Army Sgt. Lonnie C. Allen Jr.

Sgt. Allen

While he was last home, Lonnie Calvin Allen Jr. visited his old football coach. "I had all the kids give him a standing ovation. I told them, 'This is Calvin Allen and he's doing his best for our country,'" said Jerry Lovell.

Allen, 26, of Bellevue, Neb., was killed May 18 in Baghdad when his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Fort Drum.

He was a 1998 high school graduate who participated in basketball, football, track and wrestling. "Saying Calvin was a good kid is like saying the sky is blue," said Justin Kral, a friend.

"He was always his own individual," said his older brother, Nuru. "He had that ability to step up and say what was on his mind. He did it his own way."

Allen enlisted in 2001. He had earned an associate's degree from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo., and wanted to study criminal justice when he got out. Allen was stationed in Germany when he met his wife, Birgit, at a dance club.

"I knew that first day I met him that I wanted to be with him," she said. "I've never met anyone like him before." They were married the day after Birgit arrived in America.

Marine Cpl. Richard A. Bennett

Cpl. Bennett

Richard A. Bennett was a man who loved motorcycles, cars and helicopters. It was no surprise to those that knew him when he decided to enlist in the Marines to become a helicopter mechanic.

"Anytime he needed to think about something, he would jump on and ride his Harley," said longtime friend Kevin Huber. "He just loved having the wind in his hair."

Bennett, 25, of Girard, Kan., was killed May 27 when his Cobra helicopter crashed into Habbaniyah Lake during a training exercise. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

Bennett, a former Boy Scout and National Honor Society scholar, graduated from Pittsburg State University, in Pittsburg Kan., with a degree in auto mechanics in 2002 and enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 2004.

"I was impressed with his confidence and demeanor during his going-away party," said his high school librarian, Mary Jane Dent. "He really wanted to serve his country."

He is survived by his parents, Larry and Marilyn, and fiancee Janine Cracchiolo.

Bennett's dog, called one of his best friends during the service, was laid to rest beside him. The dog died the day before Bennett's accident.

Teacher Christine Hoffacker would never say hello to Stephen R. Bixler while he was running with the indoor track team. When she did, "he was such a gentleman" that he would stop and ask her how she was doing while his team ran on.

Bixler, 20, of Suffield, Conn., was killed May 4 while on foot patrol in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune and was on his second tour.

He became an Eagle Scout in his senior year and graduated in 2003. Within weeks, he began training with the Marines and graduated that October. "That was the proudest moment of my life _ when we saw him across the parade ground at his graduation," said his father, Richard.

He was deployed to Haiti for four months, where he saw combat, and went to Fallujah in January 2005, so distinguishing himself that he was chosen for the elite Marine reconnaissance training program.

He also is survived by his mother, Linda.

In Bixler's senior yearbook, he chose a quotation by football coach Vince Lombardi: "I believe a man's finest hour is the moment he has worked his heart out and lies exhausted on the field of battle, victorious."

Army Spc. Robert E. Blair

Robert E. Blair enlisted with the Army with dreams of one day becoming a firefighter. As if those professions weren't dangerous enough, he also took up bull riding.

"My parents think I have a death wish," Blair joked to a military newspaper. "First you joined the Army, with the risk that, you know, you'll go to war. And then you started bull riding. And now you say you want to be a firefighter when you get out of the Army. What the heck's wrong with you?"

Blair, 22, of Ocala, Fla., was killed May 25 when a bomb detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad. He was a 2003 high school graduate and was assigned to Baumholder, Germany.

He enlisted in the National Guard at 17 and spent his summer vacation between junior and senior years in basic training. "Joining the military was something he talked, lived and breathed," said Travis Daniels, a friend.

He took up bull riding during his tour in Germany and competed with other soldiers for the Baumholder Rodeo Team. He received top honors and won $200 riding bulls last July at a rodeo competition in Baumholder.

He is survived by his father, Allen, and stepmother, Karen.

Army Spc. Brock L. Bucklin

Brock L. Bucklin was seldom seen without his twin brother, Brad, a soldier serving in Germany. Weighing in at about 100 pounds, the boys were called the "spider monkeys" for their ability to pull off amazing wrestling moves with their small bodies.

"They are identical twins, and I'm talking personalities and everything else," said Tom Walters, who coached the Bucklins during their high school years.

Brock Bucklin, 28, of Grand Rapids, Mich., was fatally injured May 31 when a chain hoist snapped. A 1997 high school graduate, he was assigned to Fort Carson.

"He could make friends immediately with anybody," said Capt. Sterling Packer. "In fact he would be your friend whether you wanted him to or not. He had that effect on people. He had the uncanny ability to make friends instantaneously regardless of rank, status or nationality.

The Bucklin twins were born minutes apart and Brock was inspired to enlist in 2004, deciding what was good enough for Brad, who had joined the Army about a year before, was good enough for him.

He also is survived by his parents Duane and Dawn, and a son, Jacob Alexander.

Sgt. Maj. John Ohmer taught Armer N. Burkart social studies -- and that meant the older man had to stay on his toes.

"He was real inquisitive in school," Ohmer said. "When I taught a lesson, he would always interject and say, 'What if it went this way?' It was good. He was always way out there ahead of you trying to find out another reason why."

Burkart, 26, of Rockville, Md., was killed May 11 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was a 1997 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Drum.

A member of the ROTC's drill team and the school's marching band, Burkart won two leadership awards in high school and rose to the rank of ROTC captain.

"If I had a son, I would want him to be like Armer, as far as trustworthiness and reliability," said Ohmer. "He was the kind of kid that you said, 'geez.' He gained your confidence in today's youth by knowing a kid like him."

The death is the second time the family has dealt with tragedy in recent years: During Burkart's senior year in high school his mother died in a motorcycle crash.

He also is survived by his father, John, and wife, Christy.

Brett Ballard and Jason K. Burnett played on the same soccer team that unexpectedly won the district tournament. Burnett's playfulness in practice sometimes meant coaches would order the team to run a little extra.

"But it was worth it. He was totally serious when it was game time," said Ballard.

Burnett, 20, of St. Cloud, Fla., died May 11 when his tank plunged off a bridge in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

"He was happy-go-lucky, crazy, goofy," said his mother, Shelley Burnett. "You never knew what he was going to come up with. He truly enjoyed life."

The 2004 high school graduate chose the Marines because he wanted to serve his country in the toughest division of the armed forces. He pre-enlisted before graduation.

"He felt that it was something he needed to do," his mother said.

Kevin Moss, the youth pastor at First Baptist Church of Poinciana, will always remember him working on summer mission trips.

"He would work hard the whole day and get back at it the next day," Moss said. "I'll always remember him with a hammer in his hand helping people."

He also is survived by his father, Ron.

Sgt. Carbonaro

Alessandro Carbonaro joined the Marines in 1998. Four years later, while home on holiday, he met his wife-to-be, Gilda, through friends of his parents. "Love at first sight," a family member said.

Gilda was then a student at George Washington University. Her first name is the same as Carbonaro's mother's.

Carbonaro, 28, of Bethesda, Md., died May 10 at a Germany hospital from wounds received May 1 when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb. He suffered burns over 60 percent of his body.

In 2004, Carbonaro took part in the assault on Fallujah, suffering a foot injury from an explosive device. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune and was on his second tour.

Carbonaro, who as a boy hated seeing other children picked on, graduated from high school in 1997. He enjoyed ice hockey and playing music. In his spare time, he and his buddies played in a basement rock band, with Carbonaro on guitar.

When he died, four people -- his father, his mother, his wife and his mother-in-law -- were at his side. "We held him in our arms until he exhaled his last breath," said his father, Fulvio Carbonaro.

Marine Sgt. David R. Christoff

Sgt. Christoff

David R. Christoff joined the Marines after the 2001 terrorist attacks, then re-enlisted last year and switched companies so he could go back to Iraq. He had won a Purple Heart after he was hit by shrapnel in 2004 during a battle in Fallujah.

"I had a hero, and I didn't know it. He was so modest, but that is the first sign of a hero, the modestly -- it's incredible," said his father, also named David.

Christoff, 25, of Rossford, Ohio, died May 22 from wounds sustained in a roadside-bomb attack while on foot patrol near Haditha. A 1999 high school graduate, he was assigned to Kaneohe Bay.

"I keep waiting for that phone call from him to tell me that he's coming home," said Marine Cpl. Branden Skabla, his best friend. "I'll be waiting for that phone call for the rest of my life."

The elder Christoff had a heart attack during Christoff's last visit home and his son took his father to the hospital, and extended his leave a few days.

His father credits that with saving his life. "He was my life," he said. "Part of my heart is gone and I'll never get it back."

He also is survived by his mother and stepfather, Amy and Jim Hogan.

Family members described Eric D. Clark as a real cutup who would memorize lines from movies and do impersonations of famous actors. His passion for acting was fueled by working at the local movie theater.

"He's the kind of guy where you might be in a bad mood yourself but then he would come by and give you that smile," said his old high school counselor, Ed Anderson.

Clark, 22, of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., died May 11 from a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was a 2001 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Drum.

His military career included boot camp at Fort Sill. In 2003, he was deployed to Korea and served there from June 2003 to July 2004. He was sent to Iraq in August 2005.

Steve Euer and Clark became close when they shared an apartment. They played practical jokes on each other and gave one another rides to work. In one instance, Euer remembered taking all of Clark's belongings and hiding them. He chuckled as he remembered the shocked look on Clark's face.

"Where's my stuff?" Euer remembered Clark asking.

"I don't know," Euer joked.

Clark is survived by his mother, Joanne Marfechuk; and father and stepmother, Kevin and Paula Clark.

Marine Lance Cpl. Adam C. Conboy

Adam C. Conboy had three tattoos to remind him of where he came from: Of Ireland, the country of his ancestors, on his leg; of Philadelphia across his stomach; and the face of Jesus over his heart.

"Adam was going to follow what he believed was his destiny regardless of what anyone had to say," said his father, Charles.

Conboy, 21, of Philadelphia, died May 12 of a non-combat gunshot wound in Anbar province. He was assigned to Kaneohe Bay.

A 2003 high school graduate, he worked as a conductor on a train crew with his father at SMS Rail Lines in Bridgeport, N.J., before enlisting.

"He felt that it was his duty, that it was his generation's time to defend the country, and that's pretty much why he wanted to go," said his mother, Mary Warner.

He played baseball and football in high school and was a passionate Eagles fan and a bit of a prankster. "He knew to take life with a bit of humor," said his grandmother, Dorothy Conboy.

He chose the Marines because his grandfather, Charles X. Conboy, had served in the Marines during World War II. His grandfather was able to attend Adam's basic training graduation.

"It was a moment in time," said his mother.

He also is survived by his stepfather, Gary Warner.

Army Pfc. Nicholas R. Cournoyer

Pfc. Cournoyer

Nicholas R. Cournoyer's hulking, tattooed stature could be misleading.

"He just had a heart of gold," said Shelli Lachance, who let Cournoyer become the only man to babysit her two boys. "And he loved it," Lachance said. "He'd be having a blast, jumping on the trampoline with them."

Cournoyer, 25, of Gilmanton, N.H., was killed May 18 near Baghdad when a bomb hit his vehicle. A 2000 high school graduate, he was assigned to Fort Drum.

Cournoyer's squad leader, Staff Sgt. Ryan O'Connor, called Cournoyer "Baby Diesel" and "Cournoyer the Destroyer," according to a message he left on Cournoyer's web page. "Nic was a great man for the short time I knew him," O'Connor wrote.

After high school, Cournoyer became a mason's assistant and enlisted last year. "He couldn't wait to go over there," said Lois Wiggin, a family friend. "He just had a loyalty to his country."

He is survived by his parents, Denis and Lenda.

As a youngster, Cournoyer was often rambunctious and sometimes he got into trouble. But he was never bitter. "He took it on the shoulder, and he was a gentleman all the way," said Linda DiRosa, a family friend.

Grant A. Dampier loved tattoos. He had the footprints of his two older daughters tattooed on his back. He planned to get the footprints of his youngest upon his return.

"He used to say they walked all over him anyway, so he might as well carry that with him forever," said his mother, Karen Goulee.

Dampier, 25, of Merrill, Wis., was killed by a roadside bomb May 15 in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Carson.

Dampier joined the military in September 2004 after losing his job at Marathon Electric. He had a home, a new car, a wife and children to care for, and he wanted to provide his young family with a stable income.

"He wanted to do something that his children would be proud of," said his widow, Heidi. "He did everything for his family."

He also is survived by three daughters, Alexis, 5, Starr, 4, and Kylee, who turned 1 in April.

"He wanted to help everyone," said Conrad Gabler, a friend since they were about 7 years old. "He'd give you the shirt off his back. He always put himself last."

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Lee Hamilton Deal

Lee Hamilton Deal's sense of humor and caring endeared him to every member of his platoon.

"Every platoon needs that funny, outspoken guy," said Cpl. Thomas N. Steshko. "We had 'Doc' Lee Deal. He always put everything into perspective and broke the ice when tensions were high."

Deal, 23, a medic from West Monroe, La., was killed May 17 in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

Deal graduated high school in 2001, where he excelled in football, soccer, baseball and golf. He is best remembered as the place-kicker for the school football team that won state titles and national championships in 1998 and 2000.

"The biggest thing about Lee is he never wanted anybody to feel bad," said Michael Peterson, one of Deal's best friends. "You'd hook up with him and you couldn't help but feel better if you were down."

Deal was described by 1st Lt. Craig Q. Reese, his platoon commander, as an outspoken, energetic, funny, caring young man who once performed first aid on a cow because that was part of what Deal saw as his responsibility.

He is survived by his parents, Melanie and Harry.

American flags fluttered in Leon B. Deraps' hometown. Church placards announced solemn notes of sorrow. The motto of the Marines, "Semper Fi," adorned painted signs at the end of some driveways.

"He wouldn't want us to do this much for him because he'd think it was too much," said Jake Campbell, friends with Deraps throughout high school. "But he'd appreciate it."

Deraps, 19, of Jamestown, Mo., was killed May 7 by a roadside bomb in Fallujah. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

Deraps played baseball, basketball and track and field. He was a member of the Future Farmers of America and voted Prom King his senior year. He was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in 2005 and liked hunting, fishing and off-roading.

Deraps' brother-in-law Terry Cassil, a battalion chief with the Columbia Fire Department, gave a eulogy. "Leon is a hero," he said. "He loved his country and wanted to make a difference in his world, and he did."

He is survived by his parents, Sandy and Dale.

Campbell wrote a message to his friend on his baseball cap. "I'll see you on the other side, Bert," it read.

Army Capt. Douglas A. DiCenzo

Capt. DiCenzo

Dan DiCenzo remembers watching his older brother, Douglas, make his first high school football team varsity start as a sophomore.

"He looked like he was 5-foot-5, 110 pounds," Dan recalled. The opposing coaches thought so, too, and they ran 15 plays right at DiCenzo. "To Doug's credit, he stepped up and made the stop every time."

Douglas A. DiCenzo, 30, of Plymouth, N.H., killed May 25 in Baghdad when an explosive detonated near his vehicle. He was a 1995 high school graduate and was assigned to Baumholder, Germany.

In his senior year, DiCenzo captained the football and wrestling teams, won a statewide sportsmanship award, ranked fifth in his class academically and received the school's outstanding senior award, among other honors. He was accepted to the United States Military Academy.

"He was the kind of guy who would go looking for a cloud just so he could gaze at the silver lining," according to Jake Miller, DiCenzo's West Point roommate. "He was naturally gifted and could have skated through life with his God-given talents, but that was not his style."

He is survived by his wife, Nicole, and their son, Dakin, 1.

Marine Capt. Nathanael J. Doring

Capt. Doring

Soccer and aviation were Nathanael J. Doring's greatest passions, which he took to early. While still a student in high school, he completed ground classes in aviation and played soccer or served as a referee.

"He always loved aviation -- and soccer, too," Cara Skoglund said of her younger brother

Doring, 31, of Apple Valley, Minn., was killed May 27 after his helicopter crashed in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton and was on his second tour.

A 1993 high school graduate, Doring excelled in athletics and the arts. He went on the Milwaukee School of Engineering where he earned a degree in electrical engineering in 1997.

"He pursued a dream to fly and was able to accomplish that," said Doring's uncle, Rich Gamble. "He was dedicated to that and dedicated to what he was doing."

Doring's unit returned to the United States in April, but he decided to extend his tour until his wife, Lisa, also a Marine officer, finished her tour in the fall. The couple met while stationed at Camp Pendleton and married three years ago.

Doring is also survived by Alexander, his 7-year-old son.