborah Takemoto; half-brother Alexander Takemoto; and grandmother Marian
Tsue.
Memorial sites dedicated to the life and sacrifice of Staff Sergeant
Daniel A. Tsue's are located at:
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Killed 26 Sept 05 by enemy mortar fire at Camp Blessing,
Afghanistan.
Hometown: McRea, Arkansas Lance Corporal Steven A. Valdez graduated from Beebe High School in 2004 Family
and friends remember LCpl Valdez as as competitive, energetic and fun loving and also a caring young man who deeply
loved his family and friends
He followed the footsteps of his older brother Glenn Skaggs, and his grandfather
Billy Skaggs, into the United States Marine Corps Within the year, his family received a letter from the Marines, which cited
LCpl Valdez’s promotion to Lance Corporal and praised him for going above and beyond what was asked or expected of him.
"My brother was over there for something he believed in, and I want to help finish it." says Sergeant Glenn
Skaggs
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Lance Corporal
Steven A. Valdez are located at:
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment at Marine
Corps Base Hawai’i
Killed 22
Nov 06 during combat operations in Iraq’s western Anbar province when a roadside bomb hit the Humvee he was traveling
in.
Hometown:Canton, Ohio Private First Class Warner attended Worley
Elementary, Canton Christian academy and was a graduate of McKinley Senior High School 2005. Completed certificate in Drafting
from Timken Vocational Campus.
He had been a Boy Scout, taught break dancing at Living Fountain Dance Company and
was a member of the McKinley Young Republican Club. He enjoyed reading, martial arts, and was teaching himself Japanese and
Arabic. Described as having a dry sense of humor
and a wonderful smile. Also a member of Bethel Temple Assembly of God.
Private First Class Warner is
survived by his parents, Scott and Melissa, brothers Chandler and Ashton
Memorial sites celebrating the life of Private First
Class Heath Heath D Warner are located at:
Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division,
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii;
Killed 25 Nov 06 while conducting combat operations
in Anbar province, Iraq.
Hometown: Aguanga, Calif Lance Corporal West graduated
from Hamilton High School where played center and middle linebacker on the varsity football team and baseball all four
years
His stepfather, Ron Klopf says “He’s
not a big guy, but he’s tough as hell, and that’s where they put him, in the middle,” joining the Marine Corps at the age of 17, three months shy of his 18th birthday. “He felt that would be the hardest of the military services,” Mr.
Klopf said. “He didn’t want to take anything easy. He did
a great job” in Iraq. “He’s a hero.”
LCpl West and Mr. Klopf would go deep-sea fishing every time he visited California. LCpl West decided against college in the short term, telling his stepfather he wasn’t ready for the
coursework, and wanted to be in the Marines for four years before going to college and, hopefully, playing football. “We allowed him to (join the Marines). He wanted to protect his country,”
Klopf said. “We just want to make sure everybody
knows what a great kid he was.”
“He
was the sweetest, funniest kid and so many people loved him. I would tell him that I missed his face and he would take a picture
of his face and send it to me. He did that just before he shipped out to Iraq,” his mother Lisa West-Klopf. “It's
the little things like that I'm going to miss the most. Like him kissing me on my cheek,” she said. “I am
going to miss him every day for the rest of my life.”
Memorial sites celebrating the life and sacrifice
ofLance Corporal Jeromy D. West are locate
at:
Lance Corporal Yerby joined the Marines
in May of 2005 and reported to Hawai'i in October that year. Lance Cpl Killed while
conducting combat operations in western Iraq when his Humvee struck a land mine. Yearby was a warehouse clerk.
Hometown: Overbrook, Okla Lance Corporal
Hatak Yuka Keyu Martin Yearby graduated from Marietta High School in 2003. While attending high school, he participated in
football and weight lifting. He was also very involved in Native American cultural activities and was a member of the Upward
Bound program at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
LCpl Yearby’s hobbies included hunting, fishing,
pouching, and spotlighting, was also a member of Marietta’s Eastside Baptist Church.
Lance Corporl Yearby
is survived by his wife, ;Lindsey; his parents; his grandmother, Rebecca Kingsberry, Tishomingo; two sisters, Samarrah
Renae Bell of Marietta and Shema Yearby of Overbrook; as well as other family and friends
Memorial site celebrating the life and sacrifice
of Lance Corporal Hatak Yuka Keyu Martin Yearby are located at:
