Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael C. Anderson

Michael C. Anderson humbly helped people throughout his life, from fixing a broken vacuum to guiding a troubled man away from a life of crime.

"I pray Mike is looking out of a small window in heaven and sees the outpouring of love and I hope someone tells him it's for him, because he won't believe it," his wife, Karen Anderson, wrote in a letter at his funeral.

Anderson, 36, of Daytona, Fla., was killed by hostile fire May 2 in Iraq's Anbar province. He graduated from high school in Oshkosh, Wis., in 1986, and belonged to a Seabees reserve unit based in Jacksonville, Fla.

Anderson had just just celebrated his eighth wedding anniversary when he was killed.

His mother, Sylvia Anderson of Oshkosh, said her son had been in Iraq just over a month.

"What is a builder doing there staying in a hot spot? He shouldn't have been there," she said.

Other survivors include his 7-year-old daughter, Brandi.

Marine Staff Sgt. Jimmy J. Arroyave

Jimmy J. Arroyave loved his family, national parks and the Sacramento Kings.

Arroyave, 30, who grew up in Woodland, Calif., visited the Channel Islands with his family before his deployment to Iraq in March, and was anxious to visit other parks in Arizona and New Mexico when he came home.

He often e-mailed his wife, Rachelle, reminding her of his love for her and his family, though he would also sneak in some questions about his favorite basketball team.

"I would try to go on the Sacramento Kings Web site and update him," she said.

Arroyave, who served two missions in Iraq and had served in the Marines since 1993, died April 15 in a non-combat vehicle accident near Ar Ramdi. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton.

"I know in my heart he died doing what he loved to do," said his wife, who was pregnant when he died. "He was proud to be a Marine, and he loved the military."

He is also survived by three daughters, ages 11, 6 and 2.

Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Austin

Aaron C. Austin had proposed to his fiancee in a phone call from Iraq. They were going to get married in December, and have their first dance as man and wife to a country-western tune, "It Was You."

The 21-year-old from Lovington, N.M., and fiance Tiffany Frank met after he returned from his first tour in Iraq, and he proposed March 18.

He died April 26 in Fallujah, Iraq.

"Even though I'll never get the opportunity to have that first dance, I can only imagine what kind of husband and father he would have been," Frank said. "I love how he looked at life. He could completely light up the whole room."

Austin's mother, De'on Miller, remembers her son's rambunctious yet endearing personality.

"That's how he would sign his letters from Iraq, 'From Your Precious, Perfect Son,"' Miller said. "He was definitely a class clown -- I would have hated to have been his school teacher at times."

He also is survived by his father, Doug Austin of Amarillo, Texas.

Army Sgt. Sherwood R. Baker

Sherwood R. Baker dedicated his life to helping those less fortunate.

The 30-year-old was a caseworker for the mentally disabled since he graduated from King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in 1995.

A National Guardsman based at Scranton, Pa., Baker, a native of Plymouth, Pa., died April 26 in a Baghdad explosion.

His 9-year-old son, J.D., dressed in a copy of his father's desert uniform at his funeral service. His mother, Celeste Zappala, is a peace activist in Philadelphia.

Baker is also survived by his wife, Debra.

Army Sgt. Maj. Edward C. Barnhill

Edward C. Barnhill was the kind of father who was there at the right times: "when I needed him," his son, Jason, said.

A 32-year veteran of the Army Reserves, Barnhill died May 14 of a heart attack while serving in Iraq. He lived in Shreveport, La., and was assigned to a civil affairs battalion in North Little Rock, Ark.

Barnhill, 50, and his wife, Paula, celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary on Valentine's Day. They last saw one another during a three-week leave in March.

Paula Barnhill said they met nearly 30 years ago at a church in Tennessee, Barnhill's home state. "He wrote me (letters) for a while," she said, before they started dating.

Barnhill also is survived by another son, Marcus.

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Ronald E. Baum

Sgt. Baum

To friends and fellow Marines, Ronald E. Baum seemed fearless. Facing the conflict in Iraq, he volunteered to go.

"He was tough as nails, disciplined, compassionate," said Capt. Michael DuBruel, Baum's company commander. "Ron lived life to the fullest. He died while leading men in battle."

The 38-year-old from Hollidaysburg, Pa., was killed by mortar fire May 3 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune.

"He gave his life for love of his country, the Marine Corps," said his wife, Cynthia Baum. "If Ron could speak to us today, he would say, 'I am proud to be a husband, father, brother, friend, but above all, proud to be a Marine."'

Baum took part in the evacuation of 172 people in Eritrea during a border dispute with Ethiopia in 1998. He was an instructor at the Naval Survival School in Rangeley, Maine.

Survivors include his three children, ages 3, 7 and 10.

Army Spc. James L. Beckstrand

James L. Beckstrand liked to surf and swim, and reached out to help others.

Jeremy Kinder said when he was new at their middle school and nobody was talking to him, Beckstrand befriended him and they became best friends.

"He would come over and stay at our house almost every weekend," Kinder said. "He was like part of our family. I considered him to be like a brother."

Beckstrand, 27, of Escondido, Calif., was killed April 29 in a car bombing south of Baghdad. He was based in Baumholder, Germany.

After graduating from high school, he signed up for four years in the Marine Corps. He took a year off from the military and then joined the Army.

Kinder said Beckstrand liked to hang out with friends. He surfed, swam in the pool at Kinder's house, "and stayed up late nights just talking, like guys do."

Beckstrand is survived by his wife, Marilena.

Army Staff Sgt. Hesley Box Jr.

With his two young children back in Arkansas, Hesley "Tank" Box Jr. became a father figure for younger members of his unit in Iraq. At just 24, Box was a relatively seasoned veteran, having been in the National Guard since 1997 through two previous deployments.

"Hesley was a good person, period. He was always giving of his time, always honest with you, always willing to help you out, always willing to go the extra mile to help somebody out," said his sister-in-law, Sherry Johnson.

Box, of Chidester, Ark., died May 6 when a car bomb detonated near his guard post in Baghdad.

Darrell Marks, a member of the Roadside Church of God in Christ that Box's family attended, compared Box's passing to "slipping into a bedroom to rest."

"He will join his friends and family later," he told mourners at the soldier's funeral. "Just live your life so you will be able to see Brother Tank again."

Box is survived by his wife, Alexia, and two children, 5-year-old T'Darrius, and 20-month-old Zacheas.

Army Spc. Kyle A. Brinlee

Spc. Brinlee

Kyle A. Brinlee spent his summers working in carpentry with his father and had helped install the gym floor at the high school in Pryor, Okla., where he graduated in 2001.

"He was a good kid. He did his work and was well liked," school counselor Lawrence Perkins said.

A carpentry and masonry specialist, Brinlee, 21, died near Alasad, Iraq, on May 11 when a bomb exploded under his vehicle.

Brinlee loved playing football, carpentry, Harley Davidson motorcycles and working on cars, his pastor, Derek Melton, said.

"I never met anyone who didn't like Kyle," Melton said. "He was the type of guy that if you were around him, you were cheered up."

Brinlee is survived by his father, Ronnie Brinlee.

Army Pvt. Philip Brown

Philip Brown could be counted on to entertain a group, whether serving as disc jockey for dance parties or pulling stunts on an inner tube behind a boat.

"Phil took everything with a grain of salt," said best friend Conor Smyth. "If there was a major problem, Phil would say 'Aw, I'll figure it out later. Let's go to the lake."'

Brown, 21, of Jamestown, N.D., died May 8 after he was wounded by an explosive device while on foot patrol near Samarra, Iraq. He was a member of the North Dakota National Guard.

Brown was attending Jamestown College when his unit was called and left for the Middle East in February.

The Brown family has deep roots in Jamestown, where the college's stadium is named for his grandfather, the late Jack Brown.

Tom Gould said his nephew's dream was to graduate from Jamestown College and go to work with his father. "How I wish that dream could come true," he said.

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Bunda

Christopher Bunda enjoyed working around the house he and his wife had bought a year before he died.

"He remodeled one of the floors, made it wood after we bought the house and did all the cement work in the back yard," Michele Bunda said.

Bunda, 29, of Bremerton, Wash., grew up in the Philippines. He graduated from high school in Bremerton in 1992 and joined the Army Reserves in 1994.

A Stryker Brigade squad leader based at Fort Lewis, Bunda drowned after an Iraqi police boat accidentally capsized in the Tigris River on Jan. 25.

His stepfather, Tom Vigil, said Bunda was "a good soldier, and he was doing the right thing."

He is also survived by his mother, a daughter and a son.

Army Pfc. Jesse R. Buryj

Pfc. Buryj

Jesse R. Buryj was too young to become a police officer in his hometown, so he joined a military police company instead.

The Army credited Buryj with saving at least three lives when he fired more than 400 rounds at a dump truck trying to crash a checkpoint near Karbala in Iraq. The 21-year-old from Canton, Ohio, died May 5 after the dump truck crashed into his Humvee. He was stationed at Fort Lewis.

"He saved three people," said Buryj's wife and high school sweetheart, Amber Tichenor. "One of them has a 2-year-old daughter, and another one has a baby on the way."

The couple wed in October and had only a few months together before he shipped out to Iraq. He had hoped it would be a step toward becoming a police officer.

"That's all he wanted -- to be a Canton police officer," said his mother, Peggy Buryj, adding that to her, "My son was a police officer -- always."

Army Sgt. Ryan M. Campbell

Sgt. Campbell

Ryan M. Campbell was an avid outdoorsman and a talented drummer. He also had a special love for children.

Campbell, 25, of Kirksville, Mo., and based in Baumholder, Germany, was killed April 29 in a car bombing south of Iraq. He graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville and planned to attend graduate school after completing his military service.

His mother, Mary Ann MacCombie, said her son was expected to return to the United States in April, but his duty in Iraq was extended three months.

"He's supposed to be home now," said MacCombie, recalling that her son called twice the day before he died. "His last words were, 'I'll be back in July."'

Campbell joined the National Guard along with his best friend several years ago. The pair enlisted in the Army in February 2002.

Army Spc. Ervin Caradine Jr.

Spc. Caradine

Ervin Caradine Jr. was a family man who loved talking, his Aunt Mary's spaghetti and cars. He married his high school sweetheart and had four children.

Caradine, 33, of Memphis, Tenn., was killed May 2 when a grenade hit his convoy vehicle in Baghdad. He was based at Fort Hood.

Caradine managed a restaurant for awhile after graduating from high school in 1990, then joined the Army in 1996 to better provide for his family.

The tone of his phone calls home changed in April as fighting intensified, said his aunt, Minnie Jane Thornton. "He said that one night he had been 10 hours under fire. They didn't even stop to eat," Thornton said.

With a recent birthday card to his grandmother, Willie B. Caradine, he included a note: "Hope that I will be home soon. Kiss the whole family for me. Take care. See you soon."

Survivors include his wife, Montessia Caradine, and children Ervin Smith, 14; Cavazzea, 11; Montessia, 10; and Trejan, 4.

Army Staff Sgt. William D. Chaney

Sgt. Chaney

A Vietnam veteran, William D. Chaney went to Iraq hoping his experience there would lessen the bitterness from his Vietnam days, his wife said.

"When he came back (from Vietnam), he had trouble joining the VFW because they said he hadn't fought in a real war," Carol Chaney said. "He wanted to be an air traffic controller, what he was trained to do in Vietnam, but he was told that training was not transferrable back at home. That left him a little bitter."

She said Chaney joined VietNow, a veteran's organization, in 1986, and was motivated to join a Reserve unit. He worked as a technician at Chicago's Midway Airport.

Chaney, 59, of Schaumburg, Ill., got sick in Iraq and was sent to a military hospital in Germany. He died May 18 from complications after surgery to remove his appendix.

He is survived by his wife and son, Christopher.

Army 2nd Lt. Leonard M. Cowherd

Lt. Cowherd

Leonard M. Cowherd was an outstanding young soldier, according to retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who taught Cowherd at West Point.

"His dedication and professionalism impresses me tremendously," McCaffrey wrote to Cowherd's parents in 2002.

Cowherd, 22, of Culpeper, Va., graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 2003 and went to Iraq in January. A platoon leader, he was killed by a sniper while standing near his tank in Karbala, Iraq, on May 16.

He was married less than a year, and his widow, Sarah, said Cowherd was a positive thinker who could help any negative situation. "I really wish he was here to help us through that right now," she said.

He is also survived by a twin brother, Charles.

Army Spc. Carl F. Curran

Spc. Curran

Carl F. Curran married his wife, Dianna, about a month before he deployed and had an infant daughter.

Curran, 22, of Union City, Pa., was a member of a Pennsylvania National Guard unit based near Pittsburgh. He died May 16 after an explosion flipped his Humvee off a bridge near Fallujah, Iraq.

Marine Pfc. Brian K. Cutter

Pfc. Cutter

Brian K. Cutter grew up in foster care and considered the Marines his family, his ROTC officer said.

Cutter, 19, of Riverside, Calif., was found unconscious on May 13, and was later pronounced dead in Al Asad, Iraq. An article on the Marines Web site said Cutter was electrocuted in an accident only two days after arriving in Iraq. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

Cutter looked forward to joining the Marines after his 2003 high school graduation, said Capt. Brian Frost, who leads the school's ROTC program.

"He wanted to serve proudly in the Marine Corps," Frost said. "He was very excited about going into the Marines and starting a life of his own."

Frost said Cutter often spent lunchtime in Frost's classroom with other ROTC students.

"He was a wonderful young man," Foster said. "This is going to be very hard on everyone who knew him."

Army Pfc. Norman Darling

Pfc. Darling

Norman Darling was an "outgoing, bright, happy person" who joined the military hoping to provide a better life for his 3-year-old daughter, a friend says.

Diane McCarey said she exchanged e-mails with Darling during his time in Iraq and said he seemed to enjoy being in the military. "He found himself there," she said.

Darling, 29, of Middleboro, Mass., was killed April 29 in a car bombing on his convoy south of Baghdad. He was based in Baumholder, Germany.

Darling grew up in the Bahamas and moved to the United States after high school. He became a citizen when he got married, and later got divorced. He worked as an account administrator before joining the Army.

His daughter lives with her mother in Florida.

"She is a beauty and I love her to death," said his father, Sidney Darling. "She is the closest thing to me now because my son is gone. She is the only one to remind me."

Army Staff Sgt. Jeffrey F. Dayton

Jeff Dayton was looking for bigger and better things in life when he joined the military.

He joined the National Guard at 17, served four years, and joined the Army when his job didn't prove fulfilling enough, his father said. "Jeff thrived in the military. He was a soldier's soldier," Jim Dayton said.

Dayton, of Columbus, Miss., was killed by a car bombing April 29 in Baghdad.

He had been deployed in Iraq for over a year. "He didn't mind being there. He was proud to serve his country. He was proud to be doing what he was doing," Jim Dayton said.

Sheila Dayton said her 26-year-old son called himself No. 6 because he was his parents' sixth child. The Daytons moved to Mississippi from Tampa, Fla., in 1991.

"Jeff loves Columbus. I just wish he were coming back home a different way, but he is coming back to Columbus," Sheila Dayton said.

He also is survived by his wife, Christie, who lives on a U.S. base in Germany.

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher M. Dickerson

Petty Officer Dickerson

Christopher M. Dickerson loved old trucks and antique cars and always told jokes. He also had a deep spiritual side -- and an appetite.

Billy Baker, pastor at Jay Bird Springs Baptist Church, said Dickerson once played the role of the Apostle John in a church play.

"At the Last Supper we had all this fruit laid out, a big bowl, too," Baker said. "We looked around and Chris had eaten every bit of it. That was Chris. He even ate the walnuts."

Dickerson, 33, of Eastman, Ga., was killed April 30 after an explosive hit his vehicle in the Anbar province. His unit was based in Jacksonville, Fla.

Jerrie Crowe, who worked with Dickerson at Telfair Regional Hospital, remembered conversations in which he would discuss his faith and marvel at how much Jesus accomplished in just 33 years on Earth.

"Many times he sat in my office and talked about how short the life of Jesus was," Crowe said. "As I look on Chris today, 33 years old, I look and see how many lives Chris touched."

Survivors include his wife, Tracy Graham Dickerson, and daughter, Skylar Dickerson.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Trace W. Dossett

Petty Officer Dossett

Trace Dossett had a zest for life, a confident smile and a love of sports, always eager to get back on the basketball court or golf course.

"He also felt very strongly about his country and protecting the freedoms we often take for granted," said boyhood friend Dave McGill.

Dossett, 37, of Orlando, Fla., was killed by hostile fire May 2 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was based in Jacksonville, Fla.

Dossett, who grew up in rural southeastern Iowa, enlisted in the Navy shortly after high school and served as a radioman and diver on nuclear submarines before leaving the Navy in 1992. Angela Dosset said her husband experimented with numerous civilian jobs, and considered rejoining before signing up for the Naval Reserves last fall.

"His resume is about 33 jobs long," she said. "I married a military man. He died a hero and wouldn't have it any other way."

Survivors also include daughters Cassidee, 9 and Raimee, 5.

Army Pvt. Jeremy L. Drexler

Jeremy L. Drexler was a smart young man who "marched to the tune of a different drummer" his high school principal said.

"He was fearless," said principal Bill Edwards. "He was not afraid to stand up to somebody bigger than him if he felt he had been wronged."

Drexler, 23, of Topeka, Kan., was killed May 2 when his convoy was attacked in Baghdad. He was based at Fort Hood.

Drexler graduated from high school in 1999, and enlisted in the Army three years later.

His mother, Deborah Drexler, said her son knew she didn't want him to go to Iraq, but he felt it was his duty. "He knew how much I loved him and cared for him and didn't want him to go," she said.

Survivors also include his father, Karl Drexler.

Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham

Jason L. Dunham always tried to do his best, a friend said, recalling a day that Dunham hit a home run in a varsity baseball game.

"No one could hit the ball the last 20 or 30 feet to put it over the fence," but Dunham did, said friend Kyle Young.

Dunham, 22, of Scio, N.Y., died April 22 from wounds suffered in a grenade explosion in Iraq. Other Marines said Dunham tackled a man holding the grenade and shielded two other Marines from the blast. Dunham was based at Twentynine Palms, Calif.,

"He never judged anyone and he never judged the people over there," friend Justin Lambert said of Dunham's service in Iraq. "He was just doing his job."

Survivors include his parents.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason B. Dwelley

Petty Officer Dwelley

Jason B. Dwelley and his brothers grew up in rural Florida, part of a closeknit family.

"We're way out here in the country and they'd come running over here all the time," said longtime neighbor, Laura Davis. "They're a great family."

Dwelley, 31, of Apopka, Fla., was killed April 30 after an explosive hit his vehicle in Iraq's Anbar province. His unit was based in Jacksonville, Fla.

Dwelley graduated from high school in Apopka in 1990 and served in the Navy from 1994 to 2000. He re-enlisted in the Naval Reserves so he could receive benefits when he began studying engineering in the fall at the University of Central Florida. He never got to take a single class.

"They're a close family, real solid, as good as they get," said the Rev. Ken Bogle, an associate pastor at Trinity Baptist Church of Apopka.

Survivors include his parents, John and Quennell Dwelley.

Air Force Senior Airman Pedro I. Espaillat Jr.

Pedro I. Espaillat Jr., who worked for the Air Force as a plane mechanic, wanted to be an engineer.

His father said he tried to persuade his oldest son to go first to college, then make the military a career. But Espaillat enlisted in 2001 after high school graduation.

"After he was in boot camp, I couldn't pull him out. He wanted to be an engineer since he was little. Now he never will," Pedro I. Espaillat Sr. said of his son.

Espaillat, 20, of Columbia, Tenn., died May 15 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

Espaillat moved to Tennessee in 1993 with his mother and two brothers from the Dominican Republic. His father had arrived about three years earlier.

The son graduated with honors, 38th in a class of 228 at Spring Hill High.

Army Sgt. Adam W. Estep

Sgt. Estep

Adam W. Estep dreamed of starting a family, graduating from college, and becoming a professional artist.

"He wanted to be a dad," said his wife of two months, Demara Estep.

Estep, 23, of Campbell, Calif., was killed April 29 in a rocket-propelled grenade attack outside Baghdad. A tank driver, he was based at Fort Hood. He was active in the ROTC in high school in San Jose, Calif., and joined the Army in 2000.

Demara Estep said her husband lined his letters with sophisticated sketches.

"He knew that it was possible something could happen and he told me if it did, move on," she said. "But he's just not somebody you can move on from."

Army Pfc. Jeremy Ricardo Ewing

Pfc. Ewing

Jeremy Ricardo Ewing wanted to go to college but his parents couldn't afford to send him. He joined the Army months after graduating from high school in 2000.

His parents were surprised and upset at first, but ultimately supported his decision.

"Jeremy was an independent person," said his mother, Hilda Ewing. "There were so many things he wanted to do. He wanted to have his own business. He was a smart kid. Good at electronics. He could fix anything."

Ewing, 22, of Miami, was killed April 29 in a car bomb attack south of Baghdad. He was based in Baumholder, Germany.

Relatives say his biggest dream was to buy his parents a house.

"He was quiet, shy. He never talked back," Hilda Ewing said. "We had no trouble with him. And I think that's why we let him join the military, because around here there were a lot of kids with nothing to do, getting in trouble. It was better than that."

Survivors also include his father, Arthur Ewing.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Clint D. Ferrin

Clint D. Ferrin was an "all-around good boy" and very patriotic, his father said.

"He loved his country, very patriotic, very dutiful to his country and to his family, first and foremost," Dan Ferrin said.

Ferrin, 31, of Ogden, Utah, joined the Army after high school and had served 12 years. Based at Fort Bragg, Ferrin died March 13 when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb in Baghdad.

Ferrin's younger brother, Army Spc. John D. Ferrin, said the family was proud of the work Clint Ferrin did in Iraq.

"It makes me proud to wear the same uniform," he said. "When he was going to Afghanistan or Kosovo, he said somebody has to do it."

Dan Ferrin said his son was a former Eagle Scout who also loved sports.

Ferrin is also survived by his wife, Melinda, and two children.

Army Sgt. Landis Garrison

Sgt. Garrison

A part-time police officer and a volunteer firefighter, Landis Garrison was planning on pursuing a law enforcement career.

He had joined the Illinois National Guard at age 17 while in high school because he wanted to help others. "He was always out to help somebody," said his father, Randy Garrison.

Garrison, 23, of Rapids City, Ill., died April 29 of non-combat injuries in Iraq. He was a member of a military police company based in Freeport, Ill.

Steve Sallows, who served with Garrison as a volunteer firefighter, said his longtime friend had a playful sense of humor and often referred to his tour of duty as "vacation."

Garrison told Sallows in an email he was looking forward to coming home. "He was talking about having a big bonfire when he got back from vacation," Sallows said. "He was, as usual, really upbeat."

Garrison is also survived by his mother.

Army Staff Sgt. Joseph P. Garyantes

Sgt. Garyantes

Joseph P. Garyantes was a career soldier who joined the Army in 1991 after his high school graduation.

"He loved the military," his brother, Stephen, said. "He loved playing Army. He was all about doing his job."

Garyantes, 34 and based in Germany, spent most of his childhood in Sussex County, Del., and attended high school in Fort Myers, Fla. He was killed by a sniper May 18 near Baghdad.

Garyantes was a dedicated family man and a fierce competitor who enjoyed playing basketball, his brother said. "He was a good man; he was a good father to his boys," he said.

Survivors include his wife and two sons.

Marine Cpl. Christopher A. Gibson

Christopher A. Gibson liked to make model cars as a child and grew to be a strong and compassionate man, his mother said.

"He was a typical Marine," Terri Bowen said of her son. "Very physical, of course, but very proud. He had a sense of confidence in the work he was doing. He had a loving and tender side, too. His children were so important to him."

His son, Luke, was born while Gibson was in Iraq, and he borrowed a reporter's cell phone to call his wife at the hospital, his family said.

Gibson, 23, of Simi Valley, Calif., was killed in an ambush April 18 near Qaim, Iraq. He joined the Marines in 2000, and married his high school sweetheart the day after completing boot camp.

He is survived by his wife, Jessica, and their two children.

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Ronald A. Ginther

Ronald A. Ginther worked hard to provide for his family.

Before serving in Iraq, he worked six days a week as a mechanic and went to school, relatives said. He was moving up in his company and doing whatever he could to provide for his wife and three children.

"If he wanted something he was going to get it," said Jimmy Ginther, his brother.

Ginther, 37, Auburndale, Fla., was killed May 2 by hostile fire at Camp Fallujah west of Baghdad. He was a Seabee, a reservist assigned to Jacksonville, Fla.

He had four brothers, who sang karaoke country music songs with him before he was deployed in April.

Army Staff Sgt. James W. Harlan

James W. Harlan coached youth baseball and loved sports. Most of all, he felt compelled to serve his country, his family said.

The 44-year-old, an employee for the streets department for the city of Owensboro, Ky., spent two decades in the military and reserves. He re-enlisted after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

"There's just so much about Jimmy. There's not just one thing you can say," said his brother, Kenny Likens.

Harlan died May 14 in a suicide bomber attack in Iraq. He had been stationed at Cadiz, Ohio.

His oldest son, James Bryan Harlan, said his father loved the military.

"Nobody wants to see their father die at all," the 23-year-old Harlan said. "But to have it be while doing something of this significance, we're proud of him."

The tour was James Harlan's second since the invasion of Iraq 13 months ago, said his sister-in-law, Kelly Likens.

Survivors include five children, ranging from 11 to 26 years old.

Army Spc. Jacob R. Herring

Spc. Herring

The football team captain in high school, Jacob R. Herring was popular with teachers and classmates alike.

"He was the ultimate leader," said Tim Tramp, who coached Herring on the varsity football team. "He always wanted to do what was best for the team."

Herring, 21, of Kirkland, Wash., was killed April 27 when his squad was attacked by a hand grenade west of Mosul, Iraq. He was a member of the Fort Lewis-based Stryker Brigade.

Herring enlisted in the Army with two friends and teammates in September 2001, four days before the terrorist attacks. He was deployed to Iraq in November.

Survivors include his mother, Susan Sutter of Kirkland and his father, Robert Herring of Miami.

Army Spc. James Holmes

Spc. Holmes

Raised in Arizona, James Holmes moved north to attend the University of North Dakota flight school. He joined the North Dakota National Guard and volunteered to serve in Iraq.

"He volunteered in the old patriotic way and wanted to get over there and help any way he could," said friend Chris Green.

Holmes, 28, of East Grand Forks, Minn., died May 8, five days after a roadside bomb exploded while he was on vehicle patrol. Holmes worked for Valley Petroleum in Grand Forks when he was deployed.

Holmes graduated from high school in Peoria, Ariz., in 1994, and earned a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in 2000.

"He was selfless," said Patty Fusco, a family spokeswoman. "He thought of himself last. That was just his character, just the way he was. He always thought of others first."

Survivors include his parents, George and Rhonda Holmes.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert B. Jenkins

Robert B. Jenkins received Navy commendations for his Reserves work on a hospital in Orlando, Fla., and for building schools in Haiti.

Jenkins, 35, of Stuart, Fla., was killed by hostile fire May 2 in Iraq's Anbar province. He belonged to a Seabee unit based in Jacksonville, Fla.

Jenkins and his wife bought a home in Stuart a little more than a year ago and were trying to start a family, friends said.

"None of us thought for a second that anything would happen to him over there," family friend Christine Duerr said.

Army Staff Sgt. Raymond E. Jones Jr.

Raymond E. Jones Jr. was an outgoing youngster who excelled in school but joined the Army before completing college.

Though he liked the military life, his father, Raymond Jones Sr. said, he didn't talk of war.

Jones, 31, was killed April 9 by a rocket-propelled grenade attack while on patrol. He wsa stationed in Germany.

The Gainesville, Fla., native was "outgoing, smiling, joking" during his student years, his father said. He also was a high school wrestler, and showed miniature horses.

Jones finished his first year at the University of Florida before enlisting in the Army in 1991.

Other survivors include his wife, Kateia, and mother.