Army Spc. Mark J. Kasecky

Spc. Kasecky

Mark J. Kasecky was a devoted uncle to his 11 neices and nephews, his family said.

In a phone call from Iraq, "He said, 'It's crazy over here"' his sister, Veronica Horton, said. "He said he was doing OK, and he joked with my kids. He said he loved us all and missed us all."

Kasecky, 20, of McKees Rocks, Pa., died May 16 after an explosion flipped his Humvee off a bridge near Fallujah, Iraq. He was a member of a Pennsylvania National Guard unit based near Pittsburgh.

Relatives described Kasecky as a jokester who liked to play football and basketball.

A year ago, Kasecky sent his family pictures of himself in uniform, standing beside an American flag. "Hey, man, just thought you'd like a picture of a real, true American soldier boy!" he wrote on the back of one photograph.

Other survivors include his mother.

Army Capt. Christopher J. Kenny

Military life left little time for Christopher J. Kenny to spend with family, but he felt the sacrifice was worth it, his father-in-law said.

"Chris was doing what he really loved," Mickey Lantz said. "... He just felt like he was going to be able to serve his country real well."

The 32-year-old from Miami died May 3 when his vehicle flipped over in a canal in Balad, Iraq. He was stationed in Vilseck, Germany.

The soldier followed his father into the military. "It was always in his blood," said Jim Kenny, a retired Air Force master sergeant who completed four tours of duty in Vietnam.

The 1993 Citadel graduate met Mitzy Lantz while working as a bartender. He joined the Army shortly after their wedding in 2000.

The couple had no children but were "really looking forward to starting a family," Mickey Lantz said.

Army Pfc. Martin W. Kondor

Pfc. Kondor

Martin W. Kondor was a popular student and president of his high school class, and fond of cars and motorcycles.

He also was determined to enlist in the Army and attend college later.

"After 9-11, he was determined to do something to help. He wanted to sign up. I neither encouraged him nor discouraged him, but I supported him," said his father, Michael Kondor.

Kondor, 20, York, Pa., was killed April 29 when an improvised explosive detonated near his Humvee in Baqubah, Iraq. He was based in Vilseck, Germany.

He and his fiancee, Lynne Notchey, had planned to marry when he returned from overseas, his father said.

Michael Kondor said he had talked to his son several days before his death.

"It was tough," he said. "Toward the end there, he was getting shot at pretty frequently. His main concern was doing his job. I think he probably believed it was somewhat overwhelming. But he wasn't one to whine or complain."

Survivors also include his mother, Cher Kondor.

Army Pfc. Bradley G. Kritzer

Bradley G. Kritzer grew up with a rifle in hand, hunting turkey and deer with his father and going fishing every chance he got.

But carrying a rifle in hostile, desert surroundings made him long for home.

"He called and said, 'It's trout season, Grandma, I wish I was able to be back home,"' said his grandmother, Blanche Kitchen. "We just told him to watch your back."

Kritzer, 18, of Irvona, Pa., was killed May 5 along with another soldier when their Humvee hit an improvised explosive device in Baghdad.

Kritzer joined the Army with another goal in mind: college. He hoped to turn his love of the outdoors into a career with a state hunting agency.

In March, he landed in Iraq.

"We are extremely proud," Kitchen said. "He gave the ultimate sacrifice."

Army Sgt. Joshua S. Ladd

Sgt. Ladd

Family members say Joshua S. Ladd wanted to be a soldier since he was a boy.

"He always wanted to be in the military and shoot big guns," said his cousin, Debbie Chisolm.

Ladd, 20, of Fort Gibson, Miss., was killed May 1 outside Mosul when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his vehicle. He was a member of the Mississippi Army National Guard.

Ladd volunteered for service soon after his unit was mobilized last year.

Army Staff Sgt. Rene Ledesma

Sgt. Ledesma

Rene Ledesma was a devoted family man who joined the Army to give his wife and children a better life.

The Abilene, Texas, native took to the military life immediately, said his wife, Martha.

"Once he was in, he knew he wanted to stay in the military," she said. "He was going to make it his life career. He wanted to stay in as long as he could."

Ledesma, 34, was killed May 15 in Baghdad by an improvised explosive device. He was stationed at Fort Hood.

His wife said he was excited after he was deployed in March.

"I remember him saying before he left that he was going to finally be able to do what he had been training to do the past seven years," she said.

Ledesma, who loved to fish and play basketball with the couple's 11-year-old son, talked to his wife and children shortly before he died. The couple also has a 14-year-old daughter.

Army Pfc. Lyndon A. Marcus Jr.

Pfc. Marcus

When Lyndon A. Marcus Jr. fell in love with singing and musical theater, he wanted to share his passion. He starred in a high school production of "Fame," and even recorded a song to be distributed in local independent record stores.

"He had a smile that would make you melt," said his sister, Keil Marcus. "He was real talented and wasn't afraid to be himself and express himself."

The 21-year-old from Long Beach, Calif., died May 3 when his vehicle flipped over in a canal in Balad, Iraq. He was stationed in Vilseck, Germany.

He was an "energetic, talented kid ... a performer in every sense," said his high school drama teacher, Robert Browning.

In a letter received just hours after the soldier's family learned of his death, Lyndon Marcus wrote that things had been tough in Iraq, and that he was looking forward to coming home and seeing his sister again.

"When he was a kid, he wanted to be a superhero and save the world," Keil Marcus said. " ... He was my superhero."

Army Spc. James E. Marshall

Spc. Marshall

Though he was a world away, James Edward Marshall remembered to send a dozen pink roses to his mom for Mother's Day. He even called to make sure they arrived.

Hours later, Pam Marshall learned that her son had died.

The 19-year-old from Tulsa, Okla., was killed May 5 along with another soldier when their Humvee hit an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. He had been in Iraq for less than two months.

As a child in a community karate program, Marshall was determined to be the best. "He was a young man who didn't know how to quit," said his teacher, police Officer Marvin Blades.

Marshall, stationed at Fort Hood, joined the Army shortly after graduating from high school in 2002. His godfather, the Rev. M.C. Potter, spoke at his funeral.

"God only gives us an allotment of time, and it's up to us to make it mean something," Potter said. "James certainly did that."

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott R. McHugh

Scott McHugh loved fishing, camping and canoeing, and was devoted to his family and friends.

"He was always fun, just a great guy to be around," said Jonathan Mogor, who became friends with McHugh when they were teens and joined the Navy with him. "You always had a great time when you were with him."

McHugh, 33, of Boca Raton , Fla., was killed by hostile fire May 2 in Iraq's Anbar province. A Navy Seabee, he was based in Jacksonville, Fla.

After graduating from high school in 1989, McHugh attended Palm Beach Community College for a year before joining the Navy. After a few years, he joined the Navy Reserves, returned home and became an emergency medical technician. He was still trying to figure out his future when he was called into active duty in March.

"It's such a shame," said his mother, Joyce McHugh. "He was a super, super honest guy. He was a straight arrow."

Army Sgt. Rodney A. Murray

Sgt. Murray

High school coach Rodney A. Murray gave his players rides home from practice and made sure they were fed when they traveled. "He's a hero in my eyes," said Franco Simpkins, who worked with Murray coaching football in Ayden, N.C.

Murray, 28, also was an English and history teacher and the track coach at Ayden-Grifton High School.

Murray, a military police reservist based in Ocala, Fla., was killed May 9 when his Humvee collided with a Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

His mother, Stella Murray, said her son had sounded upbeat when he called her hours earlier, for Mother's Day. "Rodney touched a lot of lives, all for the better," she said. "The world lost a lot."

He is also survived by his wife of three years, Amanda.

Army Staff Sgt. Troy Miranda

Sgt. Troy Miranda

Troy "Leon" Miranda had been in the Arkansas National Guard for almost 20 years and served in the same unit as his brother.

His mother, Bobby, said her son always tried to do the right thing. "He always did his job whether he wanted to do it or not," she said.

Miranda, 44, of Little Rock, Ark., died from a grenade attack while on foot patrol May 20 in Baghdad. He specialized in explosives. His brother, Phillip, did a different job with the same company, their mother said.

Stateside, Leon Miranda worked for the Guard's antidrug program. He was the second-oldest of six siblings.

Army Spc. Marcos O. Nolasco

Marcos O. Nolasco was born in Mexico but moved with his family to San Diego at age 5.

He joined the Marines after high school, then after his term ended, he joined the Army in 1994.

Nolasco, 34, of Chino, Calif., was stationed in Germany. He died from accidental electrocution May 18 in Baji, Iraq.

"He said that he was never afraid of death," said his sister, Carmen Duran. "He told me if it ever was his time to leave, he said his son would be taken care of for the rest of his life and the only thing that mattered to him was taking care of his family."

Nolasco is survived by his wife, Mariko, whom he met while serving with the Marines in Japan, and their son, Angel, who is 10.

Army Staff Sgt. Todd E. Nunes

Todd E. Nunes was a member of the high school wrestling team, a good student and a talented artist.

"He could draw anything he saw," said Shelah Crick, a family friend. "I had always told him one of these days he was going to work for Hallmark because he was such a good artist."

Nunes, 29, of Chapel Hill, Tenn., was killed May 2 in Kirkuk, Iraq, when his convoy encountered an improvised bomb and small arms fire. He was based at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

Chapel Hill Police Chief Jackie King, a member of the National Guard for 35 years who served in Operation Desert Storm, called Nunes a "super-nice kid."

Survivors include his wife, Christie, an 18-month old son and a 7-year-old daughter.

Army Spc. Ramon C. Ojeda

Spc. Ojeda

Ramon C. Ojeda seemed destined to serve in the military.

When he joined the ROTC as a high school student, "he was the only one who had perfect creases in his pants," recalled his sister, Celia St. Germain. "He always held the flag. It meant the world to him."

Ojeda, 22, of Ramona, Calif., was killed May 1 when his convoy came under attack in Iraq. He was based in Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

"He was a very lovable person," said his father, Joaquin Ojeda of Santa Ysabel. "He would hug me. He would kiss me. He would sit on his mother's lap. I'm really sorry I won't get to hold him again."

A sister, Evangelina Ojeda of Anaheim, said her brother "used to run into the kitchen and grab my mother from behind and kiss her on the neck and fling her around in circles."

Ojeda served in the same unit as his wife, Lesliee, whom he married in October. The couple have a 14-month-old son.

Army Staff Sgt. Esau G. Patterson Jr.

Sgt. Patterson

Esau G. Patterson was in Iraq because he felt a duty to defend his country, said his sister, Tarsha Myers.

He had been in the Army for eight years and in Iraq for a year.

Patterson, 25, of Ridgeland, S.C., was killed April 29 in a car bombing south of Baghdad. He was based in Baumholder, Germany.

Survivors also include his wife, daughter and stepson.

Army Pfc. Michelangelo Mora

People knew Michelangelo Mora wherever he went, and everyone loved his laugh, smile and outgoing spirit.

"My son was one of these popular kids that made first impressions that nobody can forget," said his father, Mike Mora. "Just about everybody here in San Luis Obispo County knows him. How could you forget the name?"

Mora, 19, of Arroyo Grande, Calif., died May 14 in a vehicle accident near Najaf. He was stationed at Fort Polk.

Mora joined the Army in January 2003, a decision his family supported. "We wanted him to have structure. He wanted to get his stuff together, and we were all for it," his father said.

His mother, Maria, said Mora was "the warmest, most caring human being ever known."

Family friend Lori Redhair said, "We were all looking forward to the infinite things he was going to do."

Marine Lance Cpl. Bob W. Roberts

Joining the Marines in his late 20s, Bob W. Roberts wasn't likely to handle the rigors of basic training, his friends thought. He proved them wrong.

When he returned home to Newport, Ore., after boot camp, Roberts wore his uniform around town to show his friends just how wrong they were. It was what he needed to give his life direction, they said.

Roberts, 30, died May 17 from hostile fire in Iraq. He was a heavy equipment operator based at Camp Pendleton.

Roberts had worked as a plumber but took a year off after winning a $130,000 Keno jackpot in 1999. He was generous with his winnings, Newport Steak and Seafood Restaurant owner David Hugely said, giving $100 to Hugely and $500 to the waitress who sold him the ticket.

Roberts bought a boat and found a favorite watering hole at the Mad Dog Country Tavern on Yaquina Bay, frequently helping with the bar's mammoth barbecues. He was inspired to join the military after the 2001 terror attacks.

"The next thing I knew, he'd joined the service," said Harold Shoemaker, who employed Roberts at his plumbing business. "He was going to make that his career."

Army Staff Sgt. Eric H. Petty

Eric H. Petty always dreamed of being in the military and following in the steps of his father, a National Guard chief warrant officer. He enlisted on his 17th birthday.

"When he was a little boy and you went to his room, you saw toy soldiers and tanks and boats. You didn't see little cars," said Voncille Petty, his grandmother.

The soldier from Fort Gibson, Okla., was one day shy of his 29th birthday when he was fatally shot May 3 while guarding a weapons cache in Iraq. He was stationed in Baumholder, Germany.

Those who served with Petty recalled his bravery, his grace under pressure, and his protectiveness of the men under his command.

He also had a quirky sense of humor, friends said. While leading a church camping trip, he offered his young charges some unusual instruction on wilderness survival.

"My son came back and said, 'Brother Petty told us if we didn't eat a worm today that we weren't real men,"' said Tom Barlament, Petty's pastor.

Army Pfc. Ryan E. Reed

Ryan E. Reed was as serious about his faith as he was about humor. Alicia Reed said her husband's sense of humor helped her through their time apart, when he was in Iraq.

"In bad situations, he would try to make it better by cracking jokes a lot," she said. "He never wanted anyone to be sad."

Reed, 20, Colorado Springs, Colo., was killed April 29 in a roadside bombing south of Baghdad. He was based in Baumholder, Germany.

Alicia Reed, who met her future husband in high school, said when Reed joined the Army he was looking for a better life and money for college so he could become a teacher. He entered combat a few months later.

"He went straight from boot camp to Germany and then Iraq," she said.

Army Spc. Isela Rubalcava

Spc. Rubalcava

Isela Rubalcava was known as a joyful person -- the kind of woman who could leave boot camp smiling.

"She achieved everything she set her heart on," said grandmother Margarita Rubalcava.

Rubalcava, of El Paso, Texas, and stationed at Fort Lewis, was killed May 8 in Mosul when a mortar round landed nearby. She would have been 26 three days later.

She attended the University of Texas at El Paso and Sul Ross State University before joining the Army about four years ago.

"They took a piece of my heart," Ramon Rubalcava said of his daughter. "I only hope this war ends soon, because I don't wish this pain on anyone else."

Her cousin Hector Barragan said "she's always been a happy person, always smiling. When she came back from boot camp, she was cheerful and told us about how great it was."

Rubalcava was happy again when Barragan last heard from her in an e-mail from Iraq -- this time "because she was going to eventually come home."

Survivors include her mother, Maria Isela Rubalcava.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jeremiah E. Savage

Jeremiah E. Savage had dreamed since grade school of becoming a Marine, his mother said. "And that's exactly what he did," Eva Savage said.

"When he wanted to talk to me, it was usually about the military," said his high school principal, Gary Ledbetter.

Savage, 21, of Livingston, Tenn., died May 12 from hostile fire in Iraq. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

His wife, Kassandra, talked to Savage the day before he died and told him she had sent pictures of their newborn son.

"I told him the pictures were in there with his cigarettes and he should be getting them any day now," she said. "I'm pretty sure he never got them."

He is also survived by a daughter and two stepchildren.

Army Spc. Justin B. Schmidt

Justin B. Schmidt postponed his May wedding when his tour of duty in Iraq was extended.

Schmidt, who enlisted shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, planned to have a career in the military. His father and grandfather were decorated airmen.

He delayed his May 19 wedding in Germany when his stay in Iraq was extended for three months.

Schmidt, 23, of Bradenton, Fla., was killed April 29 during a car bomb attack on his convoy on a highway south of Baghdad. He was based in Baumholder, Germany.

"Justin was trying to carry on tradition," said his father, Victor Schmidt.

Marine Cpl. Dustin H. Schrage

Dustin H. Schrage was always making others laugh, and that humorous approach made him stronger, those who knew him said.

"Dustin always seems to be able to squeeze a laugh out of his teachers and his parents," Rabbi Zvi Konikov said. "His laughter and confidence made him a leader."

The 20-year-old from Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., was found dead May 6 after disappearing while swimming across a river during a mission in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

The Marine loved video games, punk rock and backyard wrestling, family members said.

"He was the comedian of the family. He was a ham. He was very well-respected and well-liked," Nina Schrage said of her son.

"He was all about a good time. We always thought he would be a standup comic," she said.

Army Spc. Jeffrey R. Shaver

Spc. Shaver

Jeffrey R. Shaver was an avid outdoorsman who worked as a church youth leader.

"The way we should remember Jeff is as a person who loved the Lord and loved others. Everything I know of Jeff is that he was a servant; he loved serving others and helping," said Craig Schafer, who worked with Shaver at the Life Center Four Square Church in Spokane, Wash.

Shaver, 26, of Maple Valley, Wash., died in a roadside bombing in Baghdad on May 12. He was a medic with the Washington National Guard, based in Spokane.

He enjoyed mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking and snowboarding, his family said. He had worked in Spokane as a fitness instructor and later attended Green River Community College studying helicopter aviation.

Survivors include his parents.

Army Spc. Philip I. Spakosky

Spc. Spakosky

Known as quiet and cooperative, Philip I. Spakosky spent his senior year of high school working at the police department in the afternoons.

"He was very dependable," said Lt. Robert Lewandowski of the Pemberton Township Police Department in New Jersey. "Sometimes you get kids that tend to talk a lot and not do the work. He was a very good kid."

Spakosky, 25, of Browns Mill, N.J., died May 14, a day after he was hit with a sniper's bullet during fighting in Karbala, Iraq. A tank crewman, he was based at Friedberg, Germany.

His family has asked that Spakosky's younger brother, Lance Cpl. Jeff Spakosky, be reassigned from a post in Iraq to noncombat duty.

"Their mother is all by herself out here," said Eugene Good, the brothers' grandfather and an Army veteran.

Survivors include his mother, Lisa Good.

Army Sgt. Marvin R. Sprayberry III

Sgt. Sprayberry

Marvin R. Sprayberry III made a point of calling home every Saturday morning to calm his worried parents.

"He was the greatest human being in the whole world," said his father, Marvin Sprayberry Jr.

The 24-year-old soldier from Tehachapi, Calif., died May 3 when his vehicle flipped over in a canal in Balad, Iraq. He was stationed in Vilseck, Germany.

The soldier joined the Army after graduating from high school in 1997. He served two six-month tours in Kosovo in 1999 and 2000.

Family said he was passionate about working on cars, especially an old El Camino he and his father loved. When not shooting, fishing or playing video games, the soldier was often found roughhousing with his three brothers, they said.

Survivors include his wife.

Marine Pfc. Brandon Sturdy

Pfc. Sturdy

Friends say Brandon Sturdy was always trying to make people laugh.

"He made everybody laugh. He could turn a situation around like that," said his eighth grade teach Heidi Zlab, who said he disliked school but loved life. "I don't think he had an enemy."

Sturdy, 19, of Urbandale, Iowa, was killed May 13 when a homemade bomb blew up near Fallujah, west of Baghdad. He was a machine gunner who was part of the First Marine Regiment.

Sturdy graduated from high school in Urbandale in 2003.

"He was always trying to be the comical guy," said Sara Broek, 19, who attended elementary and high school with Sturdy, and was his neighbor.

Survivors include his parents, Shelly Rivera and David Sturdy. He was engaged to Tricia Johnson.

Capt. John E. Tipton

Capt. Tipton

While in Iraq, John E. Tipton's top concern was the safety and comfort of his troops, those who worked with him said.

"When we hit the ground in Iraq his first order of business was to make the soldiers' stay more bearable," said Army Spc. Mike Labadie, Tipton's friend and former driver. "He was very respected and his soldiers were always first and foremost to him."

The 32-year-old from Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was killed May 2 in an explosion in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to Fort Riley.

"He was about the best son a mother or father could ask for," said his father, Dwight Tipton. "He was just the perfect son."

His relationship with his wife, Susie, was also ideal, his sister-in-law said.

"When they met each other, they found their soulmates," Laura Deluca said. "I have never seen a marriage more stable, two people more dedicated to each other."

The couple had two children -- Austin, 4, and Kaitlyn, 2.

Army Pfc. Andrew L. Tuazon

Pfc. Tuazon

Like his grandfather, Andrew Tuazon learned to weld, and took a shipyard job after high school graduation. But after six months, he wanted something more and joined the Army.

Rose Tauzon said she didn't want her son to join at first, but she knew he wouldn't change his mind. "So I wished him good luck and told him he had my blessing," she said.

Tuazon, 21, of Chesapeake, Va., was killed by an apparent sniper May 10 in Mosul, Iraq. He was with a military police unit based at Fort Stewart and had also served in Afghanistan.

His stepfather, Ron Czypinski, said he was proud of Tuazon's choices and work ethic. Tuazon's father died when he was 5 years old, and Czypinski said he'd been part of the boy's life since then.

Army Staff Sgt. Oscar D. Vargas-Medina

Sgt. Vargas-Medina

Oscar D. Vargas-Medina called his mother in Florida to say that her Mother's Day present was on its way to her.

Francia Lopez said he told her: "Mommy, on Mother's Day, please be home because I sent you a surprise."

Vargas-Medina, 32, of Chicago, was killed May 1 in Iraq when his convoy was attacked. He was based at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu.

"I feel destroyed. He was my first born and he had no father," said Lopez, of Kissimmee, Fla. "I raised him by myself. He was my life."

Lopez said her son had been deployed to Kosovo, Korea and Kuwait during 12 years in the Army.

She came to the United States from Cali, Colombia, in 1981 and her son arrived three years later. She said Vargas-Medina joined the ROTC program at his Chicago high school before entering the military.

"He loved the Army. He used to say the Army is the best place to be. He felt strongly about going to Iraq. He felt it was necessary to fight for their freedom," Lopez said.

Marine Cpl. Scott M. Vincent

Scott M. Vincent's passions were NASCAR, University of Oklahoma athletics, hunting and fishing. He was also a quiet student determined to make a difference.

"He was one of those students that you knew he was going to become someone important," said Diane Reece, Vincent's fifth- and sixth-grade science teacher.

Vincent, 21, of Bokoshe, Okla., was killed April 30 in hostile attack near Fallujah, Iraq, while conducting a combat mission. He was based at Camp Lejeune.

Vincent joined the Marines in July 2000, two months after his high school graduation. After the terrorist attacks, his unit was shipped to Afghanistan.

He returned stateside, then was sent to Iraq. Though scheduled to be discharged, Vincent volunteered for another tour in Iraq.

"He didn't have to go. He could have stayed home," said Capt. Brent Bombach, Vincent's platoon commander in Iraq. "He absolutely loved his job, and he was very good at it. He loved the Marines."

Army Sgt. Gregory L. Wahl

As a mischievous young man, Gregory L. Wahl often looked for trouble. But service in the military -- and life as a married man -- gave him maturity and success, his father said.

"She's the best thing that ever happened to him," Leonard Wahl said of his daughter-in-law, Maricela. "He saw the light and made a 360-degree turn around. He made his goals."

The 30-year-old from Salisbury, N.C., died May 3 when his vehicle flipped over in a canal in Balad, Iraq. He was stationed in Vilseck, Germany.

While in Iraq, the soldier kept in touch with his father through regular phone calls.

"He was my 4 o'clock alarm," Leonard Wahl said.

After graduating from high school in Salisbury, the soldier moved to New York, where he met Maricela. After they were married, he joined the National Guard and then the Army.

Survivors include a 4-year-old daughter, Alexis.

Army Spc. Chase R. Whitham

Spc. Whitham

As a high schooler, Chase R. Whitham stood out because of his spirit.

"He'd go up and down the hallways making this dinosaur noise," said Corey Anderson, head basketball coach and athletic director at the soldier's Eugene, Ore., high school. "You knew Chase was nearby because you heard Tyrannosaurus Rex blaring."

The 21-year-old from Harrisburg, Ore., died May 8 when he was electrocuted in a swimming pool in Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to Fort Lewis.

The friendly and sometimes mischievous young man played varsity basketball and golf during high school.

"Chase had an incredible spirit," said Cheryl Brelsford, his principal. "He was just one of those kids who as a principal you knew was always up to something."

Survivors include Whitham's parents, Laurie and Mark.

Army Spc. Trevor A. Win'E

Trevor A. Win'E was an avid hockey player who also liked soccer. In school, he was known for wanting to help others.

"He was everybody's big brother here," said Nancy Hamilton, his senior English teacher. "In class, he didn't like to talk about himself; it was always, 'What can I do to help?"'

Win'E, 22, of Orange, Calif., was killed May 1 when his armored military vehicle hit an explosive device near Tikrit. He was based at Fort Lewis.

Hamilton said he sometimes stayed after class to talk about his concerns for his brother's safety in the Air Force, but Win'E idolized his brother and followed him into the military.

Mary Lallande, a longtime family friend and Win'E's high school guidance counselor, said she talked to Win'E shortly before he left for Iraq.

"I asked him if he was scared," she said. "He said he did have fears, but more importantly, he had a job that he'd been training so long to do. He was eager to go do it."

Marine Cpl. Joshua S. Wilfong

Cpl. Wilfong

Driving all-terrain vehicles and trucks or just riding with friends on muddy backroads were some of Joshua S. Wilfong's favorite pastimes.

"He was a real go-getter. Any time we'd go out on the backroads and get stuck, he was always the first one out in the mud with a chain," said Chris Houce. "He'd have mud all over him. He was just that kind of guy who would do stuff like that for you. He was always there with his buddies."

Wilfong, 22, of Walker, W.V., was killed April 30 in Iraq's Anbar province in a hostile attack. He was based in Camp Lejeune.

"He was always there, taking care of his buddies. He was a real easy-going guy and quiet, but when you got him aside, he would talk your ear off," said friend Larry Owens of Parkersburg, W.Va.

Survivors include his father, Michael D. Wilfong.