Army Staff Sgt. Dwayne P.R. Lewis

Dwayne P.R. Lewis was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star -- which pleased his father.

"It made me happy," said Ian Lewis. "It made me know he didn't die in vain."

Sgt. Lewis

Lewis, 26, of New York City, was killed Feb. 27 by small-arms fire in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Drum.

Affectionately known as Dwaynee, Lewis was born in the Caribbean island of Grenada but lived with his aunt Alice Lewis for more than 10 years after moving to Brooklyn at age 9.

He loved athletics, particularly weightlifting, and enlisted in the military in 1999 to make the most out of his life, his family said.

"From the cradle to the grave, Dwayne exhibited a life of determination, character and perseverance," said his cousin Cindy Ross in a eulogy.

While in the Army, he met his wife -- Sgt. April Foster Lewis -- as he served beside her, and the two were married in January 2003. His yearlong tour of duty in Iraq had started in August.

"He was an outstanding soldier," said Sgt. Mike Cilibert, 24, who served beside him during a 10-month stint in Afghanistan. "He will be missed."

Marine Lance Cpl. Bunny Long

Bunny Long's brother recalls him begging for an Army costume when he was 6. He admired his father, who fought with the Cambodian army to resist the Khmer Rouge insurgents.

Cpl. Long

"Bunny always wanted to be a soldier," said his brother Bunna.

Long, 22, of Modesto, Calif., was killed March 10 when a suicide bomber drove a truck bomb into a building Long was guarding near Fallujah. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

Long, a 2002 high school graduate, was described by his brother as always surrounded by lots of friends. "There was never a time when he was by himself," said his sister, Sokha Long.

Bunny Long was born in Memphis, Tenn. His mother worked cleaning houses, and his father picked up odd jobs such as welding or woodworking to support the family. Bunny was a hip-hop fan, especially of the Tupac Shakur song, "Dear Mama."

Neither his father, Sim Long, or his mother, Yen Chea, spoke English, so they often relied on their children to translate. The family moved to Modesto in 1985.

"We always felt like we needed to give something back for all the things we've received," Bunna said. "My brother paid the ultimate price."

Marine Lance Cpl. Kristen K. (Figueroa) Marino

Pastor Francis Kamehele remembered meeting "the skinny little runt kid" that was Kristen K. Figueroa at 10 years old.

Cpl. Marino

"Don't let that skinny kid fool you Ñ this kid could eat," Kamehele said during a eulogy. He said there was a famous story about Marino wiping out a large helping of loco moco at a Kaka'ako diner.

Marino, 20, of Honolulu, was killed March 12 during combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to Twentynine Palms and had legally changed his name from Figueroa to Marino a few months ago.

"He was a young man with his whole life in front of him," said his stepfather, Alfred Marino. "When he got out of the Marines, he wanted to be a fireman and take care of his mother."

He graduated high school in 2003, enjoyed bodysurfing, and loved Spam, fried rice and Skittles.

"Everyone knew him as quiet, but around us he was a clown who made us laugh," said a friend, Shaun Rivera. "I'm going to miss him."

When asked what his friend might say to comfort him, Rivera said, "He'd say live life for the both of us."

He also is survived by his mother, Sandra Marino.

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Justin R. Martone

As a teenager, Justin R. Martone had a motorcycle, which he loved. When he grew up, his love of riding turned into a love of flying.

"Justin was a flier," said his mother, Paulette Martone. "He actually carried a pilot's license. He loves flying. Someday he hoped to start a business with his friend."

Martone, 31, of Bedford, Va., died March 7 from an explosive in Anbar province. He was assigned to Okinawa, Japan, and was on his second tour.

Martone, who played football in high school, enlisted in the Marines right after graduating in 1993. He insisted on going to Parris Island, "the biggest and hardest base to go to," said his father, Agostine Martone.

"He said, 'I go there or I won't join the Marines,'" said Agostine Martone. "He was a very determined young man."

Martone was a member of a small, elite team of Marines whose job was to dismantle explosives, and he was among the first Marines to reach Baghdad in 2003.

"He moved through the ranks very quickly," said his father. "And he had been asked a number of times to go into officers training, but he didn't want to be an officer. He wanted to be a Marine."

He also is survived by his wife, Renee.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Randy D. McCaulley

Randy D. McCaulley was known as a down-to-earth man who got along with everyone.

"Randy was always the type to be cracking jokes and keeping the morale high," Staff Sgt. Shannon Ringler, a friend.

McCaulley, 44, of Indiana, Pa., was killed March 23 by small-arms fire in Habaniyah. He was a 1979 high school graduate and was assigned to Indiana.

McCaulley served in the Army from 1979 to 1983 and joined the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1984. He had spent 15 years on active duty.

"He was a well-liked soldier with a great sense of humor who could bring a little levity to a tough situation and make it easier to get through," said Maj. Richard Collage.

McCaulley was an outdoorsman and an avid sports fan. While home on leave in January, he watched the Pittsburgh Steelers win the Super Bowl, said his father, the Rev. James McCaulley, who described his son as "my hunting and fishing buddy."

McCaulley was a car mechanic in civilian life and was between jobs when deployed.

McCaulley, who was divorced, is also survived by his mother, Donna, and two sons, Cody, 21, of Indiana, and Dustin, 23, of New Mexico.

Army Spc. Antoine J. McKinzie

Jerry Henson said his best friend, Antoine J. McKinzie, was quiet, well-spoken and intelligent. He could be somewhat reserved Ñ until you got to know him.

Spc. McKinzie

"I just remember his laugh. He had one helluva laugh," Henson said. "He had a hearty, tall-guy laugh. It is one of those things that I will miss a lot."

McKinzie, 25, of Indianapolis, was killed March 21 by small-arms fire in Baghdad. He was assigned to Baumholder, Germany, and was on his second tour of Iraq.

His family lived in Rhode Island and Connecticut before moving to Indianapolis in 1994, when his stepfather, Dwight Adams, took a job as an editor with The Indianapolis Star. He was a big New England Patriots fan.

After graduating high school in 2000, McKinzie got an associate's degree in computer-aided drafting at ITT Technical Institute, hoping one day to design computer games. He joined the Army in 2003.

"I keep thinking of all these flashbacks when he was a little boy," his stepfather said. "He's always in our heart and I'm happy he became the man he wanted to be. I'm proud of him for that."

He also is survived by his mother, Zyvonne Adams.

Army Spc. Christopher S. Merchant

Christopher S. Merchant was the "jokester" among a family of five brothers.

Spc. Merchant

"He always seemed to have stories about this and that, and he wasn't afraid to share them with us," said Andy Compagna, who worked with Merchant's father, Gary. "He was a good, good kid."

Merchant, 32, of Hardwick, Vt., was killed March 1 when his vehicle was attacked in Ramadi. He was a 1991 high school graduate and was assigned to Jericho.

He served in the Army from 1991 to 1995 and the National Guard from 1996 to 1999. In civilian life, Merchant was a custodian at the Peoples Academy in Morrisville. He also previously worked at the Trapp Family Lodge and at Melvin's Restaurant in Morrisville, where he was a cook.

Merchant is survived by his wife, Monica, and four children, ages 14, 11, 10 and 9.

"He was the type of father that tucked his children into bed every night, played basketball with his children for countless hours, reminded them to say grace before dinner, encouraged education and volunteered to go to Iraq with the hope that he could make a difference so his son would not one day have to go to war," his wife said.

Army Sgt. Gordon F. Misner II

Fellow soldiers remembered Gordon F. Misner II as a man who did his utmost for them and, as a sergeant, led by leading.

Sgt. Misner

"He set a fine example for the soldiers serving with him," said Sgt. 1st Class David Gonzalez.

Misner, 23, of Sparks, Nev., was killed Feb. 22 near Balad by a roadside bomb. He was a 2001 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Carson.

"He would do anything to make sure you had a good time," said his next-door neighbor Samantha Berryman. "He'll always be remembered as a soldier. That's all I can say. He was a soldier."

Misner loved reading books, playing video games, playing Texas Hold 'em, darts and working puzzles.

"He was very patriotic. He loved his country, all the troops. And he loved his family," said brother-in-law Jason Gillen. "I believe he died doing what he loved, protecting us and serving his country."

He is survived by his wife, Christina, and three children, Natashia, Haley and Marisa.

"He was a good friend, a wonderful husband and father," said his mother, Charlene McCartin. "His world revolved around his family."

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Walter M. Moss Jr.

It was Walter M. Moss Jr.'s nature to be protective.

"He looked after the young guys," said his brother, Brian Moss. "He was like the second dad for everybody."

Sgt. Moss

Moss, 37, of Houston, was killed March 30 while trying to defuse a homemade bomb near Baghdad. He was assigned to Mountain Home Air Force Base.

Moss joined the Air Force in 1990 after graduating from high school and served in Operation Desert Storm. He also had worked closely with the U.S. Secret Service during presidential visits to Kuwait and Baghdad

"He let us know that he was doing a very important job," his brother said. "I am sure what he was doing was a job that he didn't want anybody else to do — that is the kind of person he was."

Away from the military, Moss served as an explosives consultant "to several movies," his brother said. "For a life of 37 years, he got a chance to do a little bit of everything. The hardest thing is those he left behind."

He is survived by his wife, Georgina, and their two children, Andrew, 13, and Veronica, 9.

"He loved life, he loved his kids and he loved his wife," said Rebecca York, Moss' mother.

Army Sgt. Amanda N. Pinson

When she was interviewed in 2003, Amanda N. Pinson told a reporter that she thought the Army would help her grow.

"I've never wanted to do girlie things," she said. "When I finish college, I want to be an FBI agent. I thought military service would help me excel -- help me to become my own person."

Pinson, 21, of St. Louis, was killed March 16 in Tikrit by a mortar round. She was assigned to Fort Campbell.

She was one of the top students in her high school class, winning several scholarships. She cheered with the pompon squad and played basketball and softball. Pinson graduated in 2002.

"After 31 years of teaching, there are certain children that come along that you see who already have purpose in their lives. She was one of those people," said retired teacher Gail Bowman.

Lt. Col. Lucinda Lane quoted Pinson's superiors describing her as a "model soldier" and "a breath of fresh air." Those who worked with Pinson counted on her bright smile and kind words, Lane said.

"She believed what she was doing was preventing another 9/11," said her father, Tony Pinson. "She's a hero."

She also is survived by her mother, Christina Ehlen, and stepmother, Regina Pinson.

Army Pvt. Joshua F. Powers

Joshua F. Powers liked to get to the bottom of an issue on his own rather than listening to the opinions of others. Joining the Army gave him a chance to witness firsthand an important event.

"He didn't join the Army to fight for oil or politics. I think he just wanted to be a part of something bigger than himself," said his uncle, George Miller. "I think he kind of wanted to travel the world and see other things, to experience the world rather than reading it from a book."

Powers, 21, of Skiatook, Okla., was killed Feb. 24 in Baghdad from a non-combat related gunshot. He was assigned to Fort Campbell.

Powers, the youngest of three boys, joined the Army in July. A high school dropout, he immersed himself in the books after he decided to become a soldier.

"He studied for about a month and passed his GED," said his mother, Patricia Powers. "He had a real high score. We were real proud of him for doing that."

He collected swords and knives, made lye soap for Christmas presents and worshipped his dog, Spunky. As for video games, he was a master.

"There were very few games he could not win," said C.H. Whiteman, who eulogized the soldier.

Army Pfc. Tina M. Priest

Born prematurely, Tina M. Priest was given a 1-in-10 chance of living.

Pfc. Priest

"She was so small, you could hold her in your hand," said her father, Tim. "But she lived through that, and she really lived. Tina always lived life, to its fullest."

Priest, 20, of Austin, Texas, died March 1 of a gunshot wound to the chest in a non-combat situation in Taji. She was assigned to Fort Hood.

Priest joined the Army after earning certification as a medical assistant and facing a tight local job market, her father said. In the Army, she dealt with logistics and handled a machine gun mounted on a Humvee while deployed.

Her recruiter, Sgt. Corey Corwin, recalled receiving e-mails from her, some showing off her sharp sense of humor. "What are they going to do -- send me back to Texas?" Corwin remembers her responding. "I'm already in Iraq."

A week after she arrived in Iraq, she was injured by shrapnel but returned to duty quickly. "It's hard to think of being in Iraq and not being in a combat situation," said Beverly Priest, Tina's grandmother.

She also is survived by her mother, Joy Priest.