Army Sgt. Kurt D. Schamberg

Katie Schamberg remembers her nephew, Kurt, as a man who loved politics, art, sports -- well, just about everything.

"He was talented, he was comedic, he was just everything," she said. "He loved life, and he was proud of what he was doing ... and you have to feel that that's a good thing."

Schamberg, 26, of Euclid, Ohio, was killed May 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an explosive detonated near his vehicle. He was based at Fort Drum.

A 1997 high school graduate, Schamberg joined the Army after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and was on his second tour of duty in Iraq.

"He would do what he had to do to protect his soldiers. He'd rather it be him than one of his men," said his father, Thomas Schamberg.

He considered going into private security when he was discharged.

"He loved having a good time," his aunt said. "He was just a real sweet kid. The world's going to miss him."

He is also survived by his mother, Pamela Lindsay.

Marine Lance Cpl. John T. Schmidt III

Cpl. Schmidt

The final months of John T. Schmidt III's life were difficult. He was on a respirator after being wounded in Iraq and had to use hand signals or written messages to communicate.

It was a far cry from the fun-loving, outgoing young man who was interested in computers, computer graphics, cartooning and ice hockey.

"He was dejected because he just continued to have complications," said his aunt, Denese Richmond.

Schmidt, 21, of Brookfield, Conn., died May 11 of wounds suffered in Anbar province on Jan. 31. He was based at Camp Lejeune.

Schmidt moved to Florida during high school and enrolled at Seminole Community College but soon decided to enlist. He spent three months in Haiti during uprisings in there.

"He grew up a lot," said his mother, Barbara Jimenez. "He was very mature."

Schmidt had been in Iraq less than two weeks when the attack occurred. He was flown to Germany and then to Texas, where he underwent treatment.

He is also survived by his father, John T. Schmidt Jr.

Army 1st Lt. Aaron N. Seesan

When six soldiers in his Stryker Brigade were killed in a suicide bombing, Aaron N. Seesan stood up and volunteered to replace the dead. He reasoned that the only other person of his rank who could go had a wife and kids.

Seesan, 25, of Massillon, Ohio, was killed May 22 when a bomb struck the gas tank of the vehicle he was riding in, causing it to burst into flames.

He was burned over 80 percent of his body, but remained conscious when medics arrived and directed them to care for other wounded soldiers.

Seesan had developed a sudden interest in the Army and World War II history in elementary school.

"He literally was playing with dinosaurs one day and the next day had little Army soldiers in his sandbox," said his mother, Chiquita.

An altar boy and an Eagle Scout, he played football and ran track in high school and participated in speech and drama. He graduated in 2003 from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., to which he won a congressional appointment.

He was based at Fort Lewis and is also survived by his father, Thomas.

Army Spc. Bernard L. Sembly Jr.

Spc. Sembly

After spending seven long months in Iraq, Bernard L. Sembly was due home on leave in June to see his girlfriend and their 18-month-old son, Tyler.

"He was my heart," said his father, Bernard Sembly Sr. "He was the love of my life."

Sembly Jr., 25, of Bossier City, La., was killed May 19 in Baghdad after dismounting a tank. The National Guardsman was based in Shreveport, La.

The oldest of three children, Sembly was born in Hinton, W.Va., but moved to Shreveport in high school and graduated in 1999. He had been in the Army for five years.

He visited his family while on leave in December and he was due to return home again in June.

"I always knew something could happen to him, but I wasn't afraid," said his brother, B.J. Britton. "I know he was doing exactly what he wanted to do. Fighting this war, he wanted to do it. I don't know why, but he wanted to be there."

Army Sgt. Jacob M. Simpson

Sgt. Simpson

Last fall, Jacob M. Simpson walked his sister Kimberly Bemiss down the aisle for her wedding. Months later, he was the first family member to hold his other sister's newborn daughter, Madison.

He was "very loving, very protective of us," Bemiss said.

Simpson, 24, of Ashland, Ore., was killed May 16 in a grenade attack while on patrol near the northern city of Tikrit. He was based at Fort Carson.

Simpson was born and started high school in Hood River and continued in Ashland. He and his best friend, Brenden Kelly, hung out together, often skipping school to go to the Southern Oregon University campus.

"I remember laughing with him, smiling with him, fighting alongside him to keep other friends safe," Kelly said. "I remember drinking with him when we weren't old enough to be drinking."

Simspon earned his GED before joining the Army. He taught himself to play the guitar and bought a Les Paul model that he coveted after his first tour in Iraq. He looked forward to coming back to Oregon after his tour and attending college.

He is survived by his mother, Roberta Simpson.

Army Sgt. John M. Smith

When a young John M. Smith was offered the chance to jump off a 34-foot tower as part of his military training, some wondered if he would ever return to Earth.

"From then on, he knew what he wanted to do," said Glenn Smith, his father. "From that point on, he was airborne all the way, and when he graduated from high school, he joined the Army to go into the airborne."

Smith, 22, of Wilmington, N.C., died May 12 when an explosive detonated near his vehicle in Iskandariyah. He was based at Fort Irwin.

"He liked camouflage clothing -- fatigues and that type of uniforms -- from the time he was a little boy," said his father. "But when he went to ROTC, that sealed the deal. From then on, he knew what he wanted to do."

Smith graduated high school in 2000 and played football, baseball and lacrosse. He liked both punk rock and oldies, and often wore an Allman Brothers T-shirt.

Nicknamed "Pudge," Smith would poke fun at himself for being overweight, said close friend Sgt. Robert Shull. "He wasn't your typical soldier," Shull said. "His sense of humor was crazy."

Marine Maj. John C. Spahr

Maj. Spahr

With little more than a month to go in Iraq, John Charles Spahr was looking forward to a promotion to lieutenant colonel and returning home to see his 9-year-old daughter.

"He was an extremely caring, understanding, family-oriented workaholic," said his brother, Stephen. "His life was career, child and his family."

Spahr, 42, of Cherry Hill, N.J., died May 2 in a midair collision of his F/A-18 Hornet fighter plane. He was based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and had lived in San Diego for more than a decade.

Spahr played basketball, football and crew in high school and became quarterback of the football team at the University of Delaware, where he earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and a master's in exercise physiology.

He joined the Marines at 24 and attended the Navy's "Top Gun" fighter weapons school in 1996, where his brother said he graduated first in his class.

"It was just like in the movies," Stephen Spahr said. "He got his choice of duties: He chose to become a Top Gun instructor."

Spahr, who was divorced, is survived by his 9-year-old daughter, Chandler.

Army Staff Sgt. Russell J. Verdugo

The last time Kari Verdugo talked to her husband, Russell, they were planning their honeymoon.

"We were going to take a trip to Scotland," she said. "I love to travel and we'd never taken a honeymoon, and I was hoping we would get one in."

Russell J. Verdugo, 34, of Phoenix, was killed May 23 in Baghdad while on an assignment to remove a makeshift explosive. He was based at Fort McNair.

The Verdugos married last Thanksgiving before Russell Verdugo was deployed to Iraq in January. He had also served in Afghanistan in 2003 and 2004.

He joined the military in 1993 because he wanted to pursue a college education and study engineering. He was an avid photographer who took thousands of photographs, whether he was at home or stationed in Iraq.

"They look like National Geographic photos, the poppy fields, the machine guns -- photojournalist-type work," said his mother, Susan Stanley. "I told him, 'That should be a second career for you."'

"He enjoyed life and wanted people to see what he'd seen," said his stepfather, Neil Stanley.

Army Sgt. Antwan L. Walker

Antwan Walker, known as "Twan," joined the Army to earn money for college and to support the three children he raised alone after getting divorced.

"Twan had a lot of goals in life," said his mother, Andrea Pringle. "He was very ambitious and very smart."

Walker, 22, of Tampa, Fla., was killed May 18 by a bomb blast in Ramadi. He was based at Fort Carson.

In calls home from Iraq, Walker talked about starting a real estate career and his children, 2-year-old twins, Antwan Jr., and Antwannaja, and 4-year-old Antwanette. His family helped raise them while he was overseas.

"He was such a good dad," Pringle said. "All he wanted to do was make a good life for his kids."

He was looking forward to coming home to celebrate his 23rd birthday on May 29 with his family and friends. His family still planned to throw a party.

Army Sgt. Brad A. Wentz

Brad A. Wentz was days away from his second wedding anniversary with his high school sweetheart, Tami.

The couple named their 1-year-old daughter Jerzey in honor of Fort Dix, N.J., where he was first stationed.

Wentz, 21, of Gladwin, Mich., was killed May 20 when his convoy came under attack along one of the country's main supply routes. He was based in Muskegon, Mich.

Wentz was an avid hockey player who also enjoyed fishing, hunting and golf. He went to basic training while still in high school and had a plan to join the reserves, then become active duty.

When he was last home in April, Wentz was reluctant to return to Iraq.

"Brad was telling everybody that he hated to go back to Iraq, but he made a commitment and he said, 'I'll go,"' said his grandfather, Clark E. Wentz. "He made that commitment and he followed through with it."

Navy Petty Officer Third Class Jeffery L. Wiener

Petty Officer Wiener

As a paramedic, Jeffery Wiener was "a hard charger" who always pushed to excel.

"Jeff was one of the ones you didn't worry about," said his former EMS supervisor, Capt. Keith Vincent. "Jeffery wanted to do a specific job and do it better than anyone who ever had done it."

Wiener, 32, of Louisville, Ky., was killed May 7 by insurgents during a firefight after a suicide bombing near a hospital in western Iraq. He was assigned to II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Wiener moved to Kentucky after living and working in New York. He joined the Naval reserves after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Wiener sought out the specialized training for a Navy corpsman so he could help more people and go where medical personnel were needed. He wanted to be sent to Iraq.

"He was always real gung-ho, straight forward, no beating around the bush," said his partner of 18 months, John Cooney. "That was his demeanor."

Army Sgt. Charles T. Wilkerson

Charles T. Wilkerson met his new wife, Whitney Woolford, at church in December and capped a whirlwind romance with a marriage on New Year's Day.

"It was his eyes, and he had a great smile," his wife said. "He was with his two kids. I saw him, and I had to meet him. I had overheard somebody telling somebody he was divorced. I was so nervous, but I went up and introduced myself."

Wilkerson, 30, of Kansas City, Mo., was killed May 22 in an explosion in Baghdad. He was based at Fort Carson.

Born in El Paso, Texas, the devoted Mormon spoke fluent Spanish and had done missionary work in Uruguay. He was "obsessed" with soccer.

His first wife, Sariah, recalled that in his 20s, Wilkerson tried his hand at telemarketing, building decks and fast-food service. Nothing felt right, "but he didn't necessarily want a desk job," she said.

He joined the Marines shortly after they were married and later joined the Army because he thought there were better advancement opportunities. He accepted his second wife's three children as his own.

"He considered all five kids his kids," Whitney Wilkerson said.

Army Pfc. Kenneth E. Zeigler II

Kenneth E. Zeigler's kind heart put him in harm's way.

He was originally supposed to be home in time for Mother's Day, but another soldier needed to get home in time to see his child born, and Zeigler volunteered to delay his leave.

But before he could get home, Zeigler, 22, of Dillsburg, Penn., was killed on May 12 in Baghdad when an explosive detonated near his vehicle. He was stationed at Fort Stewart.

"If somebody needed something, he would do everything in his power to help him," said his sister Kimberly Zeigler. "He wanted to give back to the people who were giving to the world."

Zeigler once grew a beard to mimic James Hetfield, the lead singer of his favorite metal band, Metallica. He also excelled in art and graduated high school with honors in 2001.

"He was a fantastic artist," said his father, Kenneth E. Zeigler. "He could pick up a pencil or a crayon or chalk and draw a phenomenal sketch. He was also a very good self-taught musician. He would hear a tune, and work and work on his guitar to master it. He was very talented."

He also is survived by his mother, Vicki Zeigler.