Navy Seaman Apprentice Zachary M. Alday

The Alday family is long associated with tragedy in the southwest corner of Georgia, where six members were murdered 33 years ago in one of the state's most gruesome crimes.

The Alday clan was in mourning again after learning that Zachary M. Alday, of Donalsonville, Ga., died June 9 when his vehicle struck a land mine in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

Alday was the great-grandson of Ned Alday, who was gunned down along with three sons, a brother and a daughter-in-law in 1973, said Becky Barber, an aunt.

Barber said family members knew it was inevitable that the connection with the crime would be drawn, but "we want this to be about Zach."

"Zach fought for his country, and he deserves all the honor and the praise," she said. His grandmother, Kay Forbes added: "He was just a guy who everybody liked."

Alday, a 2002 high school graduate, was an avid deer hunter and fisherman. He is survived by a daughter, Karmyn, 1.

"As a medic, Zachary was dedicated to caring for others and relieving their pain," Forbes said. "He wanted to dedicate the rest of his life to helping others. The best way to describe him is caring."

Army Cpl. Andy D. Anderson

Cpl. Anderson

About a month ago, Andy D. Anderson returned home for a visit. He proposed to his high school sweetheart, bought his mother a dining room table for Mother's Day and impressed everybody with his self-confidence and sense of purpose.

"He loved what he was doing," said his mother, Xiomara Mena. His brother Rafael agreed: "This is the best we ever saw him. He was the happiest; he had goals."

Anderson, 24, of Falls Church, Va., was killed June 6 in Ramadi when his camp received indirect enemy fire. He was assigned to Fort Rucker.

A 2001 high school graduate, Anderson was among the county's basketball scoring leaders in his senior year, with an average of 14.7 points over 19 games. In football, Roy Ferri, who coached him for three years, called him "my best player."

After a year at Shenandoah University, Anderson decided to join the Army. "I talked to his captain, and he said everyone loved being around him," said his brother Rafael. "He said he was a natural leader."

Military service appealed to Anderson because, "He loved to help and being part of something big," said Rafael's twin, Randall.

He also is survived by his father, Harold.

Army Spc. David J. Babineau

Spc. Babineau

When members of his 1998 high school class wrote their so-called "last will and testament," David J. Babineau predicted he'd be at their 20-year reunion as a five-star general.

"He was a joyful kid who liked to joke around. He got along with everyone," Hunter Short, an assistant principal at the High School of Science and Technology, where Babineau was in the first graduating class in 1998. "You couldn't ask for a better young man to go out and fight for your country. He died doing what he wanted to do."

Babineau, 25, of Springfield, Mass., was killed June 16 by insurgents at a checkpoint just north of Baghdad. He was based at Fort Campbell and was on his second tour.

"He was just a good person to have as a student," Short said. "He was just a good guy in the halls, always laughing; always had a good sense of humor."

He is survived by his wife, Rondi; stepdaughter Samantha, 8; and two sons, Donovan, 4, and Dominic, 2.

"His wife and kids were everything to him," said his sister-in-law, Kerri Francis. "He was a real hands-on dad. He just loved to get down on the floor and roll around with them."

Marine Cpl. Riley E. Baker

In an interview in 2002, Baker said he enjoyed wrestling because of "the one-on-one competition. In football, you can rely on your teammates. But on the mat, if you want it, you have go to out and get it."

Baker, 22, of Pacific, Mo., was killed June 22 during combat in Anbar province. He was a 2002 high school graduate, assigned to Camp Lejeune and was on his second tour.

He was a state champion wrestler, having won his weight division in Class 3A in posting a 40-2 senior season. He also was an honorable mention All-Metro linebacker and prom king.

"We are mourning the loss of one of our outstanding young men," said Kim Cranston, spokeswoman for Baker's former school district.

Neighbors Carl and Brigitte Jung called Baker a good young man. "He was just a gem, a great kid," Brigitte Jung said. "He was always very polite, very respectful of his elders."

Family friend Dr. Pat Feder said Baker helped him build his new chiropractor practice. "He helped a lot with our office. He and another high school student helped on the construction of it, so I got to know him pretty well with that. He's a great kid, hard worker," he said.

He is survived by his parents, Grier and Lisa.

Army Pfc. Paul A. Beyer

Pfc. Beyer

Paul A. Beyer was known to give the candy he received from home to Iraqi children, often sticking around to make sure bullies didn't steal it.

"He was goodhearted, good-humored and good-natured," Gov. John Hoeven said during Beyer's funeral.

Beyer, 21, of Jamestown, N.D., was killed June 23 near Baghdad when a bomb exploded near his vehicle. A 2003 high school graduate, he was assigned to Fort Campbell.

Beyer and his wife, Calli, had been married less than a year and a half. His sister-in-law, Sherry Fieber-Beyer, joked at his funeral about the night Beyer became engaged and broke out a box of cigars, at the risk of upsetting his mother.

"I only get married once, so you can't get mad," Fieber-Beyer recalled her brother-in-law saying.

Friends and family members said Beyer enjoyed camping and fishing, rock music, movies, jokes and hanging out with his friends.

Fieber-Beyer talked about the excitement Beyer showed for her wedding to Beyer's brother, Daniel. Beyer was the life of the party at the reception, she said.

"You were John Travolta, dancing all night long," Fieber-Beyer said.

Army Staff Sgt. Mario J. Bievre

Mario J. Bievre had only a few days with his daughter. He flew back from Iraq to be at his wife's side when she gave birth to Adrianna on Feb. 28.

When they got home, Bievre insisted on doing diapers and getting up in the middle of the night to soothe their daughter. He joked with his wife about wanting five more.

"How happy he was," said his wife, Angela. "He wanted a little girl, because he wanted to spoil her."

Bievre, 34, of Glendale Heights, Ill., was killed by a roadside bomb June 23 near Baghdad. He was a 1990 high school graduate and was assigned to Fort Campbell.

A soldier for eight years, Bievre had already finished a tour in Iraq and had also served in Afghanistan and Bosnia. He was a sci-fi nut who loved working out and tinkering with computers and electronics.

"He made friends easily," said his father-in-law, Winston Walke. "Everybody liked him."

Bievre Baker said her older brother took pride in being a soldier and planned on serving in the Army until retirement. "It was a great honor for him to serve our country and defend his nation," she said. "His plan was to continue on in the military."

Army Staff Sgt. Richard A. Blakley

Sgt. Blakley

In January, Richard A. Blakley was injured by a sniper. He returned to active duty the same day.

"When offered a trip home by virtue of his wound, Richard had declined," recalled Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who pinned a Purple Heart on Blakley during a visit to Iraq in April. "When told to take a week off to recuperate, he declined. When his commander then suggested at least a few days of rest and observation, he declined again, insisting on rejoining his team that very afternoon."

Blakley, 34, of Plainfield, Ind., was killed June 6 in Khalidiyah when he was shot. He was assigned to Indianapolis.

In civilian life, Blakley was a journeyman millwright, putting together machinery and heavy equipment. An avid Colts fan, he always wore a team T-shirt on game days -- even if he was on patrol.

He graduated high school in 1989 and volunteered to serve in the Persian Gulf War and at U.S. ports in 2003 and 2004. "It was just who he was," said Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Karn. "He wanted to be where the action was. He wanted to help people as a medic."

He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and two children, Whitney, 11, and Richard Jr., 9.

Army Cpl. Ryan J. Buckley

The 2001 terrorist attacks instilled a deep sense of patriotism in Ryan J. Buckley.

"He came home from school that day -- he was in high school -- and he told me when he was old enough, he was going to protect our country. As a mother, I hoped that feeling might go away," said his mother, Sally Nation.

Buckley, 21, of Nokomis, Ill., was killed June 23 in Baghdad by a roadside bomb. A 2003 high school graduate, he was assigned to Fort Campbell.

"I'm so proud of him. There are no words to describe how I feel about him," said his mother.

While in Baghdad, Nation said her son was the gunner on his Humvee. "He didn't give me details of his life there. He protected me from that," she said.

He married his wife, Tina, of Oak Grove, Ky., and the two celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary on June 18. While on leave in March, he told his mother he planned on making the Army his career.

"Ryan joined the Army to do what he was doing. He was a proud soldier," she said. "This is exactly his purpose. He told me he wanted to protect our country, and the infantry is where he wanted to be."

Army Sgt. Jason J. Buzzard

Sgt. Buzzard

Wherever he was, Jason J. Buzzard kept close tabs on his family. He exchanged instant messages with his wife in Texas and parents in California almost every day.

"He always wanted to know what everyone was doing," said Michele Buzzard, who began dating him after high school and married him in 1997. "I told him every day to be safe and to come home to us."

Buzzard, 31, of Constantinople, Calif., was killed June 21 when an explosive struck his vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Hood.

In high school, he played tuba for the school band and loved outdoor activities, especially hunting, fishing, skiing and camping. He graduated in 1993.

Michele Buzzard said her husband enjoyed romping on the trampoline and bowling with their 12-year-old daughter Michala and 9-year-old son Tristin.

Joining the military was something he always considered. "He liked the structure of the Army and the fact that he was able to travel to different places and meet different people," his wife said.

But while home, there was nothing better than watching the San Francisco 49ers. "He liked watching them on TV, eating salami and just hanging out in his sweat pants," said Michele Buzzard.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel B. Crabtree

Sgt. Crabtree

When Daniel B. Crabtree was 13, his mother, Judy Crabtree came home to find him talking with an adult on the telephone. On the other end of the line was an Army recruiter and Crabtree had signed up to join the service in four years.

"He was just a born warrior," said his mother, Judy Crabtree.

Crabtree, 31, of Canton, Ohio, was killed by a roadside bomb June 8 in Kut. He was a 1993 high school graduate assigned to Columbus and was on his second tour.

Crabtree was a fitness nut who practiced kung fu and used to take 15-mile runs with 70-pound packs on his back. He also boasted one of the largest "Star Wars" collections in Ohio.

Crabtree, a nine-year veteran of the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, was convinced he was going to fight in the first Gulf War, despite being too young. He tried to get his mother to help him sign papers allowing him to serve in the conflict.

After a year away from the service, Crabtree signed up for the Special Forces, just two weeks before Sept. 11, 2001. He became a Green Beret in 2004.

He is survived by a wife, Kathy, and daughter, Mallory, 1.

Army Pfc. David N. Crombie

Pfc. Crombie

David N. Crombie almost didn't get into the military at all. His basic training took twice as long to complete because the Army was concerned about his asthma.

However, he so badly wanted to be in the Army that he requested the chance to prove he could do it, and passed the physical fitness test. "When others were trying to get out, he was trying to get in," said Crombie's mother, Jennifer Laybourn.

Crombie, 19, of Winnemucca, Nev., was killed by a roadside bomb June 7 in Ramadi. He was a 2004 high school graduate and was assigned to Baumholder, Germany.

"He was young. He was 19, but he was determined to live life to the fullest. And we take the stance that he did," said Laybourn.

Crombie's interests included hunting, riding all-terrain vehicles and playing music, especially the drums. He was in the high school band and hoped to someday become a music teacher.

After high school, Crombie spent a semester at Northern Arizona University and decided it was time to achieve a lifelong dream of being in the Army. "We're very proud of what Nick did and his service to his country," said Mary Brock, his grandmother.

He also is survived by his stepfather, Dennis.

Marine Cpl. Ryan J. Cummings

Cpl. Cummings

Ryan J. Cummings signed the papers needed to enlist as a Marine on Sept. 10, 2001. The next morning's terrorist attacks only hardened his resolve.

"He was more gung-ho than ever that he did the right thing," said his father, John. His stepmother, Melissa, said the attacks were "his sign that he did the right thing."

Cummings, 22, of Streamwood, Ill., died June 3 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton and was on his third tour.

"Ryan stayed focused, he stayed positive and his life had an impact on most people -- like a ripple effect," said Cummings' uncle, Tom. "I have a hero whose life was only half as long as mine."

A 2002 high school graduate, Cummings was on the honor roll, a wrestler who played the French horn. A fan of the rock band Metallica, Cummings also often quoted Monty Python movies.

He had plans to study engineering at the University of Illinois, fueled by an affinity for mathematics. He helped people affected by the Asian tsunami and became proficient in night-goggle use so he could search for hidden bombs.

He also is survived by his mother, Janis.

Marine Cpl. Michael A. Estrella

Mary Hancock, a fellow cadet with Michael A. Estrella in JROTC, remembered getting a call from Estrella the night before he was to leave for Iraq.

"He was just excited about going there and serving his country," Hancock said.

Estrella, 20, of Hemet, Calif., died June 14 when he was hit by small-arms fire in Anbar province. A 2003 high school graduate, he was a field radio operator assigned to Kaneohe Bay.

"He was very loving, always smiling. He always said he'll be there for me," said Maria Estrella, who described how her son, the eldest of six, would look after his siblings while she and her husband, Francisco, were at work.

"He was a pretty cool guy, and he loved what he did," said Allison Minkel, a friend.

Estrella spent two years in the ROTC program and was a flight commander in charge of 30 cadets, said Col. Fred Strain, senior instructor.

"I think he was looking forward to the adventure and the discipline and looking forward to how a career in the military could shape him as a man," Strain said.

"Michael was one of a kind," said his grandfather, Victor Gonzalez Jr. "I'm very proud of him."