Marine Lance Cpl. Frederik "Freddy" Vazquez
Operation Enduring Freedom

20, of Melrose Park, Illinois, supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, IIMarine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. and was killed in action on July 24, 2010.

Vazquez leaves behind his parents, Juan and Rubelia Vazquez, as well as a brother Juan Carlos, extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. This Marine was a 2008 graduate of West Leyden High School in Northlake.

20, of Radcliff, Kentucky; assigned to 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; died July 12, 2010 at Forward Operating Base Frontenac, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a noncombat-related incident.

24, of West Chester, Pennsylvania; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died July 5, 2010 at Abdulhamid Kalay, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

27, of Hinesville, Georgia; assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 13, 2010 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire.

37, of Belvidere, Illinois; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia; died July 18, 2010 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained July 17, 2010 in a non-combat-related incident in Khowst, Afghanistan.

29, of Jacksonville, Illinois; assigned to 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; died July 17, 2010 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

23, of Decatur, Illinois; assigned to 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 16, 2010 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of wounds sustained July 13, when insurgents attacked his unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan, with rifle, rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire.

27, of Polo, Illinois; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died July 16, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

15 of Fort Carson's Colorado post were killed in Afghanistan in October of 2009 alone; the worst single month for combat deaths the post has endured since the Vietnam War.

Officials said Fort Carson has lost 32 soldiers in Afghanistan and 255 in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Martin attended St. Mark’s Lutheran School in Brooklyn, New York and graduated in 2002 from Johnson High School. After graduating, Vernon became a Juvenile Correction Officer at the Chatham County Youth Detention Center.

He joined the Army in August of 2004 and married his high school sweetheart Brittany. He is also survived by two daughters and one son, his parents Connie Brown and George William Martin, a sister, Vanessa and a brother, Joseph, aunts, uncles and cousins, and many friends.

The 4th Infantry soldiers were honored at a service in the Soldiers’ Memorial Chapel at midday, and a second service was held later in the day for the others.

At his memorial service, letters were read from soldiers still in Afghanistan recounting the fallen troops’ lives and praising their bravery and friendship.

Maj. Dan Chandler said each of the eight 4th Infantry soldiers enlisted after the terrorist Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. “They were helping to make a difference when they were taken from us,” he said.

A soldier sobbed quietly at the back of the chapel as Sgt. Major Leslie Frye called the roll, pausing silently after he twice called out the name of each man killed.

Outside the chapel, seven riflemen fired three volleys in a 21-gun salute, and a bugler played Taps.

29, of Crystal Lake, Illinois, died July 11 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Antonik joined the Marine Corps in May 2001 and received reconnaissance training, officials said. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant in February of 2009 and joined the Marine Corps Special Forces Operations Command later that year.

Among many friends and family, Marine Staff Sgt. Antonik leaves behind a wife, Erin, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Antonik, his sister, Jennifer, and grandmother, Florence Antonik.

He became something special in the Marines. At the time of his death, at 29, he was a Staff Sergeant in the elite First Marine Special Forces Battalion.

This highly decorated Marine Awards include, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, three Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, a Combat Action Ribbon, four Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, two Iraq Campaign Medals, the National Defense Service Medal and two Navy Unit Commendations.

20, of Royse City, Texas; assigned to the 4th Squadron, 73rd Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died July 5, 2010 in Yakuta, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Spc. Keenan A. Cooper.

22, of Powder Springs, Georgia; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died July 3, 2010 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained June 30 in a weapons system accident at Forward Operating Base Lane, Afghanistan.

29, of Park Hills, Missouri; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died June 16, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Lcpl. Bailey was a 1999 graduate of West County High School. in Leadwood, Mo. Every time Bailey would come home on leave, he would stop by the school and talk with teachers and the principal.

"Mike was a very special kid, and was highly thought of by people who knew him," said the principal, Eric Moyers. "He never failed; after he made the rounds with friends and family, he'd always come back to the school and visit with myself and teachers he had at the school."

They would catch up, reminisce. On his last visit to the school, Moyers recalled that Bailey said he was preparing to be sent to Afghanistan. "I thought the world of him," Moyers said. "Our community is hurting right now."

After serving eight years in the U.S. Navy he enlisted to become a United States Marine.

Bailey's stepfather, Thomas Rodgers of Frankclay, Mo., described him as "having a really good heart." Rodgers said he helped raise Bailey since he was in elementary school and called him his son. Bailey enjoyed his time in the service and was funny about stuff like that. When he was in the Navy, he was in a nuclear sub. He liked that, top secret."

Bailey’s father lives in Springfield, and his aunt lives in Australia, Bouse said. Aside from a cousin and a nephew, most of the family is gone. But when Bailey came home on leave, he always had plenty of places to stay.

29, of Dayton, Kentucky; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Conn Barracks, Germany; died June 23, 2010 at Charkh district, Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with rocket fire.

He leaves behind his wife Michelle, his son Parker, and stepson Jared—one of whom suffers from Cystic Fibrosis.

Madden was the son of Martin Madden and Peggy Strange Davitt and also leaves behind his brother Martin and sister Lindsey as well as stepmother Pamela Madden and stepfather Mike Davitt.

Pfc. Madden was in his first deployment to Afghanistan. Madden enlisted to serve his country and provide a better future for his young family, especially considering that one of his children suffers from CF.

24, of Thornton, Colorado; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 1 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Carskie, Harris' H.S. Football coach said that in every aspect of his life Harris was "committed to being successful. Anything that he may have lacked in talent, he made up for with will power and detrmination."

Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Jimmy Macias, his longtime friend said that Harris originally wanted to join the Air Force and did several patrol ride-alongs with local law enforcement. He joined the Marines in May 2006, in part because of the influence from his step-father, who was also Marine.

His friends said that he cared deeply for his community and was in the military for the benefit of those around him.

He will always be remembered for his devotion -- and his ability to light up a room. "He was the shortest," Macias said, "but always the biggest."

Read more about this fine young Marine by clicking HERE

38, of Columbus, Georgia; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died July 2, 2010 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained July 1 in a non-combat-related equipment incident in Taji, Iraq.

He was on his second tour in Iraq and had joined the Army at 31 because he wanted to support his family, relatives said.

Lumpkin was the son of Wayne and Jan Lumpkin and also leaves behind his wife Carol, a son and two stepchildren.

July 3rd would have marked the Sgt.'s and Carol's ninth wedding anniversary.

A family friend said the fallen soldier often would surprise her and others with acts of kindness, like repairing faulty car brakes or rescuing a friend who became stranded while off-roading.

"He was always the first to help no matter what, and I truly feel that's what he was doing the day that tragic accident happened," Lujan, a neighbor, said. "He was helping someone try to get the job done."

She added: "Johnny has forever touched my life."

Army Staff Sgt. Manny Garcia, a fellow soldier and friend, recalled Lumpkin's outspoken nature and love for family, friends and fishing.

20, of Trenton, Georgia; assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died June 26, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Richards is survived by a wife.

"He was always a very good-hearted, sweet child," Pouliot (Richards' uncle) said. "He was just as good a kid as you've ever meet. He always did the right thing."

Richards followed in his father's and brother's footsteps when he entered the Marines. He served as a squad automatic rifleman. He joined the Marines, according to a news release, in September 2008 and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in November 2009. He deployed to Afghanistan in March 2010.

34, of Tennille, Georgia; assigned to 810th Engineer Company, Georgia National Guard, Swainsboro, Ga.; died June 26, 2010 at Sayed Abad, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

Our heartfelt prayers go out to David's wife, LaTonya, their 3 children, and the entire Holmes family.

David had been in both the Navy and Marine Corps and served numerous combat deployments before becoming a citizen-soldier with the Georgia National Guard. In the civilian part of his life, Holmes worked at a local prison.

“The entire Georgia National Guard family grieves alongside the Holmes family on word of his tragic incident in Afghanistan,” said Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt, Georgia’s Adjutant General.

“Like all Guardsmen, Sgt. Holmes was a true citizen-Soldier, one of Georgia’s best, who knew his job and was willing to perform it without personal reservation.” From his sacrifice, each of us who wear the uniform is clearly reminded that the values of liberty and freedom are often safeguarded only at an exceptionally heavy price.”

22, of Schiller, Park, Ill.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died Sept. 4, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device.

Army Private Shelton was a graduate of East Leyden High School in Franklin Park, Illinois.

We are privileged to honor the family of Army Pvc. Shelton on June 26, 2010. He will never be forgotten...

We are humbled that the Shelton's would accept our invitation. May the remembrance of your son by everyone present help to ease the pain of your loss...

21, of Northlake and Villa Park, Illinois; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; killed Nov. 19, 2005 when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire and grenades in Mosul, Iraq.

Alcozer was part of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

God Bless The Troops has the privilege of honoring Army Pvt. Alcozer and his family on June 26, 2010. He will never be forgotten...

We are humbled that the Alcozer family would accept our invitation. May the remembrance of your son by everyone present help to ease the pain of your loss...

24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 26, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Caskey followed his grandfather, father, mother and two older brothers into the military after graduating from North Hills High School in 2004. It was his second tour of duty overseas.

22, of Plattsmouth, Nebraska; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 7, 2010 in Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

Spc. Redding is survived by his wife, Victoria Redding of Lincoln, Neb.; mother, Teresa Redding of Elmwood, Neb.; and father, Blaine Redding, of Lincoln, Nebraska.

This was the single deadliest day for the 101st since 2003.

21, of St. Louis, Missouri; assigned to the 101st Military Intelligence Detachment, 501st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; killed Mar. 16, 2006 when a mortar round detonated in Tikrit, Iraq. Also killed was Spc. Carlos M. Gonzalez.

Sgt. Pinson was described by Lt. Col. Lucinda Lane as “a breath of fresh air” . She was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

Pinson enlisted in the Army after graduating in 2002 from Hancock Place High School, where she won several scholarships and was on the basketball and softball teams. She planned to attend college after her military service and become an FBI or CIA agent.

KIA March 15, 2006
101st Airborne
Awarded Bronze Star
and Purple Heart
posthumously

24, of Flint, Michigan; assigned to the 161st Engineer Support Company, 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade, 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 16, 2010 in North Kunduz, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

29, of West Elizabeth, Pennsylvania; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, Connellsville, Pa.; died June 11, 2010 at FOB Bullard, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

20, of Macomb, Michigan; assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 30, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Dilisio, a graduate of Dakota High School swam and played football and baseball, and enlisted approximately two years ago and was deployed in December, according to David Dilisio. He was scheduled to come home at the end of July or early August. He was engaged to be married.

“He was a people person and was always compelled to give back in some way,” David Dilisio recalled. “He wanted to serve in some capacity, whether it was as a firefighter or a police officer or a Marine, which to him was the pinnacle.”

Lorenzo, Anthony Dilisio’s father is an Army veteran.

31, of Naperville, Illinois; assigned to the 161st Engineer Support Company, 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade, 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 16, 2010 in North Kunduz, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Army Pfc. Hotchkin, a husband to Erin, and father of three to Ethan, 8, Tristan, 4, and Gunnar's stepdaughter Taylor, 10, had been deployed less than six months when his wife's worst fears came true. The man who had left civilian life to provide a better future for his family would never get the chance to see them thrive.



Visitation for Gunnar Hotchkin will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Gibbons Elliston Funeral Home in Hinsdale. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Union Church of Hinsdale, 137 S. Garfield Ave.

24, of Smithville, Texas; assigned to the 264th Clearance Company, 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 11, 2010 in Powrak, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

He leaves behind a wife and 7-year-old daughter.

American flags lined the streets, and an estimated 500 people filed into the church to honor the man friends and family said dreamed of being in the military since high school. A Moving Tribute To This Hero.

Rodriguez was the fourth active duty KIA from Smithville in four years.

* Mario Rodriguez - June 11, 2010 - Afghanistan
* Cody Stanley - October 28, 2009 - Afghanistan
* Josh Farris - July 9, 2009 - Afghanistan
* Tina Priest - March 1, 2006 - Iraq

Click HERE to read full story.

Marine Standfest's Grandfather served in The Corps during WWII.

Cpl. Standfest was a canine handler and a combat engineer. The Marines said an improvised explosive device struck him June 16 while he was on foot patrol.

His father Timothy Standfest is a detective with the Clinton Township Police Dept. and mother Karen Standfest, VP & and Chief Nursing Officer at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital.

Family friend Doug Mills said, “I watched Jeff grow up into a man and into a Marine hero,” Mills said. “This sounds corny, but I thank God there are people like him in the Marines and Army. What would we in this country do without people like him?”

He was a graduate of St. Clair High School.

20, of Melrose Park, Illinois; assigned to the 708th Medical Company, 108th Medical Battalion, 108th Sustainment Brigade, Illinois National Guard, North Riverside, Illinois; died Nov. 12, 2007 in Kuwait City, Kuwait, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident.


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22, of San Marcos, Texas; assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 21, 2007 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when multiple improvised explosive devices detonated near their vehicle.

Michael was a San Marcos High School graduate who later went on to attend Texas State University. Two years into college, after the events of 9/11, Michael decided to join the United States Army. He chose to specialize in becoming a Combat Engineer at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

Michael had a passion for life and he put that forward into his work. He never left any project unfinished and he always did it to the best of his ability.

He leaves behind his wife, mother Sonya Davis Kennedy; father Myron Warner Davis; sisters Natalie Davis and Jessica Bell; brother-in-law Freeman Bell and beloved nephew Grayson "lil Mikey" Bell.

26, of Kingwood, Texas; was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 6, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed were Lance Cpl. Derek Hernandez and Cpl. Donald M. Marler.

20, of Edinburg, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 6, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed were Sgt. Brandon C. Bury and Cpl. Donald M. Marler.

22, of St. Louis, Missouri; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 6, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed were Sgt. Brandon C. Bury and Lance Cpl. Derek Hernandez.

21, of Enterprise, Alabama; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 7, 2010 in Jelawar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

25, of Grass Lake, Michigan; assigned to the 58th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; died June 9, 2010 near FOB Jackson, Afghanistan, in a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crash. Also killed were Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael P. Flores, Air Force Staff Sgt. David C. Smith and Air Force Senior Airman Benjamin D. White.

Three airmen also were injured in the Pave Hawk incident, which occurred on the deadliest day for Air Force personnel at war in more than five years.

The helicopter crashed as the airmen, assigned to 563rd Rescue Group, were performing a medical-evacuation mission in turbulent Helmand province.

“Our Air Force was deeply saddened by the loss of four of our own,” Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said in a statement. “Faithful to the rescue motto ‘That others may live,’ these airmen were courageously and selflessly flying in support of their joint and coalition teammates. We grieve for our warriors and our thoughts and prayers are with their families, as well as with the airmen still recovering.”

The last time four or more airmen died in a single day was May 30, 2005, when a prop plane crashed in Diyala province, Iraq. A fifth passenger, Iraqi Air Force Capt. Ali Abass, also died in that crash.

22, of Calcium, New York; assigned to 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 8, 2010 at Gerda Serai, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a noncombat-related incident.

Sgt. Erick J. Klusacek was a cavalry scout.He joined the Army in May 2007 and arrived at Fort Campbell in October 2007.

His awards and decorations include: Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal w/ Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Combat Action Badge; Driver and Mechanic Badge (driver/wheeled vehicle) and Weapons Qualification, M4, expert.

Klusacek is survived by his wife Amber L. Klusacek and daughter; Makella L. Klusacek of Watertown, N.Y; and parents Shelia D. Kusacek and Ronald E. Klusacek of Evans Mills, N.Y.

22, of Savannah, Georgia; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.; died June 1, 2010 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when he was shot by enemy forces.

Note: On June 4, 2010, Spc. Peney was posthumously promoted to Sergeant.

His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, Expert Field Medical Badge, and the Parachutist Badge. He has also been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with combat star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Medal.

“Spc. Peney was the epitome of our Ranger Medics – warrior first, expert in advanced medical treatment, and selflessly dedicated to the care of others – even at the risk of one’s own life,” said Col. Michael E. Kurilla, Commander, 75th Ranger Regiment. “Spc. Peney did not hesitate to move under heavy fire to the care of another wounded Ranger. He is a hero to our Nation, the 75th Ranger Regiment and his family.”

He was on his fourth deployment in support of the War on Terror with three previous deployments to Afghanistan. For more than two years, he served as a combat medic in 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

SGT Peney is survived by his wife Kristin E. Peney of Savannah, Ga., and his mother Sue L. Peney of LaGrange, Ga.

Send your comments on the memorial site set up
for this brave soldier by clicking HERE.


Also, US Army Ranger Association
HERE

28, of Waterford, Connecticus; assigned to 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment, Connecticut National Guard, Norwalk, Conn.; died May 25, 2010 at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., of wounds sustained May 20 when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using indirect fire at Contingency Outpost Xio Haq, Afghanistan.

When Edwin Rivera broke the news to his family that he was returning to Afghanistan for a second tour with the Connecticut National Guard, he had one reason: the Afghan children.

“When the U.S. soldiers drive by,” Rivera, 28, told his mother Gladys, “the children will scramble like mad in the dust just to get thrown a simple pencil from us. They don’t even have pencils.” This time, Rivera didn’t make it home.

When home in Waterford, Conn., Rivera worked the evening shift as a security guard at a nuclear power plant. While his wife, Yesenia, worked days in a dental office, Rivera cared for their sons, Rolando and Lorenzo, making sure they ate and made it to and from school safely.

“He would go out of his way to greet you and ask how you were doing,” Ed Discola posted on an online memorial site. “It was impossible to have a conversation with him and not come out of it smiling.”

22, of Concord, North Carolina; assigned to 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died May 24 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire.

24, of Columbia, Missouri; assigned to 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died May 22, 2010 in Durai, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his military vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

21, of Frederick, Maryland; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 10, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

45, of Saint Charles, Missouri; assigned to the 1141st Engineer Company, Missouri National Guard, Kansas City, Mo.; died May 14, 2010 at Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Rev. James P. Callahan said during the Sgt.'s funeral that Kisseloff "gave his life for our nation because he believed in this nation and he believed in the people of America."

Afterward, scores of people came to pay their respects as the procession made its way to the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

Kisseloff leaves behind two young children, Serena and Alexander. Their mother died of an illness about two years ago. The two are living with their grandparents in St. Charles County.

38, of Calhoun, Georgia; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard, Lawrenceville, Ga.; died June 20, 2009 in Mado Zayi, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle.

Blair was a Kentucky native.

26, of Kilgore, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died May 11, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Sgt. May enlisted in 2005 and was on his third combat deployment. His death came one day after his second wedding anniversary.

21, of Tomball, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died May 11 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Johnson, who enlisted in 2007, was on his second deployment.

23, of Ludlow, Massachusetts; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 12 , 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

30, of White Deer, Texas; assigned to the 38th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died May 3, 2010 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

21, of Waterville, Maine; assigned to the 707th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died May 6, 2010 at Jaghatu, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire.

The funeral for Army Spc. Slack will be held at Blessed Hope Church in Waterville.

Slack joined the Army after graduating from Waterville High School in 2007, and was assigned to the 707th Ordnance Company, 3rd Ordnance Battalion, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

23, of Fredericksburg, Virginia; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 12, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

20, of McMinnville, Tennessee; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died May 9, 2010 at Contingency Outpost Zerok, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.

40, of Centerville, Washington; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died May 2, 2010 at Khakrez, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

21, of Schaumburg, Illinois; assigned to 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed in Iraq on May 12, 2003 when unexploded ordnance he was handling detonated.

Jakub H. Kowalik came to the United States from Poland in 1992 and was a permanent U.S. resident. He enlisted in the Marines during his senior year at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Ill.

“He’s my hero, my best friend,” said his older brother, Paul Kowalik. “He was a good person, the last person this should happen to.”

Danuta Kowalik clutched a framed certificate that officially granted her son, Lance Cpl. Jakub Kowalik, something that, in her eyes, he had already earned--American citizenship.

Kowalik completed his last mission by being granted American citizenship posthumously.

"I think that when someone gives their life for our country, they certainly should be citizens," said the then Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who attended the ceremony. "I think Jakub is in that great tradition of patriots who believed in liberty, freedom and democracy."

27, of Jacksonville, Alabama.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died May 8, 2010 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

He was a leader who died “doing what he loved,” his wife Brooke Clopton Comfort said. “Kyle’s main purpose in life was to make a difference, and he really felt like we were making a difference over there.”

The couple married in October 2005. Survivors include their 6-month-old daughter, Kinleigh Ann.

Comfort’s father, the late Kenneth A. Comfort, retired from the Army as first sergeant.

Read Our Tribute Post Here

19, of Perry, Iowa; assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 7, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Davis served as a machine gunner. He enlisted in March 2009 and deployed to Afghanistan in March of this year.

27, of Golden, Colo.; assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died April 24 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., of wounds sustained March 12, 2010 when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire at Out Post Bari Alai, Afghanistan.

22, of San Antonio, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 6, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Rangel served as a fire team leader. He enlisted in April 2007 and had a previous deployment to Iraq in 2008.

Further details regarding the circumstances of their deaths were not immediately available.

22, of Birmingham, Ala.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 28, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

24, of Claysville, Pa.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died April 27, 2010 near Quarando Village, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit using small-arms fire.

He was deployed in Iraq from 2006 to 2007 and had begun his tour in Afghanistan on June 2009. He served with Fort Carson’s 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

Kennedy received several awards for his service, including the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

30, of Auburndale, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died April 27, 2010 in Khalis, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an explosive device.

Keith, was the husband of Katrina, and the father of three young children.

25, of Farmingville, N.Y.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died April 23, 2010 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations.

Sgt. Santora was the 12th soldier from Long Island to die in battle in Afghanistan.

27, of Hutchinson, Kan.; assigned to 72nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 7th Signal Brigade, 5th Signal Command, Mannheim, Germany; died May 4, 2010 of injuries sustained from a noncombat-related incident in Tikrit, Iraq.

24, of Wenonah, N.J.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died April 29, 2010 at Forward Operating Base Bullard, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using improvised explosive devices.

19, of Hellertown, Pa.; assigned to the 54th Combat Communications Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.; died May 3, 2010near Khyber, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident.

22, of Hico, Texas; assigned to 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Nov. 13, 2009 just weeks before his 23rd birthday, while supporting combat operations in Nawa, Afghanistan.

Hefner was fearless, comrades and friends said. A choked-up soldier said Hefner carried him to safety after an explosive hit their truck.

Patrick Hefner said his son loved to go camping and fishing. “If it could be done outdoors, that’s where he wanted to be,” he said.

He knew how to keep a promise to his mother, Robin, who’d asked him to take photos overseas. “They were carting him off in helicopters, and he was lying on his back taking pictures of his buddies up in front of him” after an attack last year, his father said. Other survivors include a sister and brother.

21, of Brielle, New Jersey; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died April 23, 2010 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations.

21, of Tacoma, Washington; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died April 11, 2010 in Char Bagh, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

21, of Fall River, Massachusetts; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, Massachusetts National Guard, Fall River, Mass.; died April 19, 2010 near Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained in the explosion of an improvised explosive device while on dismounted patrol.

28, of Richmond, Kentucky; assigned to the 2123rd Transportation Company, Kentucky National Guard, Richmond, Kentucky; died April 18, 2010 in Bagram, Afghanistan.

Sgt. Sigley had commanded a mine-resistant, ambush-protected Humvee that helped provide protection for military convoys in Afghanistan.

"His professionalism, selfless service and devotion was contagious to all who served with him. Randy was not only a great soldier but a fantastic human being who cared deeply for his brothers and sisters in arms." said Capt. John Moore, who commands his Unit.

23, of Williamsburg, Va.; assigned to the 149th Transportation Company, 10th Transportation Battalion, Fort Eustis, Va.; died Aug. 19, 2009 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

23, of Monroe, Mich.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died April 17, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol.

23, of Lincoln, Illinois; assigned to the 797th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 79th Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; killed Feb. 24, 2005 when a second improvised explosive device detonated while he was responding to the earlier explosion of another device at Camp Wilson, Iraq.

19, of Fenton, Missouri; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died June 14, 2008 in Farah province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed were Sgt. Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass and Pfc. Dawid Pietrek.

Marine Pfc. Michael Patton and his wife Amy.

21, of Petal, Mississippi.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died April 7, 2010 in Mosul, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

Blount and his commanding officer, Lt. Robert Wilson Collins of Tyrone, Ga., were the most recent American casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense Web site’s announcement of the deaths, Blount had been promoted posthumously on Monday to specialist from private first class.

24, of Tyrone, Georgia; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died April 7, 2010 in Mosul, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

35, of Hancock, Minnesota; assigned to the 367th Engineer Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, St. Cloud, Minn.; died April 4, 2010 in Baghdad of wounds sustained in a noncombat-related incident.

A father of four, he died in Iraq a month after returning for his second tour of duty there, his father said.

Lyle Kruize said the Army hasn’t provided his family with further details about how his son died, but said that it is still investigating.

Kurt Kruize was a 1993 graduate of Hancock High School, where he played football and basketball. He joined the Army Reserve when he was still in high school, Lyle Kruize said.

20, of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died Jan. 10, 200 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

The tragic death of LCpl Meinert hits even closer to home as he served bravely in the same unit as the Director's family friend.

Miguel and Marines from his unit held a field memorial service for their fellow Marine. Our hearts and prayers go out to them and the family and friends of this young man. We are forever grateful...

25, of Buffalo, New York; assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 1 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

22, of Villas, N.J.; assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died October 03, 2009 serving in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

Fort Carson paid somber tribute to 15 of its soldiers killed in Afghanistan in October 2009, the worst single month for combat deaths the post has endured since the Vietnam War.

Each of the eight 4th Infantry soldiers enlisted after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. “They were helping to make a difference when they were taken from us,” he said.

20, of Rochester, Minn.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died April 2 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

19, of Yorba Linda, Calif.; assigned to the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4thMarine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died March 24 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Cottle.

19, of Gillette, Wyoming; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died March 24, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

36, of Hot Springs, Arkansas; assigned to an East Coast -based SEAL Team; died March 18 in a battle with militants in Afghanistan.

Brown was assigned to a Virginia Beach, Va.-area SEAL team that was part of a special operations task force operating in various parts of Afghanistan.

Brownenlisted in the Navy in 1998 and joined the SEALs in 2001. He earned a Bronze Star with combat “V.” He is survived by his wife, two children and his parents.

24, of Palm City, Florida.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died March 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

26, of Kenosha, Wisconsin; 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died March 18 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenade fire.

Rieckhoff, who has an 8-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter, recently re-enlisted as part of Battery Bravo Second Battalion of the 15th Field Artillery Unit out of New York.

Rieckhoff graduated from Tremper High School in 2002 and served two tours of duty in Iraq and one in Kuwait.

28, of Richfield, Ohio; assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died March 16 of wounds sustained March 8 while supporting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan.

Gilbert was on his fifth tour of duty and his second in Afghanistan.

Gilbert’s father, a Richfield police officer, was with him at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., when he died.

26, of Largo, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died March 14 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

21, of Lowville, N.Y.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force was killed April 20, 2005 serving during when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq. Also killed was Marine Lance Cpl. Marty G. Mortenson.

Kelly Matthew Cannan volunteered for a third tour in Iraq so fellow Marines with wives and children wouldn't have to go.

26, of Federal Way, Washington & Oregon.; assigned to the 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died March 13 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked her base with mortar fire.

She lived most recently in Federal Way. She graduated from Sheldon High School in Eugene, Ore.

22, of Jacksonville, Florida; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Dec. 1 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations.

20, of Sugar Land, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died March 11 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

19, of Hungry Horse, Montana; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Camp Ederle, Italy; died March 7 in Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.

Kathy Taylor said her grandson joined the Army in April and had been in Afghanistan for just over two months when he was killed. He was set to come home on leave in about two weeks. Nicholas was raised by Mrs. Taylorand her husband since he was just 3 years old.

22, of North Bergen, N.J.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 21 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations.

28, of Knoxville, Tenn.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 230th Cavalry Regiment, Tennessee National Guard, Louisville, Tenn.; died Feb. 21 in Qayyarah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter had a hard landing. Also killed was Chief Warrant Officer 2 Billie Jean Grinder.

19, of Orem, Utah; assigned to 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died March 1 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Marine reservist killed in Helmand

21, of Orem, Utah; assigned to the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died March 4 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations.

19, of Redmond, Washington; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

27, of Corinth, Mississippi; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 27 at Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.

William “Seth” Ricketts wanted to be a soldier ever since he was a little boy, and when terrorists attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, he joined the Army the next day.

Ricketts was on his fifth tour of duty and looking forward to getting home for the birth of his third child when he was killed Saturday in Afghanistan, his father said.

Ricketts is the father of two boys — 3-year-old Aiden and 10-month-old Cullen. His third child is due this summer, soon after Ricketts was scheduled to come home. He and his wife, Rosie Jones Ricketts, didn’t know if they were having a boy or a girl and had not picked out a name. But the family affectionately calls the child “peanut” as a nickname, Bill Ricketts said.

24, of Westville, Indiana; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died Feb. 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

29, of Hardwick, Vermont; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 172nd Armor Regiment, 42nd Armor Division, Vermont Army National Guard, St. Albans, Vt.; killed Sept. 22, 2005by enemy small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq.

McLaughlin was proud to serve his country and also how much he loved the deer, the bear and the moose that live in the mountains around him.

21, of Londonderry, N.H.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 17 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Eric Currier was one of 29 students that graduated from the Londonderry High School Adult Education Program in June of 2007. He was one of four in that class that enlisted in the Military.

Eric’s Brother Brent is in the army stationed in Hawaii, he was also a graduate of the Londonderry Adult Ed program in 2008.

27, of Columbus, Ind.; assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

25, of Henagar, Alabama; assigned to the 561st Military Police Company, 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Dec. 20, in Bayji, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident in Tikrit, Iraq.

He had just celebrated his wedding to another soldier earlier this month in Alabama, his family said.

20, of Buffalo, Ky.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Hanson was a rifleman.

19, of Wheaton, Illinois; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Nov. 9, 2004 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

Lance Cpl. Nicholas Larson, enlisted even before he graduated from high school.

“He was doing what he wanted to do. He was a Marine — and a good one,” said O’Sullivan, a World War II veteran and village clerk in the Chicago suburb of Hillside. Larson is survived by his mother, father and younger sister, O’Sullivan said.

19, of Scranton, Pennsylvania; assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 18, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Joanna Johnson, the Lcpl.'s mom said she worried about her third child. The Marine loved the outdoors and a good time and loved his mom so much that he always promised he would someday make sure she no longer had to work. He would buy her a double-block home in California.

Words cannot express the gratitude and prayers we extend that this brave young man laid down his life in service to his country.

20, of Providence, Rhode Island; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 18, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

This brave Marine was the only child of Henry and Melissa Coutu, and had just gotten engaged to Jacqueline DaSilva around Thanksgiving time.

He enlisted one week after his graduation from William E. Tolman High School, where he was captain of the wrestling and football teams, and also played on the hockey team. According to his aunt, Jennifer Durkin, he was everybody's friend at Tolman High School in Pawtucket.

He was someone who embodied school spirit and took great pride in donning a Tolman uniform, and participated in three separate sports while in attendance there.

More than 400 people filled the pews in the Newport Avenue church, with still more standing along the walls and in the back to hear the service. The basement took in 75 more and another hundred or so stood out in the cold wind and rain to honor the young Marine.

They all gathered to remember his life as a son, cousin, friend and Marine who tried to make the world, no matter where he found it, a better place.

As a lone trumpeter played taps, the Marines in uniform throughout the crowd slowly raised their right hands in a final salute, and a squad of seven Marines fired off a 21-gun salute.

22, of Brazil, Indiana; assigned to the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Feb. 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Peak's family said he was patrolling the outer perimeters of a camp in Afghanistan when the explosion happened around 8:30 a.m.

"All we heard was that he was walking the perimeter and was on patrol and stepped on an IED and there was big sand storm and visibility was poor," said Dixie Aerni, Adam Peak's aunt.

Adam's 23-year-old brother Sean is also a Marine serving in Afghanistan in a nearby camp. The family says they were as close as brothers could be. "They were night and day when it comes to their personalities but they would do absolutely anything for each other," said Robyn Peak, Sean's wife.

Adam was two years older than Sean. As young boys it was easy to tell them apart, but in recent pictures the two Marines looked one in the same.

"They joined the Marines the same week, they got out of boot camp within two weeks of each other and both went to Camp LeJeune. They were always together," said Robyn Peak.

25, of Charlotte, North Carolina.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died Feb. 16 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

21, of Dallas, Georgia; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 15 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

21, of Canton, Michigan; assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 13 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

21, of Fayetteville, Pennsylania; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Feb. 1 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

20, of San Benito, Texas; assigned to the 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died Feb. 10 in Baghdad, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations.

23, of Louisville, Kentucky.; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died Feb. 9 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

19, of Hiram, Georgia.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 108th Armor Regiment, Georgia Army National Guard, Calhoun, Ga.; killed Aug. 15, 2005 when his Humvee accidentally rolled over into a canal in Mahmudiyah, Iraq. Also killed were Sgt. Thomas J. Strickland and Sgt. Paul A. Saylor.

22, of Traverse City, Michigan.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 5 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

28, of Rantoul, Ill.; assigned to 293rd Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), Fort Stewart, Ga.; died Oct. 16 near Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an IED.

20, of Albuquerque, N.M.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device Feb. 2 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

29, of Knightdale, N.C.; assigned to the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy; died Jan. 19 near Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device.

25, of Westwood, N.J; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 14 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

22, of Bowling Green, Ky.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died Jan. 24 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

19, of Hornell, N.Y.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 24 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

22, of Towson, Md.; assigned to 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Jan. 23 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

19, of Sun City, Ariz.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Jan. 16 in Abad, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire.

Donevski was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

He joined the Army in July 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan in June 2009. He is the 39th soldier from Fort Carson killed in Afghanistan; 255 have been killed in Iraq.

23, of Lowell, Mich.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Camp Ederle, Italy; died Jan. 13 in Darya Ya, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit using small-arms fire.

25, of Collierville Tenn.; assigned to the 118th Military Police Company (Airborne), 503rd Military Police Battalion (Airborne), 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Jan. 13 at Combat Outpost McClain, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Pfc. Geoffrey A. Whitsitt.

He had served two previous tours of duty — first in Afghanistan, then in Iraq — before he was shipped back to Afghanistan in May.

He leaves behind his wife Rachelle, two sons, 3-year-old Kale Rausch and 3-month-old Daniel Merriweather Jr.

He also leaves his parents, Pamela and Darryl Finnie; and his 14-year-old brother, Darryl Finnie Jr.

22, of Crystal Lake, Illinois; assigned to the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Nov. 23, west of Pashmul, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with mortar fire.

Family members say McLeod was deployed to Afghanistan in May and was due to come home on leave in less than a month. They say he was a mechanic who worked on Humvees.

He also served in Iraq in 2007 for about a year. He was a 2006 graduate of Crystal Lake Central High School.

He’s survived by his wife, Aimee Ghannam; a 15-month-old daughter, Jocelyn; his parents and two siblings.

23, of Lakeville, Ohio; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Sept. 20, 2009 in Zabul province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover. Also killed was Spc. Corey J. Kowall.

Spc. Damon was a medic.

Marine Cpl. Jamie R. Lowe
Operation Enduring Freedom

21, of Johnsonville, Illinois; assigned to the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Jan. 11, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Matthew N. Ingham and Cpl. Nicholas K. Uzenski.

24, of Crawfordsville, Ind.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Jan. 3, 2010 in Ashoque, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained when insurgents attacked their unit with multiple improvised explosive devices and small-arms fire. Also killed were Sgt. Joshua A. Lengstorf and Pvt. John P. Dion.

Jim Wiens, Smith’s pastor at Bethel Baptist Church in Troy, says Smith followed in his brother’s footsteps when he joined the Air Force in November 2006.

Wiens says Smith’s wife had a daughter in October, who Smith didn’t get to meet before he died.

Marine Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi
Operation Enduring Freedom

21, of Bronx, N.Y.; was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 1, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan.

Alberto Francesconi graduated high school in 2005 and then got a job with Bank of America. At 18, he was a personal banker.

“But he always wanted to be a pilot and ‘What better foundation than the military,’ he used to say,” said his wife, Cynthia Francesconi. “He always wanted to strive a little bit more — to make it easier for his family.”

20, of DeKalb, Ill.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died Sept. 11 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of wounds sustained in Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 4 when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised-explosive device followed by a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire.

Army Sgt. Albert D. Ware
Operation Enduring Freedom

27, of Chicago, Illinois; assigned to the 782nd Combat Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Dec. 18, 2009 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

20, of Gaffney, S.C.; assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Sept. 10, 2009 from wounds sustained Sept. 3 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Army Pfc. Norman L. Cain III
Operation Enduring Freedom

22, of Oregon, Illinois; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Woodstock, Ill.; died March 15, 2009 in Kot, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Army Spc. Jason M. Johnston
Operation Enduring Freedom

24, of Albion, New York; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Dec. 26, 2009 in Arghandab, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Pearson graduated from Bolingbrook High School in 2006. He was described and an outstanding student who was active in ROTC. After graduating he worked at a furniture store and reportedly joined the army because he wanted to see the world.

He was expecting to be deployed to Iraq in January after a trip home to Bolingbrook for the holidays.

Army PFC. Francheska Velez

21, of Chicago, Illinois, Victim of Fort Hood attack. Hundreds of mourners filled a parlor at Montclair Lucania Funeral Home to pay their respects to Pvt. Francheska Velez, who was slain in the Nov. 5 attack at the Texas military post.