Army 1st Lt. Scott M. Love

1st Lt. Love

From Iraq, Scott M. Love wrote a letter to his daughter. "Vina, I had a dream with you in it the other night," it begins. "We were at the beach and we made a gigantic sand castle.

"We made an enormous castle with candy cane stripes and we climbed to the top of the tower. From there, we could see far out to sea. Near the horizon, we could see sails of far-off ships and spouts of water blown by whales."

Love, 32, of Huntsville, Ala., was killed June 7 in Ramadi by a roadside bomb. A 1992 high school graduate, he was assigned to Baumholder, Germany.

Three years after earning a degree in film from Florida State in 1996, Love enlisted in the Army in military intelligence and completed Arabic linguist training.

"He was such a special person and very, very creative in all fields," said his former drama teacher Gail Rodenhauser, who helped him train to play in "The Music Man," "The Lottery" and "The Odd Couple."

"He was an excellent writer and excellent actor. Exceptionally bright. He got along so well with everyone, had so many friends. He had such a dry wit, such a dry sense of humor."

Army Sgt. Bryan C. Luckey

Bryan C. Luckey wanted to be Baptist preacher. But after the 2001 terrorist attacks, he felt it was his duty to join the Army.

"I'm biased, but he was a remarkable young man," said his father, Patrick Luckey. "He was my hero. All those boys are."

Luckey, 25, of Tampa, Fla., was killed June 29 in Mosul from small-arms fire. He was assigned to Fort Wainwright and was on his second tour.

Luckey and his wife, Catherine, were active members of the Bible Baptist Church in Fairbanks, Alaska. When he returned to America, Luckey wanted to hunt and fish, minister to prisoners and be involved in Bible classes.

Catherine is pregnant with the couple's first child, a boy.

The Luckeys have a military tradition. Patrick Luckey served in the Army Special Forces and one of Bryan's two brothers, Matthew, is a Marine. Another brother, Joshua, is a high school senior who plans to attend college. Before his brother died, he, too, had been mulling a military career.

But now, his father said, he wants him to remain a civilian. "I would not be happy if he went," Luckey said. Joshua said he will listen.

"I think I'll respect their wishes and not go," he said.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Clarence D. McSwain

Sgt. McSwain

Ashley McSwain said she saw how much her brother, Clarence D. McSwain, loved the military when word reached him that one of his soldiers died in Iraq while he was home on leave.

"That really hurt him a lot," she said. "I didn't really know how much it affected him until I saw it on his face."

McSwain, 31, of Meridian, Miss., died June 8 when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Campbell and was on his third tour.

McSwain played football and was an honor student in high school before graduating in 1993. He majored in English at the University of Southern Mississippi.

"He made his presence known all over the place because he didn't mind sharing what he had," said his sister. "It's just bad that the world had to lose him because he was one of the good guys."

He also is survived by his wife, Kendrah; an infant son, Kenneth; a stepdaughter, Jasmin; and two daughters, Jasmin and Krista.

His sister said he was very protective of his family, especially his younger sisters, an impulse that drew him to the Army. "He was like that wherever he went. He wanted to protect people," she said.

Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca

Pfc. Menchaca

For weeks, flags -- of the United States, Texas, and Mexico -- that line Ruben M. Torres Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas, have all flown at half-mast. They've been accompanied by banners and tickers reading "in honor of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca."

Menchaca, 23, of Houston, was one of two soldiers whose booby-trapped remains were found June 19, three days after they disappeared following an insurgent attack. They were believed to have been tortured and executed. He was based at Fort Campbell.

"His plan was to be a Border Patrol agent, he wanted to continue to protect his country," said U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz. "He was a young man who had dreams and hopes, and they just vanished."

Menchaca was born in Houston and moved to Brownsville with his mother, Maria Guadalupe Vasquez, when he was a young boy. Menchaca got a GED and joined the federally funded Gary Jobs Corps center in San Marcos.

"Everyone he met liked him. He had that kind of personality," said Sylvia Grice, a cousin. "He liked to help people. He was just the kind of person you enjoyed being with."

He also was survived by his wife, 18-year-old Christina.

Marine Cpl. Jason W. Morrow

So big a fan of the Los Angeles Angels was Jason W. Morrow that he proposed to his girlfriend, Evelyn Flores, in front of fans and players on the field of Angel Stadium before a game in March 2005.

The couple married July 5. He later threw the first pitch during a playoff game at the stadium. His wife tries not to linger over the sadness of his death.

"I think of how grateful I am I had him," she said.

Morrow, 27, of Riverside, Calif., died June 27 in combat in Anbar province. The 1998 high school graduate was assigned to Camp Pendleton and was on his third tour.

While Morrow loved sports, such as baseball, golf and surfing, he was also a great storyteller. He acted out his war stories with his classic facial expressions and variety of voices, friends and family said. He joined the Marine Corps on Dec. 9, 2002.

Morrow was the type of guy you couldn't stay mad at for long. "He can just make you happy with just one look," Flores said. When he knew he was in trouble, he'd roll his eyes back playfully, nod his head and flash a smile.

"Baby, you know you love me," he'd say.

Army Sgt. Justin D. Norton

As a boy, Justin D. Norton loved to wear camouflage and play Risk, the board game of military strategy. When he did yard chores, his parents would look out to find him playing soldier, armed with a pooper-scooper.

"He died doing what he always wanted to do," said his mother, Chris Warnock. "He wanted to be in the military and serve his country. I'm the one who is privileged. I'm the one who was privileged to be his mother."

Norton, 21, of Rainier, Wash., was killed in an attack June 24 near Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Hood.

In high school, Norton was the student body's sergeant at arms and prom king. He enlisted before his graduation in 2003 and lifted weights and ran that summer to shed some pounds before entering boot camp.

When asked, if the worst happened, what he wanted to do with his ashes, Norton replied that he wanted them put in the garden of honor at Mills & Mills Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Tumwater, where he worked for two summers mowing, weeding and cleaning headstones. His wish was granted.

He also is survived by his father and stepmother, Jeff and Sandy Norton; and his stepfather, Gary Warnock.

Army Sgt. Carlos E. Pernell

Sgt. Pernell

During a recent practice, the football team for Prattville High School in Alabama held a prayer and a moment of silence to honor their old No. 2, Carlos E. Pernell

"He was a great young man," said football coach Bill Clark. "Everything was 'yes, sir' and 'no, sir' with Carlos. He was a leader you could rely on."

Pernell, 25, of Munford, Ala., was killed June 6 in Ramadi when his camp came under mortar attack. He graduated high school in 2000 and was assigned to Fort Rucker.

Pernell starred at defensive back and wide receiver in high school before a knee injury kept him from competing for a college scholarship. "Everybody knew he was going to make something out of himself," said T.K. Williams, a former schoolmate.

"Carlos was special. You could see it even at that age," said Autauga County Public School Superintendent Larry Butler. "He was a leader and a hard worker."

He is survived by his wife, Tiffanie, and their daughter, Kassidie, 1.

"The only thing I can say is I'm going to miss him. He was an all-around person," said his mother, Hattie. "He was happy and funny. Everybody loved him."

Marine Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar

Gung-ho barely described Raymond J. Plouhar.

"I remember when he fell in the bathtub and cut his chin when he was 6 years old, and the only way I could get him to go to the hospital was to tell it was a MASH unit," said his father, also named Raymond.

Plouhar, 30, of Lake Orion, Mich., was killed June 26 by a roadside bomb in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

He enlisted after graduating from high school in 1996, where he wrestled and played football. He had previously deployed to Bosnia and the Sudan and was on his second tour in Iraq.

He served as a recruiter in Flint after donating one of his kidneys to his uncle. During that time, he was filmed as part of "Fahrenheit 9/11." His family said he was unaware it would be critical of the war.

"He hated it," said his sister, Toni.

Plouhar was teased a lot as a young kid and protected people as he grew up. "He liked to protect the underdog," the father said. "All of his buddies from school called saying, 'He was my friend when nobody else would be.'"

He is survived by his wife, Leigha, and sons, Raymond, 9, and Michael, 5.

Army Spc. Michael J. Potocki

Before deploying, Michael J. Potocki and another soldier were in Capt. Christopher Kuzio's office to receive punishment after they "got into some trouble."

"I was prepared for all kinds of excuses, all sorts of reasons of how it wasn't their fault," said Kuzio. "When I asked Spc. Potocki, 'What happened?' his response shocked me. He looked me in the eye and said, 'Sir, I'm responsible. The other soldier wasn't involved. It was me, and I accept whatever punishment you think is appropriate." All this from a brand new 19-year-old soldier. I was impressed."

Potocki, 21, of Baltimore, was killed June 26 by small-arms fire in Asad. A 2003 high school graduate, he was assigned to Baumholder, Germany, and was on his second tour.

"Always ready for anything, he never complained nor gave anything but his very best all the time," said Potocki's platoon commander, 1st Lt. Breg Hughes.

Potocki, who loved old muscle cars, had befriended an Iraqi family and would have dinner at their house. He planned to settle in Baltimore, buy a house and join the city Police Department.

He is survived by his mother, Debra Potocki.

Army Sgt. Reyes Ramirez

Before his unit headed to Iraq, Reyes Ramirez's skills as a leader were on display when his squad won a competition that tests the skill and ingenuity of Army engineers.

"You get lucky and get a great bunch of guys, but he was a great leader, too, and a great teacher," said Sgt. John P. Goodrow.

Ramirez, 23, of Willis, Texas, was killed June 17 in Ramadi by a roadside bomb. He was a 2001 high school graduate, on his second tour and was assigned to Baumholder, Germany.

Ben Cooper, Ramirez's old principal, remembered the soldier, a member of the 40th Engineer Battalion, as someone who enjoyed life and was "very loyal to his friends."

"There are givers and there are there are takers; Reyes demonstrated that he was a giver," Cooper said. "And as far as I'm concerned, he gave the ultimate sacrifice. He's a hero."

While on leave in February he married his girlfriend, Sy, a sergeant who is also a member of the 40th Engineers. She is expecting the couple's first child.

"It's so hard because I didn't think they would send him back again after he had already been there a year," said his cousin, Veronica Castro. "I just want to die."

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Gary T. Rovinski

Petty Officer Rovinsky

Gary T. Rovinski had been a college administrator and then a corrections officer. He served in the Army and then the Navy.

"He did everything. He was a jack of all trades," said his mother, Carmella. "Anyone who needed help, he could help them. If more men were like him, we wouldn't have to worry."

Rovinski, 44, of Roseville, Ill., was killed June 5 by a roadside bomb in Anbar province. He joined the Naval Reserve in 2002 and was assigned to Fort McCoy.

He was a corrections officer at Henry Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg. From 1997 to 1999, he was associate dean of students and director of residence life at Monmouth College in Monmouth.

Rovinski received a bachelor's degree in studio art from College Misericordia. He served in the Gulf War as an Army optometry specialist and earned a master's degree in college student personnel from Miami University of Ohio.

"He had a lot of passion with everything he did, he always stood up for what was right," said Sgt. Todd Frederickson. "He always had a great deal of caring for everything he did here as an officer."

He also is survived by his wife, Jen, and daughters, CeCe, 13, and Michaela, 10.

Army Staff Sgt. Alberto V. Sanchez

Alberto V. Sanchez had served in the Army for nine years. He previously had served in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Korea -- but this was his first experience in a war zone.

"He was lucky that he never served in a country that had a conflict," said his mother, Olga Sanchez. "This time he had to go, and we were all sad and worried. When it's your time, it's your time."

Sanchez, 33, of Houston, died June 24 from a roadside bomb in Balad. He was assigned to Fort Carson.

Sanchez chose the Army so he could earn money for college, but the military became his career. "He chose to be in the Army and he said, 'This is just a job I've got to do what I've got to do,'" his mother said.

His parents moved to Houston from Reynosa, Mexico, when their son was an infant. He also is survived by his wife, Yesenia, and father Alberto Sr.

"It just takes a piece of your heart," said his mother. "Nothing we can say or do will ever bring him back."

The family last saw Sanchez in November before he deployed for Iraq.

"If he felt worried he never showed it," his mother said. "Like I said, all the pictures we have of him he always had a big smile."

Army 1st Lt. Ryan T. Sanders

While many of Ryan T. Sanders' peers complained about world affairs without taking action, Sanders rebelled.

"Ryan said, 'I'm not that kind of person. If things aren't right, I want to be one of the people who tries to help improve things,'" said his father, James T. Sanders.

Sanders, 27, of College Station, Texas, was killed June 4 when a bomb exploded near his tank during combat operations in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Hood.

He earned a bachelor's degrees in sociology and English and a master's degree in English in 2004 from Texas A&M. He hoped to go back to college to get a doctorate and become a teacher. "He would have found his way into the classroom somehow," the elder Sanders said.

Sanders' two older brothers both served in the Army, and while Ryan wanted to contribute to his family's legacy, the decision to serve was his own, said his father.

"He was a very independent person, a very independent thinker," Sanders said. "He wasn't swayed by his brothers, but I just think he wanted to contribute just like they had. This was his way of doing it."

He also is survived by his wife, Jennifer Graham.

Army Spc. Jeremiah S. Santos

Spc. Santos

Jeremiah S. Santos' former principal fought back tears after hearing of the younger man's death. "It's gut-wrenching," said Ryan Hanson. "But I think Jeremiah would be yelling at me not to cry," the principal said. "He'd say, 'Mr. Hanson, this is what I wanted to do."

Santos, 21, of Minot, N.D., was killed June 15 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to Fort Hood.

"Jeremiah had come through some tough times -- he made some bad choices as a kid and had come out of that," said the Rev. Bruce Dick. "Everybody was proud of him."

Santos left school and attended the Quentin Burdick Job Corps Center in Minot. He earned a GED, and graduated in the facility maintenance program at the Job Corps Center in January 2004. He also attended a semester of classes at Minot State University.

"I was so proud of the growth he had made as a person, and the maturity he had showed. He really became a fine young man," said Hanson. "There's certain kids that touch you. Jeremiah was one of those kids."

He is survived by his wife, Jessica; mother and stepfather Laurie and Patrick McGlone; and his father, Shannon Santos.