Army Pfc. Shawn M. Atkins

Shawn M. Atkins hoped to attend college in Colorado or Wyoming after returning from Iraq, his father said.

"He was just about ready to get out of there," Jim Atkins said. "He was a good kid."

The 20-year-old from Parker, Colo., died June 14 of a non-combat injury in Baghdad, Iraq. He was stationed in Hanau, Germany, and was nearing the end of his tour of duty when he died, his father said.

Atkins was born on an air base in the Philippines into a military family -- his father served for 20 years. He played football and wrestled in high school before graduating in 2002.

The soldier is also survived by his mother, Sukie.

Army 1st Lt. Kenneth Michael Ballard

In one of the last e-mails Kenneth Michael Ballard sent to his mom, he wrote, "Don't worry about us. We know what we're doing."

Ballard and his mother chatted online or on the telephone almost daily. The pair last talked May 27, "a bonus day" Karen Meredith says, because she received both a letter and a phone call.

"He was an only child. He knew how important it was for me to hear from him," Meredith said.

Ballard, 26, of Mountain View, Calif., died May 30 in Najaf, Iraq, from small arms fire. He was stationed in Germany.

Ballard joined the Army in 1995, but took leave to attend Middle Tennessee State University, where he earned a degree in international relations in 2002. He planned to serve in the Army two more years, then earn a master's degree and work in Washington.

His mother had been posting Ballard's photos from Iraq on her Web site. "It was important that people see his smiling face and for people to know what was going on in Iraq, that it wasn't just a news story," she said.

Survivors also include his father, Tom Ballard.

Marine Staff Sgt. Marvin Best

Sgt. Best

Marvin Best didn't get home for the holidays very often, so his mother has warm memories of his visit a few months before deploying for Iraq.

"My son was home for Christmas for five days, for the first time in years and that was special," said Charlotte Best of Prosser, Wash.

The 33-year-old Best, based at Twentynine Palms, joined the Marines in June 1989 and was sent to Iraq in February. He died June 20 during hostile action in Iraq's Anbar province.

When Best reported for duty in Iraq, his mother said, his comments centered on the relief other troops would feel.

"He told me, 'Mom, I'm so thankful I've got a fresh, strong body. These guys we're relieving are so tired and they've been here so long," she said.

Other survivors include his father, William, and wife, Rachelle.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jeremy L. Bohlman

Cpl. Bohlman

Growing up, Jeremy L. Bohlman spent a lot of time with his grandparents. When he was sent on his first tour of duty in Iraq, the Marine wrote to them of his pride in his work restoring a school.

"I think we did the right thing coming here," he wrote. "The majority of the Iraqi people praise us for the work we are doing here."

The 21-year-old from Sioux Falls, S.D., was killed June 7 in an attack in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton

As a high school student, Bohlman would stop by principal Bill Hoff's office to visit.

"He was a nice kid. I enjoyed talking to him. He was personable and had a good heart," Hoff said.

His uncle, Mike Stoakes, said the Marine always had "an infectious smile."

"Jeremy never complained about his duty in Iraq and he did feel it was the right thing to do," Stoakes said.

Survivors include his wife, Lindsey. The two were married two weeks before Bohlman left for Iraq.

Marine Lance Cpl. Todd J. Bolding

Cpl. Bolding

Todd J. Bolding never spoke of his missions or the dangers he faced while serving in Iraq: "He loved us too much to take us through that," said his sister, Joslyn Bolding.

He had just nine months left in the Marines and planned to settle in the Houston area and attend college after his service ended.

Bolding, 23, of Manvel, Texas, was killed June 3 from hostile action in Anbar province. He joined the Marines in 2001 and was based at Camp Pendleton.

Bolding was a youth usher at his church and organized the church's basketball team. In high school, he played football, wrestled and ran track. In the summers, he worked as a lifeguard.

Football coach Mike Bass said he could put Bolding into any position, any situation because he knew he would get all-out effort from a player willing to sacrifice his needs for the team.

"He was going to serve others, which he's done, for his life, which led to the end of his life," Bass said.

Marine Pfc. Cody S. Calavan

Cody S. Calavan's 15-year-old brother was killed by a drunken driver only nine months before Calavan died in Iraq. Despite the pain, he wanted to go to Iraq -- his family said he strongly supported the war effort.

"He took pride in being a Marine and everything it stood for," said his stepsister, Kalee Calavan Craig. "Cody was not afraid of war and not afraid to die for what he believed in."

Calavan, 19, of Stanwood, Wash., died May 29 in a roadside bombing in Iraq's Anbar province. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton.

Calavan "had the heart of a great leader," said Sgt. Ronnie Ramos, who served with Calavan.

Calavan's mother died of breast cancer six years ago. His father, David Calavan, couldn't fight back tears when he said the losses were "a bit overwhelming."

Army Sgt. Frank T. Carvill

Sgt. Carvill

Frank T. Carvill, who survived the terror attacks at the World Trade Center in 1993 and 2001, was always one to help others.

Carvill was working in the North Tower as a paralegal on Sept. 11, 2001, said his sister, Peggy Liguori. He was helping a co-worker with a disability get into a van, and saw the first plane hit. In the 1993 attack, he helped a co-worker 54 floors down to safety.

A member of the New Jersey National Guard, Carvill, 51, of Carlstadt, N.J., was killed June 4 in an ambush outside Baghdad.

Liguori called Carvill "the greatest big brother in the world" who used to take her to the movies as a child. Liguori said Carvill loved going on National Guard weekends each month "even though inevitably it would be snowing or raining or 110 degrees out."

Daniel Carvill, who said his brother was always willing to help others, said he saw Carvill off at Fort Dix on a cold, rainy day.

"He felt he had reason to go," he said. "But you could tell he was nervous about going. Who wouldn't be? I shook his hand, and that's the last time I saw him."

Army Spc. Thomas D. Caughman

Spc. Caughman

At Thomas D. Caughman's funeral, the Rev. Robert "Butch" Powell recalled one of his last conversations with Caughman before the soldier headed for Iraq.

"He told me, 'I'm not married, I don't have any kids. I'm going for those who can't. I'm going because it's right,' " Powell said.

When he wrote home, Caughman closed his letters with these words: "Freedom isn't free."

Caughman, 20, of Lexington, S.C., died June 9 when his armored vehicle was ambushed near Baghdad.

His parents, Hampton and Jane Caughman, said their son loved children and especially relished the time he could spend with his cousins.

One of those cousins, 6-year-old Hannah Frye, honored Caughman by standing before the packed church and flawlessly singing "God Bless the USA."

Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Codner

Kyle W. Codner was selfless, with a sense of humor and a positive outlook, those who knew him said.

"He was a person full of character," said Lynn McBride, the mayor of Shelton, Neb., where Codner graduated from high school in 2003. "He established himself as a Marine."

The 19-year-old was killed by an explosive May 26 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

Friends recalled how, before Codner became a proud Marine, he was an eighth-grade boy with a crush on a girl named Megan Kirkover. They were engaged shortly after he enlisted.

In a poem read at Codner's funeral, Kirkover wrote of saying goodbye as he left for service, praying for him in church and sending him letters. She felt great joy when she heard from him in return, she wrote.

"Loving a Marine isn't always what they say, and loving him comes with a high price to pay," she wrote.

Army Pvt. Bradli N. Coleman

The oldest of three children, Brad Coleman continued what had become a family tradition of military service.

His father, Donald Coleman, and grandfather served in the Navy. A great-grandfather fought in the Philippines during World War II and his great-great-grandfather fought in Europe during World War I, Donald Coleman said.

"Brad is the only one of us who hasn't come home," his father said.

Coleman, 19, of Ford City, Pa., had been in the Army just eight months when he was killed May 30 by a mortar attack in Mosul, Iraq. He was based at Fort Lewis.

Unlike his father, Brad Coleman took a camera rather than a rifle on hunting trips because he didn't like to shoot animals. He had talked about making a career of the military but also mentioned becoming a college football coach, his father said.

"He had found himself and really seemed to be excited to be doing what he was doing," said Vincent Curren, his high school principal.

Marine Lance Cpl. Pedro Contreras

Cpl. Contreras

Pedro Contreras was the kind of person who "brought light" to his family, his twin brother said.

"It's a real tragedy for our family," said Noe Contreras, one of the 27-year-old soldier's four siblings.

Pedro Contreras, of Harris, Texas, died June 21 in a battle in Iraq's Anbar province. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton.

Before joining the Marines in 2001, he worked at the county parks and recreation office.

Army Spc. Ryan E. Doltz

Spc. Doltz

When Ryan E. Doltz injured both heels while training for his deployment to Iraq, doctors told him he'd spend six weeks in a wheelchair and six months in rehabilitation, his mother said.

But the soldier wouldn't let the prognosis slow him down. He recovered in eight weeks and joined his comrades in Iraq.

"He was absolutely determined to get back to his unit," Cheryl Doltz said.

The 26-year-old from Mine Hill, N.J., was killed June 5 in Baghdad in an attack on his vehicle. His National Guard unit was based in Lawrence, N.J.

The soldier loved to push the envelope, his mother said. He quit the Virginia Military Institute football team only to take up rugby -- "football without pads," she said.

His friends described him as energetic and said he was a caring and trustworthy comrade.

"He had the biggest heart of anybody I know," said Howard Cook, a U.S. Marine Corps reservist who entered VMI a year later than Doltz. "He was just one of those all-around good guys that would do anything for you."

Amy Spc. Jeremy M. Dimaranan

Jeremy M. Dimaranan's shyness hid a romantic side. He wrote poetry to his wife, professing his devotion.

"From the first time I saw you, I knew you were the one," he wrote in a poem titled "Miracle."

The Filipino-American called his wife "mahal," the Tagalog word for love. He belted out karaoke to her at their wedding in 1995. A house of their own was supposed to come next year.

Through a grainy Web camera in Iraq, the 29-year-old Reservist from Virginia Beach, Va., tried to calm his wife's fears, saying all he needed was sleep.

He died the next day, killed June 16 in a mortar attack in Balad.

A computer technician, Dimaranan had a new job with Canon Computer Systems in Chesapeake, Va., and was scheduled to leave the Reserves in August. Then he was activated and deployed to the war. He tried to put it in a good light.

"He thought, it's tax-free over there," his wife said, "so we could save for a house,"

Other survivors incl his children Celynna, 6, Jeriah, 4, and Jerico, 17 months.

Army Spc. Christopher M. Duffy

Spc. Duffy

Christopher M. Duffy had a passion for the Green Bay Packers and the New York Mets. His lighthearted nature was balanced by a willingness to help those in need, friends said.

Duffy worked for three years for Ocean's One Inc., a transport company, driving elderly patients to medical appointments.

"They'd say that, 'Chris makes me laugh a mile a minute.' They all wanted Chris because he made them laugh and he treated them with respect," said Danielle Ballance, the company's general manager.

The 26-year-old New Jersey National Guard member from Brick Township was killed June 4 in an ambush outside Baghdad.

A friend, Dan Haupt, characterized Duffy as a loyal person who would be the first to comfort others. At the same time, he said Duffy was a prankster who couldn't resist tossing someone in a pool if they were standing too close to the edge.

Survivors include his wife, Casey, and 8-month-old son, Ryan.

Army Sgt. Aaron C. Elandt

Sgt. Elandt

Aaron C. Elandt was the youngest of four siblings, and all followed their father into the Army.

Paul Elandt, 58, who served during Vietnam, said he encouraged his children to travel and broaden their horizons.

"(Their mother) Linda said, 'I can't stand another one in the military.' I told them get out of Huron County and see a bit of the world," Paul Elandt said.

Aaron Elandt, 23, of Port Hope, Mich., died May 30 when his Humvee hit a land mine near Musayyib, Iraq. He had joined the military in 2000 after high school.

"My favorite word for him was irreverent," Linda Elandt said. "He did his own thing."

Harbor Beach Community Schools Superintendent Ron Kraft called Elandt "a courageous young man" dedicated to serving his country.

"He was a solid young man as a student and as a citizen," Kraft said.

Army Sgt. Justin L. Eyerly

Sgt. Eyerly

Justin L. Eyerly was a talented and creative man whose love of music was rivaled only by his sense of duty.

He was studying graphic design at Portland State University, and hoped to work in the music industry or produce video games. Eyerly worked as an intern in Web design for the Portland Trail Blazers.

Eyerly, 23, of Salem, Ore., was killed June 4 in an ambush in Sadr City, a Baghdad suburb.

He was an avid fan of the rock band Filter, running a Web site about the group. In a statement on the band's own Web site, Filter frontman Richard Patrick promised to dedicate the group's upcoming album to Eyerly's memory "as a tribute to this courageous young man, whose passion for my music will not be forgotten."

His sister, Stacia Eyerly Hatfield, said Justin could laugh at anything: "When he'd call from Iraq he'd say, 'the food isn't so bad here,"' Hatfield said.

Survivors include his parents, Lynn and Susan Eyerly.

Marine Cpl. Matthew C. Henderson

Matthew C. Henderson cared about the soldiers he served with, and when Kyle Codner joined the squadron in January, Henderson helped the 19-year-old adjust. The two became inseparable.

"It didn't take (Matthew) long before he took Kyle under his wing," Owen Henderson said of his son. "He felt responsible for him."

The 25-year-old from Lincoln, Neb., was killed along with Codner by an explosive May 26 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

The Marine loved to make his mother laugh, and "he always found the mud puddles to stomp in as a kid," his father said.

Other survivors include his wife, Jaimie.

Army Pfc. Melissa J. Hobart

Pfc. Hobart

Melissa J. Hobart had a tough start, dropping out of high school and getting her GED, but by the time she graduated as a medic in the Army, she was at the top of her class, friends and family said.

"We came a long way from nothing and we made it pretty far," said Gary Hobart, her brother. "She joined the service so her daughter wouldn't have to face the hardships we faced as younger persons."

The 22-year-old from Ladson, S.C., collapsed while on guard duty and died June 6 in Baghdad. She was based at Fort Hood.

Hobart was spunky and energetic: "She was always on the go and you couldn't keep up with her," said her mother, Constance Hobart.

The solider played soccer, basketball, baseball and the flute and loved to dance and read, her mother said. The two used to fight over who would get first crack at each new Stephen King book.

Other survivors include Gary Hobart, her father, and her 3-year-old daughter, Alexis McCabe.

Army Pfc. Sean Horn

Pfc. Horn

During a final phone conversation with Sean Horn, his sister Melissa repeatedly told him how much she loved him. An embarrassed Horn replied: "Come on, Mel, the fellas are behind me listening. I understand you love me."

A week from his 20th birthday, Horn died June 19 of non-hostile causes at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

"It's the worst thing in the world that could possibly happen to a family," his sister said.

Horn was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Lakewood and grew up in Irvine. He joined the Marines in June 2003. "He loved the Marines. He had a great career ahead of him," said his father, Steven.

Army Pfc. Markus J. Johnson

Pfc. Johnson

Markus J. Johnson joined the Army days after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in hopes that his service would help him realize his dream of becoming a state trooper.

A big fan of the Chicago Bulls, Johnson also hoped to live in Chicago some day. "He said, Dad, that would give you a place to visit," recalled his stepfather Lawrence Thomas Jr.

Johnson, 20, of Springfield, Mass., was killed June 1 when his vehicle rolled over in the Anbar province of Iraq. He was based in Germany.

Johnson played in the high school band and sang tenor in the church choir. "He always had a smile," said Celeste Budd-Jackson, his high school principal.

Survivors include his parents.

Army Capt. Humayun S.M. Khan

Capt. Khan

Humayun S.M. Khan, who hoped to become a military lawyer one day, enjoyed taking responsibility for others and keeping the peace.

"Whenever I was upset, he always found the right words. He always calmed me down," said his girlfriend, Irene Auer. "He was perfect. He was the most wonderful person I've ever met."

As his father, Khizr Khan, recalls, "He was always a peacemaker, always seeing an opportunity to give. He always said to the Iraqis, 'We're here not to hurt you but to help you.' "

Khan, 27, of Bristow, Va., died June 8 in a suicide car bombing at the main gates of his base. He was stationed in Germany.

He had tried to reassure his parents that he was safe, despite the frequent attacks on his base.

"Whenever I talked to him, I started to cry," said his mother, Ghazala Khan. "He always said to me, 'Don't worry. I'm safe.' "

Khan was born in the United Arab Emirates and moved to Maryland at age 2. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 2000.

Army Staff Sgt. Charles A. Kiser

Sgt. Kiser

Charles Kiser loved his family deeply, and also believed strongly in the U.S. efforts in Iraq.

"One of the things all of his sisters and his mother say about their most recent contact with Chuck via the Internet is that Chuck really believed in the mission in Iraq," said Bill Grannen, his brother-in-law in Cincinnati.

"He loved the children in Iraq, who used to follow the soldiers around. He felt his mission was to see that they have a free place to grow up. He seemed committed to that."

Kiser, 37, of Cleveland, Wis., died June 24 in an explosion outside Mosul, Iraq.

Before being deployed, he worked as a supervisor at GKN Sinter Metals, which manufactures automotive parts.

"Let people know that he was a great guy," said Steve Holzwart, a family friend. "You couldn't ask for a better father.

Survivors include his wife, Deb, and children Mark, 10, and Alicia, 13.

Kiser grew up in Amelia, Ohio, east of Cincinnati, and was a sprinter and ran cross country in high school. He was a member of the track team at the University of Cincinnati, but dropped out after a year and joined the Navy, Grannen said.

After seven years of active duty and seven years in the Navy Reserve, Kiser joined the Army reserve unit two years ago because it was near his home in Wisconsin, Grannen said.

Army Pfc. James P. Lambert

James P. Lambert lifted the spirits of those around him, those who served with him said -- he was never greedy, never selfish and always smiling.

"I'm sure everyone else in the platoon felt the same way," one soldier wrote in a note read at Lambert's funeral. "He was the person you hung out with when you needed to be lifted."

The 23-year-old from New Orleans, stationed at Fort Drum, was killed by an explosive May 25 in Fallujah, Iraq.

Lambert moved often with his family as he was growing up, but he adapted well to each new environment, his mother said.

"He was a very outgoing person, and everybody loved him," Rosemary Lambert said.

Months earlier, the soldier opted to remain in Iraq after being hit in the neck by shrapnel. Recently married, he wanted to continue his college studies after military service.

Survivors include his wife, Rachel, 19.