Paul Karpowich was so patriotic he handed out American flags at his wedding.

As a child, he made visits to the local VFW post with his father, a Vietnam veteran. "He was involved with the military all his life," said member John Bragen.

Karpowich, 30, of Bridgeport, Pa., was killed Dec. 21 in the mess tent suicide bombing in Mosul. He was a drill instructor based in Pennsauken, N.J.

Karpowich's stepmother, Claire, said Karpowich was happy to be back at Camp Marez where the bombing happened.

"He was glad to be back ... because he was out in the field for two weeks," she said. "This was the first time he had a hot shower and good meal."

Karpowich worked as a salesman and consultant with an eye care company and was an avid hunter and fisherman, his family said.

He is survived by his wife, Amanda.

Cpl. Kim

Everyone describes In C. Kim as a shy young man who tried hard to fit in.

"He was quiet and daydreaming," said his uncle, Christopher Kim. "Once I saw a picture he drew. It was a boy lying down on the grass and looking at the sky and daydreaming."

Kim, 23, of Warren, Mich., died Dec. 7 in a vehicle accident in Iraq's Anbar Province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton.

After growing up in Seoul, Kim moved to Michigan with his family five years ago. His parents named him In Chul because "In" means "merciful" in Korean and "Chul" means "pride."

One day, military recruiters piqued his interest with talk of benefits and travel. He took a test and scored especially high in mathematics. He was a Marine by August 2001, a few months after graduating high school.

One of the attractions of the service was its ability to help him learn more about American culture and help with his English.

"First of all, he wanted to learn English, then he wanted to learn about America," said his father, Chang Kim. "He wanted to serve his country."

He also is survived by mother, Kyoung Kim.

Marine Sgt. Jeffrey L. Kirk

When Jeffrey L. Kirk re-enlisted with the Marines, he got an offer to become a pistol instructor at the Officer Candidate School. The irony wasn't lost on his parents, given their son's previous tendency to shirk schoolwork.

"Being in the Marines was just a profound experience for him," said his father, Peter.

Kirk, 24, of Baton Rouge, La., died Dec. 12 from enemy fire in Iraq's Anbar province. He was based at Camp Pendleton and had requested a transfer to a ground forces unit after the 2001 terror attacks.

Kirk, whose interests included art and poetry, was an honor graduate and participated in the gifted program in high school. When told he couldn't enlist before graduating, he spent Saturdays training with other recruits so he would be ready.

Kirk was shot in the thigh in a November firefight. After he recovered, he requested to be put back in action. Although his enlistment was to expire, he chose to extend it to stay with his men, said his mother, Lisa Kirk.

He also is survived by his wife, Carly.

Marine Cpl. Zachary A. Kolda

Cpl. Kolda

In his last letter home from Iraq, Zachary Kolda had some homespun advice for his family.

"Laugh harder than you should, it feels good," he wrote. "Remember, sometimes a sunset is enough to fix a lousy day. When everything stinks, go for a jog to remind yourself you can still run."

Kolda, 23, of Corpus Christi, Texas, died in an explosion during an attack on Dec. 1. His reserve unit was based in Houston.

Growing up, Kolda served as an acolyte at his Episcopal church and lived in Germany for a year as a foreign exchange student. He was an international business major at the University of Texas when he was called up to fight in Iraq.

"He was just a great kid," said the Rev. Adrian Amaya, former assistant rector at the church Zachary attended. "Dynamic. Charming. Handsome. People just gravitated toward him."

Kolda lived in Austin with his wife, Arleen, whom he married in April.

Marine Cpl. Binh N. Le

Binh N. Le was only 4 when an aunt and uncle brought him to the United States from Vietnam, leaving his parents behind. He hoped to eventually sponsor them to join him.

"That was his dream," said an uncle, Luong La.

Le, 20, of Alexandria, Va., was killed Dec. 3 when a car bomb killed him and a fellow Marine as they patrolled near the Jordanian border. Le, serving his second tour in Iraq, had been stationed at Camp Lejeune.

The military was a natural choice for Le, whose father had served in the Vietnamese army. He had "that kind of blood," his uncle said.

After high school graduation in 2002, Le returned to Vietnam for the first time. He had promised an aunt they would go back together after his second Iraq tour ended in April.

In addition to his parents in Vietnam, Le is survived by the aunt and uncle who brought him to the United States and legally adopted him, Thanh Le and Hau Luu.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Patrick D. Leach

Chief Warrant Officer Leach

Before Patrick D. Leach went to war again, he had to make sure his family was taken care of. He installed a new washer and dryer, a new refrigerator and a state-of-the-art hot water heater.

"He had to take care of that mission before he went on the real mission," said relative Jack Ward III. "He was the kind of guy who could fix anything under any circumstance. We called him MacGyver."

Leach, 39, of Rock Hill, S.C., died Dec. 9 died when his helicopter collided with another at the Mosul Airport. He was based in Columbia, S.C.

A 1992 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Leach served in the Guard for 18 years and was credited with destroying 20 enemy tanks in the first Gulf War.

His goal when he returned was to work on the house, take his wife on a ski trip and to finally finish the 1969 Ford Mustang he was restoring in the garage. He'd already cut two cars in half and soldered them together.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; daughter, Juliet, 4; and sons, Grafton, 2, and Miller, 7 months. Two older sons from a previous marriage, Carl and Brandon, live in Washington state.

Marine Staff Sgt. Jason A. Lehto

Just three hours before he died, Jason A. Lehto and his wife happened to access their e-mail accounts at the same time and exchanged messages.

"He told me he found the perfect house for us to move in to when he got home" in March, Michele Lehto said.

Lehto, 31, of Warren, Mich., died Dec. 28 in a non-hostile incident, according to the Defense Department. The family is keeping the details of his death private but described it as an accident. His Marine Reserve unit was based in Harrison Township, Mich.

"We are very sad that he is gone," said Lehto's sister, Angela Krug.

Before leaving for Iraq in August, Lehto worked as a service technician for a company in Trenton, his family said.

"He was an outstanding young man who loved his family," said his stepfather, Chuck Walsh. "He was gung-ho military and gung-ho American."

Marine Lance Cpl. Hilario F. Lopez

Lance Cpl. Lopez

If you wanted to get Hilario F. Lopez's attention, it was best to scream out "Trix!"

"I nicknamed him 'Trix' because he was always pulling tricks on people," said Timothy Flores, Lopez's stepbrother. "April Fool's Day was his favorite day of the year."

Lopez, 22, of Ingleside, Texas, died Dec. 12 during an ambush in Fallujah. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton.

Eric Pena remembered jogging with Lopez, his best friend, around Naval Station Ingleside at 3 a.m. in August just days before he left for his second deployment to Iraq.

"Even in the dark with raccoons and rabbits jumping out at us, he never hesitated," said Pena. "I was scared, but he kept motivating me and telling me to keep going."

Lopez liked to fish, take motors apart and do carpentry. He graduated high school in 2002 and his interest in the Marines came from watching shows on the Discovery Channel.

"He watched those shows all the time," Flores said. "He joined just weeks out of high school. He was like that. When 'Trix' wanted something, he went after it."

He is survived by his parents, Jimmy and Angie Lopez.

Army Spc. David Mahlenbrock

Spc. Mahlenbrock

David Mahlenbrock promised his wife, Melissa, that he would come home alive. It was the only promise to her he ever broke, she said.

"I just want everyone to know what kind of man he was," she said. "He was one of the best men I ever met in my entire life."

Mahlenbrock, 20, of Maple Shade, N.J.; died in a car bomb attack on Dec. 3. He was stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

Mahlenbrock and his wife began dating when they were 14. He wrestled and played football in high school and intended to have a career in the military, said his father, Russell Mahlenbrock.

Mahlenbrock was sent to Iraq in January, just a few days before Melissa learned she was pregnant with the couple's daughter, Kadence. Mahlenbrock saw Kadence when he was home in September.

Chris' younger brother Andrew, 16, and his friends held a candlelight vigil.

Andrew said he intends to enlist as well: "I want to do my duty," he said.

Army Spc. Victor A. Martinez

In his last call home, Victor Martinez apologized to his mother in advance for not making it home for Christmas.

A few days later, on Dec. 14, Martinez was fatally wounded by a sniper in Baghdad. He was buried the day before Christmas near his home in New York City.

Martinez, 21, was devoted to his mother, Juanita Rodriguez, 42, and 9-year-old sister, Arlene, according to his brother, Charles Perez.

"He is the bravest man I know," Perez said.

Martinez joined the Army in March 2002 after graduating from high school. He wanted to be a New York City police officer. He was based at Fort Bragg.

Following a tour in Korea, he was home on leave in June enjoying family and playing billiards at his uncle's house before leaving for Iraq.

Army Spc. Nicholas C. Mason

Spc. Mason

Nicholas Mason had a theory that "the only tool a real man needs is a roll of duct tape."

"I wondered if he'd have a case of duct tape shipped to Iraq to help fix things," said the Rev. Richard Finck, who baptized him. In fact, Mason helped "uparmor" his comrades' military vehicles to protect them.

In tribute, many wore ribbons made from the silver electrical tape to his memorial service.

Mason, 20, of King George, Va., was killed Dec. 21 in the apparent suicide bombing in a mess tent in Mosul, Iraq. He was based in Richmond, Va.

Mason, who went by Nick, was a volunteer firefighter and a competitive wrestler and runner. He signed up for the military when he was still in high school and attended National Guard training once a month while completing his freshman year at Virginia Tech. He planned to resume his studies after returning from Iraq.

He is survived by his parents, Vic and Christine Mason.

"His life is gone, but his strength and spirit will always be with us," Vic Mason said.

Army Staff Sgt. Julian S. Melo

Staff Sgt. Melo

Julian Melo used to dance the merengue like he might throw a hip out -- and he was sure he was aging like a fine wine.

"You know he thought he was handsome," said 1st Sgt. Charles Stanley. Melo would say he couldn't wait for tomorrow, "Because I get better looking every day."

Melo, 47, of New York, died Dec. 21 in the apparent suicide bombing at a mess tent on an Army base in Mosul, Iraq. He was stationed at Fort Lewis.

A former Panamanian Army captain, Melo fled the dictatorship of Manuel Noriega and severed ties with his father, a Noriega aide. Despite his age, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private in 1992 and contacted his future wife, Norma, while stationed in Germany.

Melo was often seen in his unit's supply closet grooving to the music on his digital music player. "He acted like he was 18 or 19 years old," Stanley said.

During his last talk with his wife, Melo related how he had, against all odds, found a Christmas tree in Iraq for his room. He decorated it with a string of Froot Loops.

"Julian always made the best of any situation," she said. "He was a wonderful human being."

Army Sgt. Barry K. Meza

Sgt. Meza

Barry Meza's family celebrated Thanksgiving early so he could leave for his third tour of duty with a belly full of turkey and dressing.

"It was wonderful. He loved everybody," his aunt, Cindi Meza, said. "He couldn't wait to get back home."

He spoke to his family after he arrived in Kuwait and said he was happy not to be on the front lines.

Meza, 23, of League City, Texas, was killed Dec. 19 when he was struck by a car as he changed a flat tire in Kuwait. He was stationed at Fort Hood.

Meza was outgoing and fun-loving, with a warm smile. He joined the Army shortly after graduating from high school in 1998. He signed up for a five-year commitment and was considering re-enlisting this spring, his aunt said.

He leaves behind sons Richard, 6, and Barry, 5.

"He was a very outgoing person who enjoyed life and would always tell everyone, 'Life is short. Live every day like it is your last,"' Cyndi said.

Army Sgt. David Anthony Mitts

When it comes to odd culinary combos, Elvis had nothing on David Anthony Mitts. His favorite sandwiches? Peanut butter, cheese and pickles.

Mitts, 24, of Hammond, Ore., died in a hostile attack on Dec. 4. He was stationed at Fort Lewis.

Mitts married his high school sweetheart, Tara, who is pregnant with their child.

An avid hunter and fisherman, Mitts joined the Army in 1999, the same year he graduated from high school. High school friend and St. Louis Rams football team member Dusty McGrorty recalled days when the two would race home for lunch in Mitts' baby blue Ford Ranger, eat a lunch of macaroni and cheese, sneak in a quick duck hunt, catch a few moments of Jerry Springer's talk show, then make the wild dash back to school.

"I love him, and I'm going to miss a dear friend," McGrorty said.