Marine Cpl. Daniel R. Amaya

Cpl. Amaya

Daniel Amaya's mother knew that even as a child her son dreamed of a career with the Marines.

As a youngster, Kacey Carpenter said, "he'd played secret agent games, shooting guns, I guess to prepare himself."

Amaya, 22, of Odessa, Texas, was killed April 11 by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province in Iraq, during his second tour there. He was stationed at Twentynine Palms.

Amaya graduated in 2000 from high school in Odessa, where he was a cheerleader and played in the band. Carpenter recalled how her son always joked with her, the last time during a phone call at 4 a.m. Iraq time.

"He was always the ham of the family. He loved to play jokes on people. I think that's what he lived for."

That, and the Marines.

"This was a great passion of his," Carpenter said. "He thoroughly, thoroughly loved being a Marine."

Army Pfc. John D. Amos II

Pfc. Amos

John D. Amos was a sensitive, goofball of a kid who would sneak up to the DJ at family weddings and request "I Cross My Heart" by George Strait, his mother's all-time favorite song.

Then he'd sashay over to his mom and request a dance -- together, alone, on the dance floor. He didn't care who watched.

"He was very laid-back and things never got to him," said his mother, Susan Amos. "His only disappointment in the Army had been that he wanted to be a ranger but missed qualifying by one push-up."

The 22-year-old from Valparaiso, Ind., died on April 4 when an explosive hit his vehicle in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Amos, who went by J.D., was forever hungry, even after downing an entire large pizza or two Big Macs at a sitting, his sister, Becky, said.

After his parents separated, Amos promised to "make a million dollars" to support his mother. By the time he graduated high school in 2002, J.D.'s promise was up to a billion dollars and counting, his mother said. He joined the Army shortly after graduation.

"This was our J.D.," his mother said. "This is who they sent over there to fight this war ... a young kid really ... with no experience in fighting."

Marine Lance Cpl. Levi T. Angell

Cpl. Angell

Hunting, acting and karate were all part of life for Levi Angell, one of eight siblings.

"He was just a nice kid," high school principal Warren Peterson said. "Kind of a quiet kid, kind of a quiet sense of humor."

Angell, 20, of Cloquet, Minn., was killed April 8 west of Baghdad when his Humvee was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

In high school, Angell was involved in drama and choir and was passionate about deer hunting, fishing and karate, in which he earned a purple belt, Peterson said.

He was the son of Loretta and Gordon Angell Jr.

Grandmother Lila Angell said her grandson was a religious young man who "just loved" his church.

When he had come home for Christmas, he had "just smiled from ear to ear," she said. "He was so proud of what he was doing," she said.

Army Spc. Robert Arsiaga

Spc. Arsiaga

After Robert Arsiaga graduated from high school in 1998, he studied drafting, with plans to design a new home for his mother.

Then he joined the Army and decided to make it a career. But he changed his mind again after he met his future wife, deciding he wanted a family life away from the military. He had planned to leave in August, but the date was pushed back after he was sent to Iraq, said his wife of five months, Tracie Arsiaga.

Arsiaga, 25, who lived in Greenwood, Texas, and was stationed at Fort Hood, was killed April 4 as his convoy was attacked by Shiite militiamen in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City.

"I believe I should have had more time with him," his wife said.

Angel Munoz, Arsiaga's older sister who has served in the Army, said Arsiaga was passionate about helping the Iraqi people.

"The soldier in me says, 'That that was his job,"' Munoz said. "And he did his job well. The sister in me is angry at losing him. I don't understand why he had to die."

Army Spc. Tyanna S. Avery-Felder

When Tyanna S. Avery-Felder joined the Army, she created a new family for herself in the military.

"She was a daughter to me," said Sgt. Thomas Smith Jr., who was stationed with Avery-Felder at Fort Lewis. She even called me dad."

Felder, 22, of Bridgeport, Conn., died April 7 of injuries sustained on April 4 when her vehicle was hit with an explosive in Mosul, Iraq.

In high school, Avery-Felder played basketball and sang in the choir. She later took classes at Southern Connecticut State University toward a career in early childhood education, but left school after completing her freshman year. She joined the Army soon afterward, in 2000.

Friends remembered Avery-Felder as a strong, caring woman.

"She told me, 'Never, even let them see you cry or they'll walk all over you,"' said Odessa Blackwell, a high school friend. "She was so tough."

Survivors also include her parents and her husband.

Marine Pfc. Eric A. Ayon

Pfc. Ayon

Eric A. Ayon loved kids, and not just his own. Before joining the military last summer, he worked as a youth counselor steering kids away from drugs and gangs and toward careers.

"He loved being able to touch a lot of people. He was a wonderful father. He had such big heart. All the kids loved him," said Angie Ayon, his high school sweetheart and wife of eight years.

Ayon, 26, of Arleta, Calif., was killed April 9 in a gun battle in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. He based at Camp Pendleton.

As a boy, Ayon played with G.I. Joe action figures and dreamed of becoming a Marine.

He loved taking his own 7-year-old son, Joshua, to Chuck E. Cheese and Olive Garden restaurants. A birthday card the Marine sent his son arrived the day his family mourned his death.

"Being your dad is the coolest thing I've ever done in my life," the card read. "You being my son makes me a better man. I'm sorry I'm not there with you today. I love you and I will always be around."

Marine Lance Cpl. Aric J. Barr

Aric J. Barr entered the military the year after graduating high school in 1999. He was promoted to corporal a year later.

Barr, 22, of Allegheny, Pa., was killed April 3 by enemy fire in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, which includes areas in the Sunni Triangle where resistance to American troops had been fierce. Military authorities did not provide details about his death.

A rifleman, he was based at Twentynine Palms.

Barr's family declined comment. A neighbor said Anthony and Lisa Barr have two other sons in the military who are stationed overseas.

Barr had been serving in Iraq since mid-February.

Marine Pvt. Noah L. Boye

Pvt. Boye

Friends and relatives say Noah L. Boye was the life of the party.

"He was always there for everybody and anybody," said Gabriel Trejo, 22. "He never hated anyone. He loved everyone."

Boye, 21, of Grand Island, Neb., was killed April 13 when he came under hostile fire near Fallujah, Iraq. Boye, who graduated from high school in Grand Island, was based at Camp Pendleton.

"I didn't get a lot of detail, but they told me that he died a hero," said Diana Barela, Boye's mother.

She said her son was never resentful about being in Iraq and was proud to serve his country there.

"But when he called me and told me that he was going to be working out of Fallujah, he did sound a little tense about that. But he just always said, 'Mom, that's my job. It's what I have to do,"' she said.

Survivors also include his father, Brett Boye.

Army Pfc. Nathan Brown

Pfc. Brown

Nathan Brown wanted to become a lawyer and was preparing to enroll in Adirondack Community College in January when his Army National Guard unit was deployed to Iraq.

The 21-year-old had joined the guard shortly after graduating from high school in South Glens Falls, about 45 miles north of Albany, N.Y.

His mother, Kathy Brown, said her son e-mailed her twice a week, saying he missed friends and family and wanted to come home. Upon his return from Iraq, he planned to marry.

Brown -- who loved paintball, war games, adventure and fantasy novels -- died April 11 after he and others were attacked while patrolling Samarra in Iraq.

"A mother's worst nightmare obviously came true for me," Kathy Brown said.

Army Spc. Adolfo C. Carballo

Spc. Carballo

Hours before he was killed in Iraq, Adolfo C. Carballo called his wife and told her not to worry.

"He was counting down the days to come back home," said Beatriz Carballo, 18. "He was worried because he didn't want to be alone or die young. He said he just wanted to live life."

Carballo, 20, of Houston, died April 10 when struck by shrapnel when an explosive hit his Humvee south of Baghdad. He was based at Fort Hood.

Carballo enlisted in the Army in 2002, barely one month after he graduated from high school. He had been in Iraq about three weeks.

He was a member of a crack ROTC drill team at the school, his wife said. She said he liked the military but hoped to become a Houston police officer.

Survivors also include his father.

Marine Pfc. Benjamin R. Carman

Pfc. Carman

Benjamin R. Carman was an avid golfer, hunter and fisherman who loved to compete.

"He grew up loving the outdoors ---- hunting, fishing, camping. All of his friends just loved the outdoors," said his father, Nelson Carman. "He loved his country, but most of all he loved God."

Carman, 20, of Jefferson, Iowa, was killed by hostile fire April 6 in Anbar province. Based at Camp Pendleton, he was a heavy weapons specialist.

Carman joined the Marines during his senior year of high school.

The Rev. Rod Block, pastor of First Assembly of God Church in Jefferson, said Carman attended services with his family in February before he left for Iraq.

"He was nervous, knowing where he was going, but he was not hesitant to go," Block said. "He believed in what he was going to be doing and his family still does."

Survivors also include his mother, Marie.

Army Spc. Ahmed Akil Cason

Spc. Cason

Ahmed Akil Cason grew up in a military family, and like most any military kid, he moved around a lot.

His early years were spent at Fort Hood in Texas and Fort Benning in Georgia, and then he stayed with grandparents in Arkansas because of Desert Storm more than a decade ago. He finished high school in Alabama, and he lived his last weeks in Iraq.

Cason, 24, of McCalla, Ala., was among eight soldiers killed April 4 while part of a convoy bound for Sadr City, Baghdad's largest Shiite neighborhood.

Cedric K. Hunt Sr. said he last talked to his son about three weeks earlier, on the day the soldier left for Iraq.

"He was fearful, but I don't think that's anything unusual," Hunt said.

Hunt would know. He and Cason's mother are both retired from the Army, one of Cason's brothers is in the Air Force and another went to Baghdad with the Army.

Cason had started a family of his own, marrying a woman he met while working in a Job Corps program. He and Allison Cason had a 3-year-old daughter, Akilaah, and 10-month-old son, Gabriel.

Army Sgt. Yihjyh L. Chen

Sgt. Chen

Yu Mei Chen knew she could always count on her son.

When the family fell on hard times and moved from Saipan to Guam, Yihjyh L. Chen helped his parents get green cards so they could work. When he left for Iraq, he said he would help the struggling family on his return.

"Eddie said, 'I'll come back. I'll help you. I'll make business for you,"' the soldier's mother recalled, crying.

The 31-year-old infantryman was killed April 4 when his unit was attacked in Baghdad. He was from Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, and was assigned to Fort Hood.

The soldier joined the Army to get an education and had planned to leave in January 2004 and head for law school, his family said. They said his enlistment was extended.

Marine Lance Cpl. Marcus M. Cherry

Cpl. Cherry

Marcus M. Cherry was inspired to become a Marine by his older brother, already a member of the Corps.

"He was very serious about graduating from high school and joining the Marines," said Imperial High School vice principal Steve Cato, who coached Cherry in football.

Cherry, 18, of Imperial, Calif., was killed by hostile fire April 6 in the Anbar province. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton.

"He was going to be a good citizen, a good Marine," Cato said.

His stepfather, James Tyler, said Cherry was an infantryman and a fire team leader. Cherry's brother, Andre, was also deployed to Iraq.

Marine Pfc. Christopher R. Cobb

Pfc. Cobb

Christopher R. Cobb was a shy, fun-loving teenager who played the violin in his high school orchestra, spent hours playing on the computer and enjoyed alternative rock music.

In high school he worked serving food at a nursing home, as a drug store cashier and as a bagger at a grocery store. He drove a beat-up Chevrolet Celebrity but talked about buying a new car when his Iraq tour was up in the fall.

"He was just funny. He was a sweet person," said Carla Botelho, 22, one of his best friends. "He always had big dreams of being a big hero. That was his dream."

Cobb, 19, of Bradenton, Fla., was killed April 6 in a hostile attack in Iraq. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

Some friends and family members noticed Cobb's quiet confidence and intensity since joining the Marines last year. Pam Morris recounted telling her nephew he'd grown taller. "He said, 'No, I'm just standing straighter."'

Survivors include his mother, Sheila Cobb.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Lawrence S. Colton

CWO Colton

Lawrence S. Colton won medals when he ran cross-country for his Oklahoma high school, and his picture still hangs on the wall, his ex-wife said.

He was in the military for the long haul, too, said Shannon Daughtry, Colton's ex-wife. "He's been in the military for 12 years," she said. "He definitely planned on be a lifer."

Colton, 32, of Oklahoma City, died April 11 along with another pilot when their helicopter was shot down near Baghdad. Colton was based at Fort Hood.

He seemed to enjoy his military career, according to a recent news release from the 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment describing conditions in Iraq.

"Life's not so bad here," Colton was quoted as saying. "We get some mortars here and there, but they're not that effective. We've got good flying and good maintenance. We're well-suited for the mission here."

It was not clear when he made the comments.

Colton leaves behind a wife in Texas and an 11-year-old son from his marriage with Daughtry.

Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle D. Crowley

Cpl. Crowley

Kyle D. Crowley ignored the warnings of his Army veteran father when he decided to join the Marines and head off to Iraq.

But becoming a Marine made the 18-year-old stand tall, turning him into a mature young man.

"I'm just really proud of Kyle and his achievements," said his father, Mark.

Crowley, of San Ramon, Calif., died April 6 in a gun battle in Iraq. He is survived by his father and mother, Mary.

Crowley joined the Marines after graduating from high school last spring.

"I saw the growth in him, the maturity, the self-confidence, self-esteem," said his high school principal, Mark Corti. "He was just a new young man."

Army Sgt. Felix M. Delgreco

Sgt. Delgreco

Felix Delgreco always soaked up his surroundings, fitting in easily whether he was in high school study hall or on the sunny steps of an Italian cathedral.

"He was one of those kids you just wanted to bring home and adopt," said Bergouhi Spencer, his high school Latin teacher for four years. "He was just a wonderful young man with a smile on his face."

Delgreco, 22, of Simsbury, Conn., was killed April 9 when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb and gunfire in Baghdad. His National Guard unit was based in Bristol, Conn.

Spencer remembered Delgreco as a keenly curious boy who joined her Latin class for four annual trips to Europe.

She recalled how he basked on the steps of a Florence cathedral, blending in with his trademark European beret-style cap that he wore on all the trips abroad.

"He was just a part of the fabric, sitting there in the sun," Spencer said.

Marine Cpl. Nicholas J. Dieruf

Cpl. Dieruf

Nicholas J. Dieruf knew some of his countrymen didn't want U.S. troops in Iraq, and that was OK.

"When I asked him personally what he thought about all the people badmouthing our country for doing this, his only response was that he was fighting so they had the right to say what they wanted to say," said his father, Charles Dieruf.

Nicholas Dieruf, 21, of Versailles, Ky., died April 8 in a hostile explosion in Iraq.

He had done an earlier tour in Iraq, returning to Kentucky afterward to marry Emily Jane Duncan in January. A month later, he returned to Iraq.

"He had time to get married and have a honeymoon," Charles Dieruf said. "We got to see him a last time. He was looking great, on top of the world."

Nicholas Dieruf's wife said he knew he might not come home, and the family, while heartbroken, was proud of his service.

"He was a most devoted and loving husband, son and brother," she said.

Army Sgt. William C. Eckhart

William C. Eckhart was a poor student who struggled with what he wanted to after high school. But then the skinny cross-country runner found the Army.

"He liked rappelling down mountains out of helicopters," said his mother, Terri Eckhart. "The Army gave him a confidence. Everyone who saw him after he joined the Army was totally amazed by the person he changed into."

Eckhart, 25, of Rocksprings, Texas, died April 10 from shrapnel wounds to his legs in an attack north of Baghdad. He was stationed at Vilseck, Germany.

Eckhart, who conducted reconnaissance, had survived missions in Bosnia and Kosovo. He had been in Iraq since February.

"He wasn't going any place that was going to be a safe duty station," his mother said. "He liked the adventure, the excitement and the whole big deal of it."

The teenage loner found what he was looking for in the military.

"The Army has been so good to him," she said. "Even in losing him this way, he was happy there."

Army Spc. Peter G. Enos

Spc. Enos

According to his wife, Peter Enos believed in his country and would undertake any mission he was assigned.

Before he left for Iraq about two months before his death, he was convinced that the military was serving a noble purpose there. But he later became disillusioned, Shannon Enos said.

Enos, 24, of Dartmouth, Mass., died April 9 in Bayji, Iraq, when his patrol vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. He was based in Schweinfurt, Germany.

His wife said Enos was a kind father to their 6-month-old son, Marcus. He was also extremely handy, she said, and loved to take things apart to see how they worked.

"He was a great child, he was a fantastic person, a wonderful person," Deborah Enos said of her son.

Marine Cpl. Tyler R. Fey

Cpl. Fey

Tyler Fey planned to attend vocational school when he returned home from his second tour in Iraq in August.

"He was a happy and lovable kid," said his aunt, Linda Barrick, who added that he liked snowboarding. "He loved life."

Fey, 22, was killed by hostile fire in Iraq's Al Anbar province on April 4. A combat engineer from Eden Prairie, Minn., he was based at Camp Pendleton. He graduated from high school in Richfield, Minn.

Jerry Zahn, a longtime neighbor of the Feys, coached Tyler in youth baseball.

Tyler "was a very energetic kid," Zahn said. "And when he came back from his first tour in Iraq, he was a real grownup kid. He learned something over there."

"He was a kind and sweet kid. He was proud of his decision to be in the service and serve as a combat engineer," said his cousin, Char Loving.

Survivors include his parents, Cheryl and Richard Fey.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Wesley C. Fortenberry

CWO Fortenberry

All told, Kenneth Fortenberry and his three sons have logged 58 years in the military, so he knows how his son Chuck must have felt when he was shipped to Iraq.

"We've all done our turn, we've all had to go through what Chuck went through when he left on that plane," he said. "Think of a man with three children and a wife who doesn't know whether he's coming back. No one knows loneliness like that."

Chuck Fortenberry, 38, of Woodville, Texas, died April 11 with another AH-64 Apache helicopter crewman when insurgents shot down their aircraft west of Baghdad. He was based at Fort Hood and had been in Iraq about two months.

Fortenberry had put in 19 1/2 years of service, including thousands of hours in military helicopters, but his father said he had begun to grow concerned about his safety.

"He told me he was only flying at night but things had gotten real messy the last two or three days," Fortenberry said.

Fortenberry, stationed at Fort Hood, is survived by a wife and two sons, ages 8 and 10, who live near Fort Hood, Texas, and another son, 15, who lives in North Carolina.

Marine Lance Cpl. Phillip E. Frank

Cpl. Frank

Phillip E. Frank believed that the best way to make the world safer was to go where it was most dangerous.

"(He said) 'I want to live in a country where my kids don't have to be afraid of a 9-11,"' said Frank's 19-year-old wife, Keri. "That's why he went, so nobody's kids will have to deal with that again."

Frank, 20, was killed April 8 by hostile fire in Anbar province.

His decision to enlist was influenced by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The World Trade Center was visible from Matawan, N.J., where Frank lived before moving to suburban Elk Grove Village, Ill.

Joining the military was an extension of what Frank's mother, Georgette, called the "protector attitude" he'd shown as a boy.

"He was always the champion of the underdog," she said. "He was the one that would always stop the bullies from picking on the little kids."

Army Spc. Israel Garza

Spc. Garza

Israel Garza made a good friend in the Army -- someone who was 25 and married like he was, someone who resembled him enough that the two could switch clothes to play pranks on others.

At Fort Hood, Garza and Spc. Robert Arsiaga had family cookouts together. In Iraq, they died together.

The two were killed April 4 along with six other soldiers as their convoy fought Shiite militiamen in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City.

Garza, of Lubbock, Texas, and his wife, Guadalupe Silva, had two sons, Israel Jr., 2, and Michael, 4 months. Garza also had a daughter, Brianna, 9, and son, Steven, 8, from previous relationships, said Garza's mother, Dinah Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said her son had wanted her to meet Arsiaga: "He said, 'They say we look so much alike."'

She said she had tried to dissuade her son from joining the military in September 2001, but a week before he went to Iraq, she told him she had finally accepted his decision.

"I'm glad that I got to tell him how proud I was of him," she said.

Marine Lance Cpl. Shane Lee Goldman

Shane Lee Goldman loved the Marines. His family is loaded with them, and he was eager to carry on the tradition.

"He didn't have any reservations about what he was going to do. He said, 'Hey, it is my job. That is what I am going to do,"' cousin James Davis said.

Goldman, 19, of Orange, Texas, was killed April 5 while on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. He would have turned 20 the next week, Davis said.

Goldman had graduated from high school and joined the Marines in 2002. He got engaged a few months before his death, Davis said.

Army Pfc. Gregory R. Goodrich

Gregory R. Goodrich didn't talk much about his part-time military career, but friends say he had a patriotic streak that matched the racing stripe on his Ford Festiva.

"He was one of those guys that if someone said something bad about his country, he'd rip your head off, as quiet as he was," said Teddy Quinn, who worked with Goodrich for six years at an auto parts store.

Goodrich, 37, of Bartonville, Ill., was killed April 9 when his fuel convoy was attacked by rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire west of Baghdad.

An avid reader, Goodrich showed up at least once a week at the Peoria library, where he knew the staff by name.

He had grown up in the Peoria area, but later moved to Georgia, where he graduated from college and became a teacher, Quinn said. After returning home, Goodrich started working at the auto parts store, saving money so he could get his Illinois teaching certificate, Quinn said.

"That was his passion. He loved to teach and help people," Quinn said.

Marine Pfc. Deryk L. Hallal

Pfc. Hallal

Deryk L. Hallal was known as a jokester, regaling his family with impressions of President Bush, John Kerry and Ross Perot.

At 6-foot-5, the former high school football player and one-time model hardly needed the attention.

"He was a fun-loving, wonderful child who brought me more joy in my life than I can say," said his mother, Pam.

Hallal, 24, died after he was shot April 6 in the Anbar province, where Marines had fought heavily for several days.

Stationed at Camp Pendleton, Hallal joined the Marines last May and arrived in Iraq in late February, said his father, Jeff.

"He was glad to be there," Jeff Hallal said. "He believed so strongly in the freedoms of America. ... When someone signs up in the times we've had since 9-11, you can't deny that philosophic feeling is there."

Marine Staff Sgt. William M. Harrell

William M. Harrell was remembered as being widely loved: "He seemed to leave a piece of himself with everyone he knew," said his wife, Kelli Harrell.

Harrell, 30, of Placentia, Calif., was killed April 7 in the Anbar province. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

"He wasn't going to leave until it was cleaned up," she said.

Kelli Harrell broke the news of his death to their son, Austin, 7, an hour after military officials came to their home.

"'If he just got shot, can't they help him?"' she recalled her son asking.

"Daddy can't be helped right now. Daddy's with God," she replied.

Spc. Stephen D. Hiller

Spc. Hiller

Stephen D. "Dusty" Hiller left behind a pregnant wife when he was sent to Iraq in March.

On April 2, he found out the baby would be a boy, a family pastor said.

Two days later, Hiller, 25, of Opelika, Ala., was killed along with seven other soldiers when their unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Baghdad.

"It's just a tragedy compounded," said Earl Ballard, associate pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Opelika, where Hiller and his family are members.

Hiller, stationed at Fort Hood, had expected to be overseas for about 18 months, and he was excited about going, Ballard said.

"He said he had found his place ... This is what he wanted to do," Ballard said.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Antoine J. Holt

A1C Holt

Antoine J. Holt spent his days in Iraq monitoring airspace activity, and it was exactly the way he wanted to spend his time.

"He loved the Air Force," said his mother, Courtney Garmon. "Radio technology was cool to him."

Holt, 20, of Kennesaw, Ga., died April 10 of injuries sustained after a mortar round hit his tent north of Baghdad. He was based at Aviano Air Base in Italy.

He was "the kind of kid who did his work in class every day, said 'Yes, ma'am,' and 'No, ma'am,' with the world's biggest smile," said his high school principal, Lynda Martin.

Holt joined the Air Force in July 2001. His first overseas posting was Aviano Air Base, where he lived with his wife and his 1-year-old daughter.

"He enjoyed serving. Don't get me wrong, but he missed home. He wanted to get home to Italy," his mother said.

Marine Pfc. Ryan M. Jerabek

Pfc. Jerabek

In high school, Ryan M. Jerabek ran track, was an honor student and enjoyed working on computers. He joined the Marines a month after graduation and dreamed of returning to the school to teach world history.

"He believed in this country," said his father, Ken Jerabek. "He was a perfect, perfect young gentleman and a great Marine."

Jerabek, 18, of Oneida, Wis., was killed April 6 in a hostile attack in a battle with insurgents. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

Jerabek joined the Marines in July, a month after graduating from high school. He was following his father, who served in the Army in the Vietnam War.

Marine 1st Lt. Oscar Jimenez

Lt. Jimenez

Family members will remember Oscar Jimenez as a role model who loved being a Marine.

"Oscar was the kind of guy that you would want on your side to back you up. ... Oscar was a role model on how to live life to its fullest," a family statement said.

The 34-year-old logistics officer from San Diego was killed by hostile fire in Iraq's Anbar province on April 11. He was based at Twentynine Palms.

The 14-year veteran "was a loving husband and father, a model friend and an excellent Marine," the statement said. He served in the first Iraq war.

Jimenez's 15-year-old daughter, Vanessa, wrote of carrying on in her father's stead in a poem released by the family.

"Our big family misses you very much. Especially mommy, but don't worry I will do my best to take care of her," she wrote.

Survivors also include his wife, Alejandrina, and sons Oscar, 6, and Christopher, 3.

Army Spc. 4th Class Justin W. Johnson

Spc. Johnson

Justin W. Johnson came from a tight military family, so tight that his National Guardsman father arranged that they would serve in Baghdad together. But a training accident in February kept Joseph Johnson at home while his son, a fire support specialist like his father, deployed to Iraq.

"I tried to talk him out of getting such a dangerous job," said Cpl. Joseph Johnson. "I guess he wanted to be like his old man and get an upfront combat job."

The 22-year-old from Rome, Ga., was killed April 10 when a roadside bomb detonated as his Humvee passed in Baghdad. He was based at Fort Hood.

Jan Johnson remembers her youngest son as an active teen who liked skydiving, caving and scuba diving. "Justin was our daredevil," she said.

A friend of Justin's had gone to Iraq and returned home safely, she said. "(Justin) thought he was 22 and invincible. He thought he wouldn't have any problems either."

Army Cpl. Forest Jostes

Cpl. Jostes

When he was 7, Forest Jostes wrote in his school journal that he was going to be in the Army when he grew up.

On his 17th birthday, as a high school senior in Albion, Ill., Jostes enlisted in the Army National Guard. And two months after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, Jostes joined the Army full-time.

Jostes, 21, who was stationed at Fort Hood, had been in Iraq for only a week when he was killed April 4 in an attack on his unit by rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire in Baghdad. Seven other soldiers also died.

He had volunteered for a rapid response team the day he died, said his parents, Von and Diane Ibbotson.

"The young man has been trying to find a niche in life and found it in the military. He believed in what he was doing," Von Ibbotson said.

At Christmastime, with Jostes' deployment date drawing near, the family made sure to come together, Diane Ibbotson said.

"We expressed all of our love to him. We said everything we needed to say," she said. "We're a God-believing family, and we know he is in heaven today."

Army Spc. Jonathan R. Kephart

Jonathan R. Kephart thought he might be a police officer one day, but first he joined the military.

"He thought that the experience he would gain in the Army would help him to mature and grow," said Kephart's father, Burton Kephart.

Kephart, 21, of Oil City, Pa., died April 9 of wounds received a day earlier when his patrol was ambushed near Baghdad. He was based in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

He graduated from high school in Seneca in 2000 and joined the Army in January 2002

When he died, he had been in Iraq 10 days. His parents last heard from him in a message left on their answering machine April 7.

"He told us that he was fine, he was settling in, he was very busy and had a lot of missions and that he would call us when he could," Burton Kephart said.

He said his son was quiet and hardworking, with a "tremendous sense of humor."

"Jonathan believed in what he was doing," Burton Kephart said. "He was fighting for freedom for America."

Besides his parents, Jonathan Kephart had a brother and two sisters.

Marine Cpl. Kevin T. Kolm

Kevin T. Kolm worked as a carpenter and attended classes at a community college before joining the Marines four years ago.

In enlisting, he became a third-generation Marine, following the path of his grandfather, who served in World War II, and his father, who fought in Vietnam.

Kolm, 23, from Hicksville, N.Y., was killed April 13 from hostile fire in Anbar province. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

"My son was where he wanted to be, doing what Marines do," said his father, Thomas Kolm. "He was with his brothers, defending other Marines."

He spoke to his son shortly before he was killed.

"He said 'Dad, I just have a moment. Love you guys. Don't know when I'll be able to call back,"' Thomas Kolm said. "Twenty-four hours later, he was dead."

Army Sgt. 1st Class William W. Labadie Jr.

Sgt. Labadie

William W. Labadie was a sergeant in the Army, but he was also a "real soldier" at work, earning the nickname "Wild Bill" because he was so enthusiastic about his job, raising money for nonprofit agencies.

"He was just all over the place, enthusiastic and full of excitement," said James Kelley, a manager at The Heritage Co.

Labadie, 45, of Bauxite, Ark., was fatally shot during fighting south of Baghdad on April 7, just two weeks after being deployed.

His mother said he was eager to serve in Iraq.

"This has honestly been his goal all of his life," Cheryl Winters said. "He knew this was his last shot at 45 years old. He told his commanding officer: 'Give me a shot.' It was like he was going to Disneyland."

Labadie had been living with his parents for about a year and wanted to build a home nearby and move in his wife, Sunnie Labadie, of Del City, Okla., and their son, Bryan, 23, Winters said.

"He had a lot of plans to get back and start a Boy Scout troop and lots of other things," Winters said.

Marine Pfc. Moises A. Langhorst

Pfc. Langhorst

In high school, Moises Langhorst played sports. He did theater and music. He was a star of the Knowledge Bowl team.

"He was a talented young man, that's for sure," said Tim Caroline, school superintendent in Moose Lake, Minn.

Langhorst, 19, of Moose Lake, was killed April 5 in fighting in Anbar province. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton

His death came less than a month after a classmate, 18-year-old Pfc. Matthew G. Milczark, was found dead at a chapel in Kuwait in what the military said was a non-combat shooting.

Langhorst, who graduated last year, went to the state Knowledge Bowl six years in a row, competing against high schoolers even when he was in junior high, Caroline recalled.

"The team was just phenomenal and he was a big reason," he said. "He was just a warehouse full of knowledge."

Survivors include his parents, George and Judy Langhorst.

Army Spc. Scott Q. Larson Jr.

Scott Q. Larson Jr. was known for his Christian faith. He had even arranged to baptize his sergeant at a Houston-area church.

His family still hopes to be able to do that, said his friend and student minister Chris Mayfield.

Larson, 22, who lived in Houston and was stationed in Friedberg, Germany, died when his convoy was ambushed in Baghdad on April 5, two weeks before he was to go on furlough.

Mayfield said Larson was energized by the military.

"When he hooked up with the military, he found a great joy and excitement," Mayfield said. "He was praying through the possibility of making a career with the military, being a chaplain."

His parents, Scott and Mary Larson, said in a message posted on their church Web site that they were proud of their son's service to his country and faith.

"Scott served as a bright light in a dark and desperate land," the message said.

Marine Lance Cpl. Travis J. Layfield

Cpl. Layfield

Travis J. Layfield was a history buff who used to watch films on World War II on the History Channel as a boy.

His grandfather was a Navy Seebee, which may have influenced his decision to join the Navy ROTC in high school. He enlisted in the Marine Corps right after high school graduation.

Layfield, 19, of Fremont, Calif., was killed April 6 during a battle in Anbar province in Iraq. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

Layfield had been enthusiastic about going to Iraq.

"He always said he was excited to go," said Layfield's cousin Ashley Mills, 19. "But you could see in his face he was a little scared ... He always assured us he was ready to go and that he would come back."

"He thought this would be his career -- the Marines," said his sister, Tiffany Bolton, 31. "We were very proud of him."

Other survivors include his parents, Diane Bolton Layfield and John Layfield.

Marine Pfc. Christopher D. Mabry

Pfc. Mabry

A package was on its way to Iraq, filled with Pop-Tarts, M&Ms, trail mix and disposable razors for Christopher Mabry. There was a birthday card, too, because Mabry would turn 20 on April 29.

"He wanted me to send him stuff that he could share with the other Marines," said his grandmother Frances Mabry, who raised him since he was 4.

Mabry, of Chunky, Miss., was among 13 Marines killed while battling Sunni insurgents west of Baghdad on April 7.

He was an honors student in high school, besides playing football and running track.

When he placed second in a sprint at a meet in 2002, his teammates and coach congratulated him. But Mabry was disappointed.

"I want to be the best," he told coach Bubba Hathorn.

On the football field, Mabry was the leader, teammate Spencer Robinson said. "Everyone followed him. He was the hardest worker in the weight room and the most energetic athlete," he said.

Mabry signed up for the Marines during his senior year, and months later, in February, he was deployed to Iraq.

"He was an exceptional person," Frances Mabry said.

Army Staff Sgt. Toby W. Mallet

Sgt. Mallet

Todd Mallet didn't think his little brother would be able to handle military life.

"I'd tell him, 'Aw, you won't be able to listen to them. There was no way you could follow orders,"' he recalled saying. "He said, 'Oh, I can do it. I can do it.' And he did a good job at what he did."

Mallet, 26, of Kaplan, La., was killed April 9 when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the M-2 Bradley vehicle he was using on patrol. He was stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany.

He had been back in Iraq only a week, after a trip home to see his newborn son, Todd Mallet said.

He was also survived by his wife and three other children, said his aunt and godmother, Millie Vincent, of Kaplan.

"He was a loving child," Vincent said. "He loved to laugh. Loved to have fun. He was a very good student. A sweet person. A real sweet person."

Marine Cpl. Matthew E. Matula

More than a year ago, Matthew E. Matula wrote a letter to his younger brother asking him to "pray for him and pray for what he was about to have to do."

His mother, Toni Matula, recounted the letter in April 2003 when the family sent his photo and information him about to the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman for a series called "Our Neighbors at War."

"The hardest part of this is not being able to talk to him," she said then.

Matthew Matula, 20, of Spicewood, Texas, was killed April 9 during a battle in Iraq. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

"The community's completely heartbroken," said friend Brandi Dutton, 23. "He was loved by everybody out here."

Dutton said Matula was married and his wife was pregnant.

Army Sgt. David M. McKeever

Sgt. McKeever

David M. McKeever joined the military straight out of high school and met his wife while he was stationed at Fort Carson in 2002. Two months later, the couple were married.

Three months after that, they went to Germany. Their son Dylan was born in February 2003, and McKeever went to Iraq in May.

McKeever, 25, of Buffalo, N.Y., was killed April 5 when his unit was ambushed while guarding a hospital in Baghdad.

He just been promoted from specialist the week before, and was set to leave Iraq 15 days later.

"He was counting down the days," said his wife, Niki McKeever.

She said she will remember her husband as a fun-loving person who would do anything for her. The last time she saw him, he was preparing to get on a plane to return to Iraq, and he cried, she said.

"David doesn't cry," she said. "I knew he didn't want to go back. He was afraid to go back. He didn't want to leave his son."

Army Staff Sgt. Don Steven McMahan

Sgt. McMahan

Don Steven McMahan nearly made it home from Iraq.

But redeployment orders came as the plane carrying his Army division was ready for takeoff, and the convoy carrying them back into action came under fire.

McMahan, 31, of Nashville, Tenn., was killed April 9. He was based in Germany.

McMahan had a rough time in high school before graduation, and military life proved better because "it provided structure and discipline in his life," said his stepmother, Cindy McMahan.

McMahan was pursuing a college degree while serving, said his father, also Don McMahan. He had been promoted recently and planned to retire after 20 years with the service, his father said.

Besides his parents he is survived by his wife, Shelba McMahan, and children Seth, 10, Evan, 7, and Sarah Elizabeth, 4.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Marvin Lee Miller

Sgt. Miller

Marvin Lee Miller traveled the world with the Army, from the mountains of South Korea to the streets of Iraq, and he was married in Europe while stationed there in 1992.

His oldest child, 17-year-old Marvin Lee Miller Jr., had planned to follow his father's path.

"I was going into the military, but not no more," he said on the porch of his father's childhood home. "Not after this."

Miller, 38, of Dunn, Va., was shot to death April 7 in Balad, Iraq, while on traffic duty. His unit, deployed from Germany, had been in Iraq for two months.

Miller was raised by his grandparents in Dunn.

Besides Marvin Jr., his son from a previous marriage, Miller had a son and two daughters with his wife Linnette Miller.

The family remembered an outgoing, friendly man devoted to the military and his family.

"He loved to party, and he loved his girls," said his cousin, Felicia Smith.

Army Sgt. Michael W. Mitchell

Sgt. Mitchell

Michael W. Mitchell found love when the Army stationed him in Germany, and he planned to bring his German fiancee home after his stint as a tank mechanic ended.

Instead, Bianca Liebl had to make plans to go to Porterville, Calif., on her own.

Mitchell, 25, was one of eight soldiers killed April 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, in a firefight with followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

In high school, Mitchell ran cross-country and wrestled. A coach, Rich Lambie, called Mitchell "a scrappy, tenacious competitor."

Months after graduation, Mitchell enlisted in the Army. He was stationed in Germany, just as his father, Bill Mitchell, had been during the Vietnam War.

An older sister, Christine Jayroe, remembered Mitchell as "my little playmate."

"I used to drag him and play in the dirt," Jayroe said.

Marine Capt. Brent Morel

Capt. Morel

Brent Morel always seemed to be getting out of trouble.

Whether it was ending arguments as a bar bouncer, breaking up a scuffle between neighborhood kids or sparring in a college boxing match, Morel could quickly end any fight.

Morel, 27, who lived in McKenzie, Tenn., and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, couldn't escape the Sunni Triangle in Fallujah, where he died on April 7. His platoon was ambushed in a reconnaissance mission.

College friend Eric Wells said he remembers Morel stopping a bar brawl of about 20 people near the University of Memphis.

"Brent had a broken leg and was on crutches, but he just dove right in the middle of it and took out the ringleaders," Wells said. "He's the toughest guy I ever knew."

Morel, an avid hunter, graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1999 with a degree in history. He became a commissioned officer in the Marines the next week. Morel married Amy Mullins a week after that.

"He became a different person when he married Amy," Wells said. "He was totally dedicated to her. He knew a week after he met her that she was the one."

Army Sgt. Gerardo Moreno

Gerardo Moreno joined the Army in 1999 and had been assigned to Fort Hood since December.

Born in Mabank, Texas, he had lived in Terrell.

Moreno, 23, was killed April 6 in a rocket-propelled grenade attack near al-Shula. He was on foot patrol when attacked, officials said. He was an infantryman.

No information was available about survivors.

Marine Pfc. Geoffrey S. Morris

Pfc. Morris

To hear his father, Geoffrey S. Morris was the kind of kid who didn't have a lot of direction but was smart enough to know it. The kind of kid who decided against playing football his senior year in high school because he wanted to have fun, but understood it was time to become a man.

So he joined the Marine Corps.

"Sometimes it takes years or decades before your children grow up and show you the maturity level, that it's not all about 'me,"' Kirk Morris said. "Geoff was not like that any more. It was 'us,' it was 'we."'

Morris, 19, of Gurnee, Ill. died on April 4 when his vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in the Anbar province of Iraq. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

Morris said his son firmly believed in his mission. "It meant a lot to him to be a defender of his country, but also the defender of the right of the Iraqi people to choose their government and how they want to live," he said.

Army Spc. Isaac Michael Nieves

Spc. Nieves

When Isaac Michael Nieves was in fifth grade, his big sister persuaded him to invite a girl named Amy to a dance.

The night of the event, Amy had the flu. She still went with him, but she spent most of the night in the bathroom, and the party ended before they could dance.

"He grabbed me and started dancing," she said. "I said, 'You can't dance without music."' He sang "Stand by Me" in her ear.

Soon after finishing high school in 2001, Nieves proposed.

Nieves, 20, of Unadilla, N.Y., was killed April 8 when his detachment came under fire from small arms and a homemade bomb while patrolling northeast of Baghdad. He was based at Fort Hood.

He wanted to be an architectural engineer, but instead he followed the family's tradition of military service -- his father is a Vietnam veteran, his brother a West Point cadet.

Though he was proud of his work as a demolitions expert, he had some regrets, his wife said.

"He wished he had gone to college and done things differently," she said.