Army Sgt. 1st Class Lonnie J. Parson

Right before Lonnie J. Parson left for Iraq, he told his grandmother exactly what he would do and how he was going to do it.

"He told me, 'I take care of my men, I look after them,"' Dorothy Carpenter recalled her grandson saying. "'And I don't tell them to do anything that I wouldn't do."'

Parson, 39, of Norcross, Ga., was killed Sept. 2 in Baghdad by a roadside bomb. He was based at Fort Stewart.

His stepfather, Mack Douglas Gray, took Parson along on his training weekends with the National Guard.

"He enjoyed being around the military vehicles and all the military stuff," said Gray. "He just loved it."

He had been working at a meat packing plant when he enlisted in the Army on Jan. 1, 1988. He fought in Operation Desert Storm and served two recent tours in Iraq.

"He was just a sweet, easygoing person -- real lovable," said Carpenter.

He also is survived by his wife, Michelle; his son, Lance, 15; and daughter, Paige, 13,

"He was a good kid," Gray said. "He's always been good."

Army Sgt. Pierre A. Raymond

You had to hear Pierre A. Raymond laugh. He would toss his head back and let his laughter escape without shame or self-consciousness.

"My greatest fear," said his sister, Barbara Bell, "is that I will forget the sound of my brother's laughter. And he was always laughing."

Raymond, 28, of Lawrence, Mass., died Sept. 20 at a military hospital in Germany of injuries from a Sept. 15 attack in Ramadi. He was based in Harrisburg.

"Pierre just had this capacity that very few people have," Bell said. "This capacity for life. Even as a kid, we don't have many family photos of him because he was always running in the park."

He graduated high school in 1994 and attended Northern Essex Community College.

Raymond, who had a passion for fixing cars on the fly, was a military mechanic. He joined the Army in 1998 and spent 13 months in Bosnia.

He also is survived by his parents, Santina and David.

"I'd give anything to have my brother back," said his sister, who was at his bedside in Germany. "But to be there, to be able to laugh with my family when we remembered his jokes was amazing. It was a gift."

Marine Pfc. Ramon Romero

Even as a toddler, Ramon Romero wanted to do things on his own.

"If he fell, I would run to him," said his mother, Maria Romero. "But if I picked him up, he would get mad. He wanted to get up by himself. Even when he was little, he had a very decisive character."

Romero, 19, of Huntington Park, Calif., was killed Aug. 22 by a roadside bomb near Fallujah. He was assigned to Twentynine Palms.

The 2004 high school graduate wanted to become a police officer because his family used to live in Watts and were routinely burglarized.

Ramon took taekwondo lessons for three years at Blue Dragon Taekwondo School.

"He was one of the best students I ever had," instructor Thomas Duenas said. "He was the ideal student: disciplined, very respectful and always willing to lend a helping hand."

After boot camp, Romero was shipped off to Iraq with a brief stop in Ireland, where he wrote home.

"Never in my life did I dream about going to the other side of the world," he wrote. "I'm prepared for what awaits, and I will take care of myself. Whatever happens, it will be God's decision."

He also is survived by his father, Juan.

Army Staff Sgt. Daniel R. Scheile

Sgt. Scheile

Relatives described Daniel R. Scheile as a "manly man" -- a guy who took care of his daughters, nieces and nephews and was quick to offer help to friends, relatives and neighbors.

"We joked that he had two wives, me and my sister," said his wife, Jennifer. Her sister lives across the street. "He re-screened her windows, he painted the trim of an older neighbor's house for her."

Scheile, 37, of Antioch, Calif., died Sept. 24 from injuries he sustained from a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Oakdale.

Scheile enlisted in the National Guard when he was 19. He worked as a concrete finisher before he was called up for full-time military duty.

"He was like the most wonderful person," said Scheile's 11-year-old niece Ariel Danielle Armanimo, whose middle name was in her uncle's honor. "He was my uncle, but he was more like my father."

During his stint in Iraq, Scheile reported a number of close calls with roadside bombs, including one about a month ago that left shrapnel in his face. He had already been awarded the Purple Heart.

He also is survived by daughters Kelli, 9, and Marisa, 4

Army Sgt. Alfredo B. Silva

Though he wore a uniform and carried a big gun, Alfredo B. Silva was a complete sucker for kids.

"When it came down to it, he was a softie," recalled Sgt. Joseph C. Barker, a friend in Iraq. "He was the first to start throwing Beanie Babies and soccer balls to the kids."

Silva, 35, of Calexico, Calif., was killed Sept. 15 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Modesto.

Silva's father died when he was 4, and his mother moved in with her parents in San Diego County. He followed his grandfather everywhere. The duo would spend weekends at the horse races in Caliente or at the family ranch south of the border.

After his high school graduation, he worked in the family concrete construction business. But with marriage and the birth of a daughter, Silva joined the Army.

He loved the San Diego Chargers and Padres. As an adult, his own fast-pitch softball career rarely wavered, and he would drive west to play in night leagues in Chula Vista or Tijuana. His catcher, Efrain Arvizu, remembered Silva as a man of "heart and determination."

He is survived by his wife, Cecilia, and 12-year-old daughter, Mariel.

Marine Lance Cpl. Shane C. Swanberg

On the day before he died, Shane C. Swanberg sent an e-mail to his mother. "I will start my first mission tomorrow," he wrote. "Mom, I love you very much."

Swanberg, 24, of Kirkland, Wash., was killed Sept. 15 in an explosion in Ramadi. He was based at Twentynine Palms and had been in Iraq less than 10 days.

"We will forever miss his vibrant smile, unpredictable wit and how very much he cared for us and held us close," said Swanberg's mother, Linda. "We are so proud of him, our Marine, but mostly, that he was our precious Shane."

Redmond Fire Lt. Tom Langton, a family spokesman, said Swanberg loved sports, especially racquetball and soccer, and played golf often with his dad. He told his family he dreamed of one day living by a beach.

Swanberg wanted to go to college and go into real estate, and was always reading real-estate books, added his father, Brian. He graduated from high school in 2000.

He joined the Marine Corps in 2002 and was eager to get there this past Labor Day, telling his mother, "Mom, I need to get over and help my buddies."

Army Sgt. Franklin R. Vilorio

Two days before leaving for Baghdad, Franklin R. Vilorio had several of his buddies from Fort Stewart join him and his mom for lunch.

They were joking around and acting as if war was just another stop in their lives. Her mother was worried, so they made a promise to her and to themselves.

"All the boys said they would come back and sit at the same table -- together -- after Iraq. They were going to survive and come back," said his mother, Santa Pollock.

Vilorio, 26, of Miami, was killed Sept. 6 in Baghdad when his vehicle hit a bomb. He was assigned to Fort Stewart.

Vilorio immigrated from the Dominican Republic at age 16 to be with his mother. He was the first among his two brothers and sister to learn English because he vowed he would finish high school, which he did in 1998 while working his way up to assistant manager at a Burger King.

He became a U.S. citizen a couple years after joining the Army in 1999.

"When he set his eyes on something, he achieved it," said Francisco Vilorio, a brother. "He was always the most mature. He was also the kind of person who gave it all for his family and friends."

Army Sgt. Andrew P. Wallace

Everyone who knew Andrew P. Wallace talked about his upbeat attitude, his love for his family and his passion for teaching.

"If there would ever be a poster that needed to depict a soldier, Sgt. Wallace's photo would be on it," said Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls. "His attitude, personality and constant smile were reminders of how much he loved life and doing what he was doing."

Wallace, 25, of Oshkosh, Wis., was killed Sept. 26 by a roadside bomb in Shaibah. He was assigned to Fond du Lac.

Wallace, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, was a teacher at Emmeline Cook Elementary School and a physical education teacher and coach at Oshkosh North High School.

"He was never in a bad mood and always smiling and had positive things to say," said Gary Westerman, a former wrestling coach. "He was an all-around great guy and a great friend."

Wallace kept in contact with school staff via a Web site and posted photos so the kids could see war. When he was preparing to leave overseas, students at Emmeline placed their footprints on a banner that read, "Wherever you go, we will follow."

Army Spc. Michael J. Wendling

Spc. Wendling

Michael J. Wendling liked to eat. He wasn't fat, so sometimes his friends wondered where he put all the food. One day, he and the golf team stopped at a Burger King.

Wendling ordered a Whopper Value Meal with fries and a drink. Then he went back for four more Whoppers and ate them all -- to the astonishment of everyone watching him.

"Mike was a personality, I guess you would say. He had a great sense of humor. He was a kid who liked to have fun, and kids liked to be around Mike because he was so much fun," said Stu Strook, who coached Wendling in football and golf.

Wendling, 20, Mayville, Wis., was killed Sept. 26 by a roadside bomb in Shaibah. He was assigned to Fond du Lac.

Wendling was on the dean's list at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee when his unit was activated.

During a school trip to New York, his group took in the sights, visited Madison Square Garden and saw "The Lion King" on Broadway.

They also visited ground zero. "He was close enough to 9-11 to embrace its importance," said former teacher Rod McSorley.

Army Spc. Lee A. Wiegand

Lee A. Wiegand never hesitated to lend a hand when co-workers at the local McDonald's restaurant needed help carrying supplies or lifting something heavy.

"He was the first one to jump up and say: 'Hey, let me do it for you,"' said Amanda Brigham, one of the managers there.

Wiegand, 20, of Hallstead, Pa., was killed Sept. 28 in Ramadi when his vehicle came under attack. He graduated high school in 2003 and was assigned to New Milford.

At McDonald's, Wiegand flipped burgers and manned the grills. Wiegand was known for his smile and sense of humor, said Brigham. "He used to joke around," said Brigham. "He was a really decent guy."

He is survived by his wife, Jessica, and newborn daughter, Jordan.

Wiegand could paint a still life, draw a cartoon or use magic markers to give his friends a temporary tattoo, said Justin Seamans. "He could draw just about anything."

"Everybody liked him," Seamans said. "He was a jokester."

Justin had been looking forward to Wiegand's return home. "We wanted to have a party. But now we'll have a funeral," he said.

Army Spc. Jeffrey A. Williams

Sometimes, Jeffrey A. Williams' weekly phone calls home got a little intense. He and his mom, a nurse, would share stories of treating injuries, and he was especially proud when he inserted his first chest tube in a wounded patient.

He was hoping to become a doctor, maybe a cardiologist or a surgeon.

"When he finished college, he was going to come home and give me five grandchildren," said his mother, Sandra Smith. "I guess that's not going to happen now."

Williams, 20, of Warrenville, Ill., was killed Sept. 5 in Tal Afar when a bomb detonated near his patrol. He was assigned to Fort Carson.

Williams, who graduated high school in 2003, was raised around military bases and always planned to join the Army. His mother worked as a civilian nurse at military hospitals, which helped spark his interest in medicine.

He played football and wrestled in high school and played a lot of basketball on the side. He had started boxing in the Army.

"If you had a bad day, you talked to him, he just made you laugh," said friend Raimondo Brown. "He'd lighten up your day."

Army Spc. Luke C. Williams

It's a sign of how well liked Luke C. Williams was that people who shopped at the supermarket where he worked jammed phone lines to offer their condolences.

"We've been getting a lot of calls from customers that knew Luke," said Greg Gaylor, a Kroger assistant manager. "He was a great guy, just a very social person."

Williams, 35, of Knoxville, Tenn., was killed Sept. 5 in Baghdad when his vehicle accidentally rolled over into a ditch. He was assigned to Fort Stewart.

Williams was hired at Kroger in 1989 and transferred to the Northshore location when the store opened in 1996. Store manager Ted Mills said he enlisted to give his family a better life.

"He saw it as an opportunity to better himself and as a chance to provide for them," Mills said.

Now employees plan to retire his locker, which remains unclaimed with his nametag still attached. "He told us to keep that locker open, that he was going to need it when he got back," Mills said.

He is survived by his wife, Teresa, who just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, a 7-year old daughter, and a son, 10.