Marine Cpl. Kelly M. Cannan

Kelly Matthew Cannan volunteered for a third tour in Iraq so fellow Marines with wives and children wouldn't have to go.

"He was always thinking of someone else," said Frank J. Archer, a maintenance worker at the courthouse where Cannan worked part-time before enlisting in the Marine Corps in September 2001.

Cannan, 21, of Lowville, N.Y., was killed April 20 when a bomb exploded near his Humvee in Ar Ramadi. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

The 2001 high school graduate also graduated from Howard G. Sackett Technical Center in carpentry.

"Matt wasn't just a co-worker; Matt was a friend. He always gave 110 percent, no matter what he did. Matt liked everybody, and everybody like Matt," Archer said.

He is survived by his mother, Dianne E. Smith.

Army Pfc. Gavin J. Colburn

Pfc. Colburn

Gavin Colburn had big plans for when he returned from Iraq: He wanted to marry his girlfriend and use his Army benefits to go to college, where he would study law.

"We told him we'd pay for college, but he was real independent that way. He wanted to do it himself," said his father, Tony Colburn.

Gavin Colburn, 20, of Frankfort, Ind., was killed April 22 when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy along a supply route north of Tal Afar. He was based in Kingsbury, Ind.

He joined the Reserves in 2003 after graduating from high school, where he played basketball. His coach, Mike Patrick, said Colburn was a quiet person with great physical energy.

"He was a kid with a plan and the Army was part of that plan," he said.

His father added: "He was one of the nicest kids around, and I'm not just saying that 'cause he was my son. He'd help anyone who needed help, whether they knew him or not."

Colburn is also survived by his mother, Tina Stevens.

Army Sgt. Anthony J. Davis Jr.

Michell Davis met her future husband Anthony Davis Jr. when they were preteens, but she always knew he stood out in their tough neighborhood. While other kids thought about joining gangs, Davis wanted to become a police officer.

"He didn't smoke cigarettes, he never drank alcohol and he was just strong in who he was," she said. "He would always make you smile."

Davis, 22, of Long Beach, Calif., was killed April 23 when a car bomb detonated near his vehicle in Mosul, Iraq. He was based at Fort Lewis.

Davis never got to meet his youngest daughter, Aniya, born two weeks after his deployment in October. The couple also had a 4-year-old daughter, Ah'lania.

Davis enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school in 2001 and became a sniper. He hoped to become a police officer when his enlistment was up in two years.

"We're proud of him because he was accomplishing what he'd set out to do by helping people and providing for us," Michell said. "He was always helping people."

Army Staff Sgt. Kevin D. Davis

When his soldiers returned from a mission, Kevin Davis always made sure they had something hot to eat.

"He was an example of what a noncommissioned officer should be," said his roommate in Iraq, Staff Sgt. Jessie Scharder. "His nature was to take care of people."

Davis, 40, of Lebanon, Ore., was killed April 8 after his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb in Hawijah, Iraq. He was based in Redmond, Ore.

Davis, a 14-year veteran of the National Guard, worked at a juvenile detention center and was a reserve officer with the Lebanon Police Department. He wanted to become a full-time officer when he returned from Iraq.

The father of three loved helping children and was an avid fisherman and softball player who spent much of his spare time studying the Bible.

His wife, Robbin Davis, said almost every photo she received of her husband was of him with Iraqi children. He was fulfilled by his efforts in Iraq to help build a school.

"I got a letter home that said, 'Now I know what this is about. Now I know why I'm here,"' she said.

Marine Lance Cpl. Tenzin Dengkhim

Tenzin Dengkhim, a devoted follower of the Dalai Lama, hoped he could one day use his military training to help his native Tibet gain independence.

"It was his wish to go to Iraq, to give someone else an opportunity to have freedom, which we Tibetans couldn't have," said his cousin, Pema Chagzoetsang.

Dengkhim, 19, of Falls Church, Va., was killed in combat in Anbar province. He was based at Camp Lejeune.

Dengkhim came to the United States from India as part of a U.S. relocation project in the early 1990s. He lived in Utah before going to Virginia, where he graduated from high school.

His older brother, Tenzin Fende, recalled Dengkhim as a playful, smiling, shy young man who cared deeply about his mother, Rinzin Dengkhim, and his Buddhist faith.

"Deep down, he held the great spirit of Tibet," his cousin said. "I think his mission is fulfilled and as a Tibetan, he contributed to the American cause."

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Dill

Sgt. Dill

Christopher Dill was a soldier and a firefighter, but he was a hero to his wife in other ways. Before he left for Iraq, he ordered her an early birthday cake so they could celebrate, and he had a dozen roses delivered on the big day.

"He was a firefighter and he was a soldier, but he was my day-to-day, goofy, caring husband, and he was everybody's best friend," Dawn Dill said.

Christopher Dill, 32, of Tonawanda, N.Y., was killed April 4 by small arms fire while training security forces in Iraq. He was based in Buffalo, N.Y., where he was a firefighter.

Dill joined the Reserves after serving in Desert Storm. A drill sergeant, he could have gone to Missouri to train soldiers, but chose to go to Iraq.

"He told me he wanted to go back and finish what he started so that our future children and everyone else's children wouldn't have to go there," his wife said.

She was consoled by the memory of what he told her on their wedding day, as they rode around in a limousine after the ceremony.

"I'm so happy that if I were to die tomorrow, I'd be the happiest man," he told her.

Marine Capt. James C. Edge

When insurgent fighting erupted in Fallujah a year ago, James C. Edge thanked the Iraqi troops who volunteered for joint patrols.

"It's a testament to your will and character, wanting to make Fallujah a better place," he said.

One of the Iraqis murmured back, "Inshallah," Arabic for "God willing."

Edge, 31, of Virginia Beach, Va., was killed April 14 by small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq. He was based at Camp Pendleton.

Edge, known as Jamie to his family, leaves behind his wife, Krissy, and two daughters, ages 3 and 6.

The former Eagle Scout played football and soccer and wrestled in high school, where he was "always with a smile, always a neat kid, always pleasant," said Elizabeth Norton, a math teacher.

He joined the Marine Reserves in 1993 before entering Virginia Military Institute. He earned a degree in international studies and graduated a second lieutenant in 1996.

"I love my son and wish all the other fathers in America could experience a son like Jamie -- I did and I am blessed," said his father, James Edge.

Army Sgt. Javier J. Garcia

When Javier Garcia played high school football, Erick and Derrick Moody, twin fullbacks, often blocked so Garcia, a running back, could race for the end zone. It was the same kind of drive and courage he would show in the Army.

"He went ahead of his men in the face of the enemy," said Army Gen. William Jacobs.

Garcia, 25, of Crawfordville, Fla., was killed April 5 during hostile action in Iraq. He was stationed in Hinesville, Ga.

Garcia survived a roadside bomb that exploded near his Humvee only to be hit by small arms fire as he rushed to aid a wounded comrade, said his stepfather, Tommy Johnson, said.

Garcia's cousin, Marine Pfc. Heberto Lorenzo, said Garcia was his role model. "When I go over there (to Iraq), I know he is going to be watching over me," he said.

He is survived by his parents, Jesus and Terry Garcia.

Garcia planned to marry his fiancee, Tabetha Moe, in Hinesville, Ga., where he was stationed. She wore his dog tags at his funeral.

Marine Pfc. Robert A. Guy

Robert Guy was determined to join the Marines, and he worked a variety of jobs while earning a high school equivalency certificate so he could qualify.

"I was so proud of him because he didn't give up. He kept trying, and it took two years before he could enlist," said his father, James.

Guy, 26, of Willards, Md., died April 21 in a non-hostile incident that was under investigation. He was based at Camp Lejeune.

Guy, known as Bobby, was known for his friendliness and sense of humor. He liked to shoot pool as a kid and play video games in a small arcade. He dropped out of high school but was determined to earn his GED so he could join the Marines.

"He did make some wrong choices, and he did his best when he grew up a little bit," said Cory Perdue, a high school friend. "Going into the Marine Corps was just the next step for him improving himself."

"I never saw him work at anything so hard his whole life," said his mother, Ann. "He really wanted this."

Army Pvt. Aaron M. Hudson

Police Officer Chuck Barr could be forgiven for having a jaundiced eye toward young men. But not Aaron M. Hudson -- he was such an exceptional teen that the officer was happy to have him baby sit.

"He could make anyone laugh or smile," Mark Hudson said of his son. "He could talk to adults of any age, and it was just like he went to high school with them."

Hudson, 20, of Highland Village, Texas, died April 16 from injuries he sustained in a roadside bomb near Camp Taji. He was based at Fort Hood.

A 2002 high school graduate, he played baseball, soccer and basketball and golf. He always felt at ease around people of any age, especially around his grandfather's golfing buddies. "He loved to play golf with those men. Those men loved him, too," his father said.

From Iraq, Hudson's phone calls and letters were never negative.

"The food was never terrible, the conditions were never terrible," his father said. "You would think the letters would start off with, 'This sucks.' But they were never like that. It's made this a whole lot easier."

He also is survived by his mother, Annette.

Army Pfc. Sam W. Huff

At the age of 16, Sam Huff went to her parents with a plan: She would join the Army, become a military policewoman, go to college, get a master's degree in psychology and become an FBI special agent.

"She came to us and said, 'I decided what I want to do,"' said her father, Robert Huff. "There was no arguing with her."

Huff, 18, of Tucson, Ariz., was killed April 18 when a roadside bomb hit her convoy in Baghdad. She was based at Fort Lewis.

Happy and confident, Huff enlisted after graduating from high school and was engaged to another soldier, Pvt. Nicholas Neally. Her sister, Pfc. Ashley Lathers, said she had two loves: dancing and Nick.

"That girl would dance any time she got the chance. I'd catch her dancing in our room, dancing down the hall," Lathers said.

She said her sister had a modeling contract and would frequently reminder of that fact while in Iraq, saying "I could have been the next Gap girl."

"In all honesty she was a model," Lathers said, "a model soldier."

Huff joked about being a military policewoman "so she could boss guys around," said high school classmate Jeremy Vega. "She was a born leader."

Army Sgt. 1st Class Stephen C. Kennedy

Stephen Curtis Kennedy kept a stash of Moon Pies in Iraq and made fun of the shock of hair that made him look "like a banty rooster" when he took off his helmet, Sgt. 1st Class Richard Stooksbury said.

"Even though he'd had trials in his life, he'd be managing to convince you it was a great day, another opportunity to make something happen," he said.

Kennedy, 35, of Oak Ridge, Tenn., died April 4 from insurgent fire in Balad Ruz, Iraq. Witnesses said he was killed while trying to rescue an injured Iraqi.

The father of four was active in Boy Scouts, Little League, football and soccer as a youth and became a scoutmaster as an adult. He is survived by his wife, Tiffany, and children ages 3 to 15.

He joined the Marines out of high school in Bremerton, Wash., and became a member of the Tennessee Army National Guard 11 years ago, based in Lenoir City, Tenn.

Kennedy had another daughter, about 2 years old, who died several years ago from injuries suffered in a car accident.

"When he lost his daughter, he wouldn't leave her side," said his mother, Jo Kennedy. "He brought all of us through that."

Navy Hospitalman Aaron A. Kent

Kent

Aaron Kent joined the Navy to learn and pursue a medical career -- one he'd gotten a taste of as a medic and a lab assistant at the Red Cross. He wanted to become a radiologist.

"The job market was not so good in the Portland area" when Aaron decided to go into the military, said his father, Gary Kent. "It's the same thing that makes so many people join up."

Aaron Kent, 28, of Portland, Ore., was killed April 23 when a roadside bomb exploded near Fallujah. He was based at Camp Lejeune.

Kent played football and wrestled in high school and attracted many friends with his good sense of humor.

"I kept telling him he needed to start his own comedy club," said friend Chad Leverich. "He made a party start. He had this originality about him that's hard to pinpoint."

He worked as a lab assistant for the Red Cross in Portland from 1999 to 2001 before reporting for basic training in 2002.

"He was my best friend," his father said. "Everybody who came into Aaron's life came away with a real positive feeling."

Kent is also survived by his mother, Lara Byrns.