Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Adlesperger

Cpl. Adlesperger

Christopher S. Adlesperger's last message to his mom was good news. "Chris said he had just been promoted meritoriously to lance corporal," said his mother, Annette. "He said, 'How cool is that?"'

Adlesperger, 20, of Albuquerque, N.M., died Dec. 9 during fighting in Iraq's Anbar province. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

Adlesperger ran track, did tae kwon do and wrestled in high school, which he graduated from in 2003. He was a tad mischievous; on occasion, Adlesperger would sneak up on family and friends to wrestle with them.

"He was always looking to have fun," said his uncle, Dennis Adlesperger. "He loved the outdoors, he loved sports. He loved being around people, but he was competitive."

After graduation, Adlesperger briefly attended the University of New Mexico and joined the Marines. In Iraq, one of his biggest complaints was the lack of green chili.

"He felt like that was what he wanted to do -- go over there and defend us," Dennis Adlesperger said. "He knew when he was signed up that he was probably going over. That was his duty."

He also is survived by his father, Gary.

Marine Cpl. Michael D. Anderson

Cpl. Anderson

When Marine Cpl. Michael D. Anderson first arrived in Iraq in September, the risky duties of searching house-to-house for insurgents was a thrill.

"At first, he was all gung ho, like everybody is," said his father, Michael Anderson Sr. "He called after the first firefight he was in and said it was the greatest day of his life."

But his attitude quickly changed. He told his family he was having nightmares and couldn't get the smells of war out of his head.

The 21-year-old squad leader from Modesto, Calif., was killed Dec. 14 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

As a child, Anderson enjoyed skateboarding, snowboarding and motorcycles. He served stints in Japan, Guam and Haiti before being sent to Iraq.

"He was tough as nails," the Marine's father said. "You know when they say that Marines are a different breed? I didn't know what they were talking about until I had one for a son."

Army Pfc. Lionel Ayro

Pfc. Ayro

At the age of 6, Lionel Ayro dreamed of driving 18-wheelers. As he matured, the dream grew with him -- and he made plans to use his military pay to buy a rig and start his own trucking company.

"He was a hardworking young man," Catherine Ayro said of her son. "He's always been like that. He'd go to school, come home, work in the fields, then come mow the yard, take out the trash and clean the house. Then he would study."

The 22-year-old combat engineer from Jeanerette, La., was killed Dec. 21 in the bombing of a mess hall tent in Mosul, Iraq. He was based at Fort Lewis.

Comrades remembered the soldier as sensitive, with a strong work ethic. He was "a man who would cry when he saw the Lion King," Sgt. Efrain Rodriguez said.

Ayro was the fastest soldier in their company, Rodriguez said. He recalled trying -- and failing -- to keep up with him during a 2-mile run Ayro finished in just under 11 minutes.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Joel E. Baldwin

Petty Officer Baldwin

An expert carpenter, Joel Baldwin volunteered to build playground equipment for several schools. But he had another talent that thrilled children even more -- he was a terrific Santa Claus.

"He was very good guy," said Keith Mazotas, 36, a veteran of Iraq and a close friend.

Baldwin, 37, of Gulfport, Miss., died Dec. 21, a victim of the suicide bomber who exploded a bomb in a mess tent in Mosul. He was based in Gulfport.

Born in Panama, Baldwin was a patient teacher who was inseparable from his wife, Claudia, and 9-year-old daughter, Cali. He learned carpentry skills from his father and also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. He joined the Navy in 1988.

"He was constantly giving," said Butch Simpson, 39, a retired Army building instructor who worked with Baldwin. "When I put the addition on my house, every time I needed him he came by."

Baldwin was careful about his work but never lost his sense of humor.

"He would try to make it fun," Mazotas said.

Army 1st Lt. Christopher W. Barnett

Christopher W. Barnett loved the troops he commanded and planned to join an active duty unit after finishing his tour in Iraq as a National Guardsman.

"He loved his troops," said his brother, Jim Barnett. "He lived by duty, honor, bravery and sacrifice."

Barnett, 32, of Baton Rouge, La., was killed in Iraq on Dec. 23 by a roadside bomb. His unit was based in Shreveport, La.

Barnett's family had moved to Jacksonville, Fla., when he was in high school, but he returned to attend Louisiana State University. He was a Web site designer and worked for a company in Baton Rouge.

Jim Barnett said his brother had a great sense of humor: "He's about the funniest person I've known in my life," he said.

Barnett is also survived by his wife, Amanda.

Army Cpl. Joseph Behnke

A grandfather, Joseph Behnke was much older than most of the soldiers in his unit. To prepare for Iraq, he ran up and down the beach at Coney Island carrying a backpack filled with sand.

"He would always say, 'Son, there's nothing more honorable than dying for your country,"' said his son, Jason Limage, 28.

Behnke, 45, of New York, was killed Dec. 4 when he was thrown from his Humvee in Baghdad. His National Guard unit is located in New York's Brooklyn borough.

Family members said when Behnke was 13, he tried to join the Army to go to Vietnam but was rejected. He worked at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Manhattan for 17 years

The father of five often wrote home to ask relatives to send food, clothing and other supplies so he could give them to Iraqi children.

"He'd speak about the kids, how badly he felt for the children over there," said another son, Joseph Behnke Jr. "The poverty over there really affected him."

Marine Staff Sgt. Melvin L. Blazer

Before the 15 years of marriage, before the birth of their two children, Melvin and Dana Blazer were friends.

"We were such wonderful friends for many, many years," Dana Blazer said. "That friendship blossomed into a wonderful love. The stuff fairy tales are made of."

The 38-year-old Marine from Moore, Okla., was killed Dec. 12 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was based at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

"To know my husband was to love my husband," Dana Blazer said. "Everybody loved him and admired him and respected him and held him in such high regard. He was a hero in his everyday life."

Blazer chose the military as his career shortly after high school, and it was a commitment he believed would carry on even after his death, one of his comrades said.

"He always had this theory that when you get to heaven, the streets will be guarded by the Marines," Master Gunnery Sgt. Melvin Waters said.

Survivors include Blazer's children, Alyssa and Erik.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffery S. Blanton

Lance Cpl. Blanton

Jeffery S. Blanton chose to return to the battlefield after being treated in the hospital for a gunshot wound, his family said. Just two days later, he was killed.

"He lost three toes and had an opportunity to come home, but he would not," Sandra Blanton said of her nephew. "He wanted to stay. He didn't want to give up his career with them."

The 23-year-old from Fayetteville, Ga., was killed Dec. 12 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

One of the Marine's high school teachers remembered him for his vibrant personality.

"He was full of vinegar; he had a wicked laugh and he lived life to the fullest," Glenna With wrote in a letter to his family.

The Marine understood the dangers he faced, but he remained eager to do his work, his father said.

"'The good news is I'm going to Iraq,"' Steven Blanton recalled his son saying. "'The bad news is I may not be coming back."'

Survivors include his wife, Amber. The Army paralegal was stationed in Afghanistan at the time of her husband's death.

Army Sgt. Michael L. Boatright

Sgt. Boatright

Michael Luke Boatright was a Texan who loved riding bulls, listening to country music and hunting deer.

"He was a little ol' homebred cowboy," said his mother-in-law, Yetta Skidmore.

The 24-year-old from Frisco, Texas, was killed Dec. 4 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device struck him.

Boatright, who went by Luke, was known for his bright smile and considerate attitude. He was in the Future Farmers of America in high school before joining the Army in 1997. He had just re-enlisted for another four years and decided to make the Army his career.

"He loved being a soldier," said his mother, Candace Sons. "He took his Army values very seriously -- loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage."

He leaves behind his wife, Desty, and three children -- ages 7, 5 and 4 -- who live near Fort Hood.

Army Spc. Jonathan Castro

Family and friends say Jonathan Castro was ambitious, adventurous and creative, but that his greatest trait was his love for people.

"If you gave him love, it would come back tenfold," said his mother, Vickie Castro.

Castro, 21, of Corona, Calif., was among the soldiers killed Dec. 21 in Mosul during an attack on a mess tent. He was stationed at Fort Lewis.

In high school, Castro showed a talent for building things, making an electric guitar and a full-sized electric car -- one of two vehicles the school entered in a three-day race in Portland, Ore.

"Jonathan seemed like he was more experienced than his years," said Kent Galloway, one of his teachers. "He was able to make judgments and decisions that you would expect adults to be able to do."

Castro dreamed of opening a Mexican restaurant or finding a job in law enforcement after completing his military duty, relatives and friends said.

"All my high school friends, I'll come back and they'll be doing the same thing. I don't want to be like that," his mother recalled Castro saying.

Marine Cpl. Jason S. Clairday

When Sarah McCullough's parents first met their future son-in-law Jason S. Clairday, they thought he was a fake: No young man could be that good.

"He loved my daughter," said Cindy McCullough, Sarah's mother. "If I had picked a husband for her, he would have been the one."

Clairday, 21, of Camp Fulton, Ark., died Dec. 12 in Fallujah when he was hit by enemy fire. A 2001 high school graduate, he was stationed at Camp Pendleton.

"I don't know if anyone knew how to live life any more fully than Jason," said the Rev. John Hodges, pastor of First Baptist Church of Salem. "I don't know of anyone who loved people and life any more than Jason."

The deacons at his church said Clairday loved to dress up for church and was always calling friends to see what they would be wearing to the Sunday service.

"When Jason joined the church and started coming to services, everyone in the congregation gravitated to him," said Hodges. "I don't want to be overly dramatic, but Jason connected. When he was talking to you, you were the most important person in the world to him at that time."

Army Spc. Sergio R. Diaz Varela

Sergio Diaz Varela was a Mexican immigrant who joined the Army to buy his mother a house.

"All he wanted was to help his mother," neighbor Leticia Garibay said. "He was fighting for his mother."

Diaz, 21, of Lomita, Calif., died Nov. 24 when a bomb exploded near his patrol vehicle in Ramadi, Iraq. He was stationed at Camp Howze, Korea.

Diaz and his family moved to California from Guadalajara, Mexico in the early 1990s. He and his mother, Maria, went back to Mexico a few years later, but he decided to return when he was a junior high school student to learn English. He lived with his father, Sergio Sr.

A hard-working student, Diaz played basketball in high school and tinkered with his gray Mustang. Neighbors said Diaz often talked about his desire to buy a house for his mother in Guadalajara.

"He was a quiet type of guy," said Nelson Sanchez, who went to school with him. "Wouldn't mess with anybody."

Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua W. Dickinson

To earn a spot with the Marines, Joshua W. Dickinson gave up cigarettes and cut back on beer. When he got off work, he strapped on a weighted vest and went for a 5-mile run.

Even his leisure time had a military focus: His favorite video game was "Medal of Honor."

Dickinson, 25, of New Port Richey, Fla., died Dec. 12 during fighting in Iraq's Anbar province. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

"His life was cut short," said his ex-wife, Rhonda Stowers. "That baby didn't even have a chance to get his life going. He was just starting to turn it around."

Two months before he was to graduate, Josh dropped out. He started drinking, hanging with the wrong crowd, said his aunt, Becky Robertson. He later got a job with an asbestos removal company.

But he wanted more, to provide for his daughter, Kala. He took classes online at the library to obtain his high school diploma, and enlisted.

On the day he was to leave for basic training, his father, Ben Dickinson, sent him off. "I told him I loved him, and I was proud of him. He was doing something with his life."

Army Sgt. Thomas J. Dostie

Sgt. Dostie

Thomas J. Dostie had a need for speed, whether it was making jumps from a beaver dam in his boat or tearing down streets in a souped-up car.

One time Dostie came "ripping down the road about 100 miles per hour," recalled Ron Cyr, a family friend and unofficial uncle to the young man.

Cyr stepped into the road to make him stop. "Hi Uncle Ronnie," Thomas said. "I was just testing it out."

"You just couldn't get mad at him," Cyr said.

Dostie, 20, of Somerville, Maine, died Dec. 21 during a suicide attack on a dinning facility in Mosul. He was based in Portland.

Dostie graduated high school in 2002 and was a volunteer firefighter. Cyr recalled Dostie's big grin and easygoing manner, handy as the Dostie family raised 43 foster children -- with Tommy playing the role of peacekeeper.

He loved outdoor sports such as fishing, water-skiing and snowmobiling. "And, he liked raising a little Cain," said family spokesman John Houllahan.

Appropriately enough, the day before shipping out to Iraq, Dostie was ticketed for speeding.

He is survived by his parents, Michael and Peggy.