Names, Stories, and Pictures of the Fallen Heroes of Operation Iraqi Freedom

The Pentagon has just released the names of two more US Marines who were killed in Iraq. I'll post as soon as I find that.

Marine Cpl. Douglas Jose Marencoreyes

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,207~12026~1407257,00.html

Marine reservist from Chino area, 28, dies in Iraq
By Will Matthews, Staff Writer

Marine Cpl. Douglas Jose Marencoreyes, 28, of Chino, died Sunday in Iraq while participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

Marencoreyes, a reservist assigned to the Light Armored Vehicle - Air Defense Battery of the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, was killed when the large transport truck he was riding in rolled over in the Iraqi desert just south of Al Samawah.

Marencoreyes was based out of Camp Pendleton.

Department of Defense officials said in a statement that the incident is under investigation.

Marencoreyes' family could not be immediately reached late Wednesday, and officials at Camp Pendleton were unavailable for comment.

Rep. Gary Miller, R-Brea, on Wednesday called Marencoreyes a hero and hailed him for his courage and commitment to serving his country.

"The void Corporal Marencoreyes has left in this community is vast,' Miller said in a statement.

"Words and medals cannot make up for his absence. But in his death, he has come to symbolize all that we love in America. Those with whom we have reluctantly taken up arms against hate America because of its ideals of democracy, economic prosperity, diversity and freedom. Corporal Marencoreyes embodied those ideals in his work and life.'

Army Sgt. Thomas Broomhead

http://www.bonitanews.com/03/05/bonita/d939213a.htm

Soldier who grew up in Fort Myers killed in Iraqi ambush

By STACIE MEIHAUS

Two photos lay on a table next to a bouquet of red, white and blue flowers at the Health Park Medical Center on Thursday. Sgt. Thomas Broomhead, wearing his green army uniform, smiled out from the two pictures.

He loved the Army. He grew up in Fort Myers and joined the Marine Corps after graduating from Cypress Lake High School in 1987. He spent four years in the Marine Corps before getting out for almost two years, and then jumping back into the Army.

Broomhead was killed in Fallujah, Iraq, early Monday morning while on guard at a checkpoint. He was a Bradley tank commander with the 3rd Armored Calvalry Regiment Eagle Troop based at Fort Carson, Colo.

Broomhead, 34, grew up in Fort Myers. His mother, Rosemary Klima, still lives in Cape Coral, and his brother, Lee County Deputy Bryan Broomhead, lives in Fort Myers along with his wife, Deputy Jayme Broomhead. Another brother, Mike Broomhead, lives in Phoenix.

Tom Broomhead's brothers held a press conference Thursday to talk about their brother's life.

"We ask that you don't mourn for our family," Mike Broomhead said. "This is the time to honor our brother."

Their brother loved to laugh and make fun of things. He played quarterback for Cypress Lake's football team and later went on to coach the Cypress Lake Hornets.

Mike Broomhead recalled his brother as a passive man who once wouldn't hit a man who was trying to pick a fight with him.

"But he was a soldier," he said.

When asked about their fondest memory of their brother, Bryan Broomhead shook his head.

"There's not just one," he said.

They could think about the time his undefeated Cypress Lake football team played undefeated Fort Myers, drawing a huge crowd. And how close the brothers were. They talked at least twice a week, even with one in Florida, one in Colorado and one in Arizona.

Or how he loved his own family, his wife and three sons. Mike Broomhead smiled when he thought of his brother with his boys, aged 11, 9 and 7. Tom Broomhead coached his sons' baseball team and loved to spend time with his children.

"He was wonderful with his boys. All of his energy was with his boys," Mike Broomhead said. "His wife and those children were his life."

He said his brother had talked about coming home, possibly in August or October, though no plans had been set for his unit.

"We would have been no less proud of him had we met him at the airport," Mike Broomhead said.

It is a pride that is shared by their mother, although she didn't feel up to speaking to the media Thursday.

"We are so blessed because we have remained close," Mike Broomhead said. "We don't have any unfinished business. He loved us, and we loved him."

Army Staff Sgt. Michael Brian Quinn

http://www.gulflive.com/mississippi/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/1055067341191680.xml

Family, friends remember fallen soldier

06/08/03

By MARTIN BARTLETT

OCEAN SPRINGS -- Family and friends gathered Saturday morning beneath the Live Oaks and the Spanish Moss on the shores of Biloxi Bay to remember a man -- a father, husband and soldier -- who died fighting for his country and for others.

A memorial service was held on the front lawn of the home of Dave and Mary Jensen of Ocean Springs for Staff Sgt. Michael Brian Quinn. Quinn was killed May 27 by gunman in the pro-Saddam stronghold of Fallujah, Iraq.

He is survived by his wife, Melissa Palmer Quinn; son, Timothy Michael Quinn; and mother and stepfather, Sally and Chuck Taylor of Inglis, Fla.

"He was a generous, loving and caring man. We will all miss him but I will miss him the most because he was my father. God, treat him well," Tim Quinn, 8, said.

Melissa and Tim visibly broke down at numerous points during the service, which included full military honors.

The piercing sounds of a 21-gun salute and the slow, mournful call of Taps provided by the Army overwhelmed the constant crash of the waves breaking on the sand throughout the service.

Those in attendance disbursed after sharing hugs and handshakes. Following the service, many guests reconvened for a private reception at the Front Beach home of Edsel and Mary Ruddiman, Melissa's grandparents.

There was a memorial service at Fort Carson, Colo., on June 2.

Present at the Ocean Springs service from Fort Carson, Colo., was regimental representative Lt. Paul Ramsey of Indiana and Staff Sgt. Hollie Jones of Hattiesburg, Miss.

"I knew Michael and we were neighbors. This has made it harder for me because I knew the man," Ramsey said. He will be leaving Tuesday to rejoin Eagle Company in Iraq.

Jones was present when Quinn was killed in the ambush. He accom-panied his body back to the United States. He said he was present to assist in funeral arrangements and be with the family. That included spending time with Michael's widow and mother to help them have some type of closure in Quinn's death.

"It was done right and I know Michael would have loved the service," Jones said.

Quinn's nickname was "Solo" because he was efficient, independent and an all-around great guy, Jones said. "His son, Tim, is smart just like his dad," he said.

Jones will be returning to Iraq on Monday because "I still have people over there I supervise."

Brig. Gen. Jason K. Kamiya, the commanding general at Fort Polk, La., also was in attendance.

Representatives of the 546th Maintenance Co., from Fort Polk, provided the 21-gun salute and played Taps.

Six of them, three on each side, unfolded a U.S. flag over the urn containing Quinn's cremains. They did the ritual twice. The first flag was presented to Melissa Quinn and the second flag to Sally Taylor.

Kamiya presented the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Commendation medals posthumously to Quinn. The medals were given to Tim.

The Rev. Bruno Schroeder of Ocean Springs officiated at the service.

"We know Michael has left the image of his natural body. He loved life, he loved reading, he loved his family and he loved the military. He has given up his mortal body and his physical body and now put on a spiritual body," Schroeder said.

During the service, there were several references to Quinn's love of reading.

That lifelong habit was picked up when he lived on a remote 80-acre sheep farm in a valley near Hearndon, Pa., his mother Sally Taylor said.

They moved there shortly after Quinn's sister, Jennifer, died from leukemia.

The brother and sister had birth dates just a week apart and their death dates are a week apart, she said.

Quinn was born in Providence, R.I., March 25, 1966. She said her son was a private person who never boasted of his accomplishments.

Cousin Melodie Baxter of Arlington, Va., remembered visiting the farm where the family also reared turkeys, ducks and Polish chickens.

One of Quinn's favorite snacks was fluffernutters, which is marshmallow creme and peanut butter on bread. Baxter has a son today who asks for that same snack.

Just recently, Quinn's cousins mailed a care package to him in Iraq containing gum and candy.

He did not open the package at first because the other men did not receive any packages, but when he did dig into it, he shared the treats with everyone, family members said.

In addition to his wife and son, Quinn is survived by his mother and stepfather, Sally and Chuck Taylor of Inglis, Fla.

Army Pvt. 2nd Class Kenneth A. Nalley

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=8245319&BRD=2554&PAG=461&dept_id=507134&rfi=6

Hamburg remembers native son who died in crash

PATRICIA MORRISON COATE , Staff Writer

HAMBURG - A roller coaster of emotions - from gut-wrenching sadness to light-hearted laughter - filled the Marnie Simons Elementary School gym in Hamburg Friday afternoon as family, friends and many others mourned the death and celebrated the brief life of Kenneth Allen Nalley.

Most just knew him as "Kenny" - a good-hearted kid with a flair for entertainment and a ready smile upon his face. But when he died in Iraq on May 26 as the result of a car crash, he was Pvt. 2nd Class Kenneth A. Nalley, a member of the 501st Military Police Company deployed from Wiesbaden, Germany, living his dream of service to his country.

"He left Hamburg a boy, but died a man," said the Rev. Blaine Pritchett, who officiated at the standing-room-only service.

Angela Allumbaugh, who went to school with Nalley from kindergarten until they graduated in May 2002, said she and her fellow classmates were "truly blessed to have Kenny in our class."

Through Allumbaugh's words, those who didn't know Nalley, learned he was the female students' favorite from the first day of kindergarten; he could make friends anywhere and get people laughing despite themselves with his antics.

They learned he was a prankster who called Allumbaugh while working her shift at the Hamburg Pizza Hut, anonymously asking for a pizza to be delivered - or if they wouldn't do that, have one air-expressed overseas before it got cold. With that, Allumbaugh said she immediately knew it was her fun-loving friend Kenny. They learned that more than anything, he wanted to be a military policeman and eventually a state trooper.

Feeling that her friend was listening, Allumbaugh said, "I'd tell him how lucky we were to have him in our class because he was a great friend to everyone. And I'd tell him how proud we are of him. He knew exactly what he was getting into, but he was anxious to do his job."

Alllumbaugh added that the last time she'd talked to Nalley, she asked him if the likelihood of war scared him.

Her friend replied without hesitation that he wasn't scared.

"That's why he joined - to fight for his country. That kind of courage is hard to find. Kenny is the most selfless and courageous person our class will ever know. He's our classmate, our hero."

SSgt. Gary Dales of the U.S. Army Recruiting Station in Council Bluffs, who recruited Nalley last summer, recalled that he was "the happiest person I've ever met - always upbeat. When he was overseas in Iraq dodging bullets, he was still making jokes when SFC Leo Chavez talked to him May 22. He was just a great, great guy ... it's a tragic loss. I know he was very happy doing his job."

Later at the funeral, a series of slides from babyhood to manhood showed Nally smiling - most recently in his dress Army uniform back in Hamburg on leave.

Over and over, those eulogizing the 19-year-old spoke of his dedication to country.

"Kenny saw it as an honor and privilege to serve in the Army, so as we pay tribute to Kenny, let us pay tribute to all American servicemen, including those he served with who are still serving in Iraq," said Pritchett.

Nalley joined the Army on July 1, 2002, and was sent to Germany on Dec. 7, 2002.

By their presence, Nalley was honored by his classmates, the crew of the Hamburg Oil Company, where he worked for three years, in grey workshirts emblazoned with red and white name patches, a contingent of Army recruiting officers in dress uniform and his community. Even his young nephew Christopher Osborn realized the importance of honoring his uncle and chose to wear the T-shirt he'd worn when Nalley graduated from military police training. It reads, "I'm here for Pvt. Nalley."

In the minutes before the funeral, Danny Osborn said he hasn't minded the attention from Iowa and Nebraska media outlets drawn to his younger brother's death has drawn because "I want everybody to know what Kenny has done and I think he'd want that, too."

A tan Humvee bearing the stencil "Military Police" led the procession, followed by the hearse bearing Nalley's flag-draped coffin, to the rural Mount Olive Cemetery where one of Hamburg's well-loved and respected sons was laid to rest.

Nalley is survived by his mother, Roberta Brooks, brother and sister-in-law Danny and Kelly Osborn, brother David Osborn, sister Diane Osborn, grandmother Dee Cavner and stepsister Laura Brooks and nieces and nephews.

Memorials go to the Hamburg Community School music department.

Army Sgt. Michael E. Dooley, 23,

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/vametro/MGBN33HNSGD.html

Jun 11, 2003

Soldier slain in Iraq was from Pulaski
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PULASKI - A Pulaski man shot and killed in an ambush on a U.S. checkpoint is the eighth Virginian killed since the March invasion of Iraq.

Army Sgt. Michael E. Dooley, 23, was at the checkpoint in western Iraq near the Syrian border late Sunday when a car stopped and a man inside asked for medical assistance. When Dooley approached the car, the passengers opened fire with pistols, killing him, said Dooley's mother, Ann Davis.

"He went to help somebody and they shot my baby down," Davis told The Southwest Times at her home yesterday.

She learned of her oldest son's death Monday morning.

Troops returned fire, killing one person and capturing a second, according to a statement released by the U.S. Central Command. At least one other assailant fled in the vehicle.

Dooley served in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Carson near Colorado Springs, Colo. He joined the Army five years ago after graduating from Pulaski County High School. His wife, Christine, is expecting their first child, a son, in October.

"There hasn't been a day gone by that I didn't worry about my boy," Davis said. "I just wish those people would have appreciated the freedom that they had because of these American boys being there."

Army:
Sgt. Michael E. Dooley, 23, of Pulaski, VA
Sgt. Travis L. Burkhardt, 26, of Edina, MO
Pfc. Gavin L. Neighbor, 20, of Somerset, OH
Staff Sgt. Andrew R. Pokorny, 30, of Naperville, IL
Spc. John K. Klinesmith Jr., 25, of Stockbridge, GA
Pvt. Shawn D. Pahnke, 25, of Shelbyville, IN
Spc. Joseph D. Suell, 24, of Lufkin, TX
Sgt. Michael L. Tosto, 24, of Apex, NC
Pvt. Robert L. Frantz, 19, of San Antonio, TX
Pfc. Michael R. Deuel, 21, of Nemo, SD
Staff Sgt. William T. Latham, 29, of Kingman, AZ
Spc. Paul T. Nakamura, 21, of Santa Fe Springs, CA
Spc. Orenthial J. Smith, 21, of Allendale, SC
Spc. Cedric L. Lennon, 32, of West Blocton, AL
Spc. Corey A. Hubbell, 20, of Urbana, IL
Spc. Richard P. Orengo, 32, of Toa Alta, Puerto Rico
Spc. Andrew F. Chris, 25, of Huntsville, AL
Sgt. 1st Class Gladimir Philippe, 37, of Linden, NJ
Pfc. Kevin C. Ott, 27, of Columbus, OH
Cpl. Tomas Sotelo Jr., 20, of Houston, TX
Sgt. Timothy M. Conneway, 22, of Enterprise, AL
1st Sgt. Christopher D. Coffin, 51, of Bethlehem, PA
Pfc. Corey L. Small, 20, of East Berlin, PA
Pfc. Edward J. Herrgott, 20, of Shakopee, MN
Marines:
Pfc. Ryan R. Cox, 19, of Derby, KS
Lance Cpl. Gregory E. MacDonald, 29, of Washington, DC

Cpl. Travis J. Bradachnall, 21, of Multnomah County, OR

Army Staff Sgt. Brett J. Petriken

http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:UkCAFfL-4NYJ:www.arlingtoncemetery.net/brett-petriken.htm+brett+iraq+%22Petriken%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Family, friends razz, remember their hero

Courtesy of: THE FLINT JOURNAL
Monday, June 2, 2003

Mundy Township, Michigan - Staff Sergeant Brett Petriken's friends razzed him about being colorblind.

They invented drinking games based on his inability to distinguish colors. He usually lost.

The burly football player once wore pink jeans to school - a blissfully-unaware victim of a laundry mishap with a red sweatshirt. The colorblindness also squelched a childhood dream of becoming a police officer in civilian life.

But Petriken, 30, who was killed on Memorial Day in Iraq, persevered and deflected the jokes with an infectious smile and giggle, friends said during a memorial service attended by about 350 people Sunday at Swartz Funeral Home.

"He was a guy who knew how to get the most of out of life," friend Craig Center, 31, eulogized. "He died as he lived: honorably and with dignity."

Petriken of Flint died in a traffic accident in As Samawah, Iraq, weeks after his 501st Military Police Unit of the 1st Armored Division arrived in the country. His Humvee was escorting a convoy when it was struck by a heavy-equipment transporter that crossed a median. Private Kenneth A. Nalley, 19, of Hamburg, Iowa, also died in the crash.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Sunday's memorial was equal parts heroic tribute, rock concert and solemn remembrance as loved ones recounted Petriken's military pride, questioned why God took him away from his wife, Christina, and daughter, Rhiannon, and played his favorite tune, Tesla's "Love Song."

The sound of guitars and drums also filled the room as mourners listened to the Foo Fighters song "My Hero,"and the lyrics, "There goes my hero, watch him as he goes..."

Keri Garcia, 30, said Petriken was a reliable childhood friend who offered a shoulder to cry on and rides in his old Chevette.

"Brett was the older, protective brother I never had and sometimes didn't want," she said. "He knew all the right things to say."

Petriken's family lined a front row at the funeral home, facing posters filled with family photos, a giant picture of Petriken in his Flint Southwestern High School football jersey, and a folded American flag.

Mourners also watched a videotape chronicling Petriken's life, including baby photos and wedding snapshots, set to the tune of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain."

"I loved him dearly," friend Tim Melaragni, 30, said. "I'm going to miss him very much."

Petriken's colorblindness was an initial setback, but he joined the Army in 1991 and became a military policeman.

He later focused on a second life goal: starting a family, which he did three years later.

"He was complete," Center said, removing his eyeglasses to dab at tears.

Despite a nomadic career that included stops in Cuba, Panama and Germany, Petriken made time for friends, with whom he liked to reminisce, drink beer and watch sports.

Petriken's death has taught his friend Center a lesson.

"Live each day to the fullest and, more than anything, love each other every day of your life," he said. "Rest well, Brett. You've earned it. You are a hero."

"Taps" played softly as mourners filed out of the funeral home.

Memorial contributions can be made to a scholarship fund for Brett Petriken's daughter, Rhiannon, through the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 W. Hill Road, Flint, MI 48507.

British Fallen Heroes:

"There were two incidents near Al Amarah on 24 June resulting in British casualties.

Troops from 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, patrolling in the town of Al Majar Al Kabir came under fire. The patrol took one casualty and two vehicles were destroyed. In responding to the incident, an RAF Chinook helicopter carrying a Quick Reaction Force came under fire as it landed. Seven personnel aboard the helicopter were wounded, three of them seriously. All were extracted by helicopter and are receiving treatment.The MOD very much regret to confirm that the bodies of six soldiers from the Royal Military Police were recovered from the police station in the town. They are believed to have been killed in a separate incident.

The six Royal Military Policemen killed were:

Sergeant Simon Alexander Hamilton-Jewell, from Chessington

Corporal Russell Aston, from Swadlincote

Corporal Paul Graham Long, from Colchester

Corporal Simon Miller, from Washington, Tyne & Wear

Lance-Corporal Benjamin John McGowan Hyde, from Northallerton

Lance-Corporal Thomas Richard Keys, from Bala

The commanding officer of 156 Provost Company, Major Bryn Parry-Jones, said:

The loss of six soldiers from such a small, tight-knit unit as 156 Provost Company clearly comes as a dreadful shock to us all, not only the friends and families of those killed, but also all those in the Royal Military Police who knew and worked with them.

All these men were highly professional Soldiers and Policemen. Their deaths in action underlines the challenging and difficult operations that the RMP are asked to undertake both in peace and times of conflict.

From the oldest, aged 41, to the youngest, aged 20, these soldiers had between them a wealth of operational experience and distinguished service. You will understand that the circumstances surrounding this dreadful incident are still being investigated. At this time, our priority is giving all the support we can to the familes and friends who are having to cope with the loss of loved ones.

We ask our men and women to risk the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country, and it is the sad truth that sometimes that sacrifice comes to pass.

All six soldiers were extremely popular and well liked within the unit and they will be sadly missed by all of us.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A civilian member of the Defence Fire Service died in hospital in the UK on 22 May, having fallen ill in the Gulf.

Mr Leonard Harvey

Army Pfc. Jeremiah D. Smith

http://www.examiner.net/stories/061003/new_061003004.shtml

Local soldier laid to rest
By KARA CHILDERS
The Examiner

Sniffling back tears, Meloney Terrell of Lee's Summit shared the story of a young man who loved his wife, his two daughters and the country he died serving.

"He was a wonderful man," she said.

Terrell's nephew, Jeremiah "Jerry" Smith, died on Memorial Day in Iraq, when his Humvee hit an unexploded ordnance.

The soldier from Independence was 25 years old, a newlywed and the father of two young daughters.

Services were held Monday afternoon at the Veteran's Cemetery in Higginsville. Windshields and car windows read in brightly colored paint: "Always in our hearts and thoughts, we love you Jerry."

"It's been two weeks we've been waiting to do this," Terrell said. "It's been a hard two weeks."

Wind ripped through American flags at the cemetery, as Terrell wiped her swollen eyes.

"But knowing Jerry the way I know him, he wouldn't want us to cry," she said. "He would want us to be happy."

"And enjoy life," added his grandmother, Flora May Teetamble of Kansas City.

The two women joined family and friends in the overflowing stone chapel at the cemetery Monday afternoon. His wife, in-laws and parents sat in the front pew. His four brothers Carl, Jason, Will and Wally, all of Independence huddled behind them.

Smith's oldest daughter, Trisha, 4, lives in Independence. His wife, Jessica, and their daughter, 4-year-old Chelsea, live in Junction City, Kan.

"He loved them both," said Jerry's oldest brother Carl. "They were a part of his everyday life."

A small smile pulled at Terrell's mouth.

"He loved his kids, he loved his wife," she said, letting the smile pull through.

Holding a hand up, Smith's grandmother interjected: "And he never failed to say he loved me."

Smith's brothers smile, too, when they explain that Smith was a soldier, a hometown hero.

"The man died serving his country," Carl said. "He died protecting our rights."

Smith brought Carl along when he joined the Army in February 2002.

"The day he went in he was the happiest man in the world," Carl said. "He sure picked up the Army real good. He liked the Army, and it liked him."

In and out of foster homes most of his childhood, Smith grew up in Independence, where he attended William Chrisman High School his freshman year.

Smith's parents, Doug and Elizabeth Smith, live in Higginsville.

But because of Smith's strong ties to Independence, family and friends are pushing for a memorial service at the Truman Memorial Building. A date has not been set.

A memorial fund has been set up for Jessica and Smith's two daughters. Contributions can be sent to the Pfc. Jeremiah Smith Memorial Fund, Blue Ridge Bank, 4240 Blue Ridge Blvd., Suite 100, Kansas City, Mo., 64133, account number 743666. Or call the bank at (816) 358-5000, ext. 126 for more information.

Smith had been stationed Fort Riley, Kan., since August. A cavalry scout, Smith was part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 34th Armor, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.

Army Spc. Jose Amancio Perez III

http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=180&xlc=1008502

San Diego buries its post-war hero

By Mariano Castillo
San Antonio Express-News

Web Posted : 06/07/2003 12:00 AM

SAN DIEGO — Spc. Alve Jones stood at attention at the end of the aisle with a stern face and all the bearing of a soldier.

His feet hit the ground with the precision of a metronome as he marched down the aisle to look inside the silver casket that rested next to a photograph of a young soldier with a boyish face — his friend, Spc. Jose Amancio Perez III.

Jones stopped before the casket and raised his arm in one precise, slow, final salute.

When he turned around, he had tears streaming down his face.

"It was hard to believe that that was the final time I would get to see him and the last chance to pay respect to one of the greatest men I've known, who paid the ultimate sacrifice," said Jones, who was stationed with Perez at Fort Sill, Okla.

Hundreds of local residents crowded the Mauro P. Garcia Funeral Home and then the San Francesco di Paola Catholic Church on Friday to pay their final respects to Perez, a 22-year-old Army medic who was killed in action last week in Iraq — well after the president declared combat there officially over.

Jones is a graduate of the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, so he and Perez "had a Valley connection."

In this traditional town of 5,000 in the ranch country of Duval County, the loss of Perez rekindled people's feeling of connection to the slain soldier.

He was remembered by friends and family as a sharply dressed, competitive young man who worked hard but who knew how to enjoy himself.

"He also loved the Army," Perez's best friend, Rene Salaiz, told the audience at the service. "He spoke of it proudly, just like when he caught an interception in a (high school) football game. He flashed his dog tags around."

The soldier's parents, Elsa Perez and Joe Perez, and 9-year-old brother, Joshua, sat surrounded by family, as Salaiz let out a last cry for his friend:

"Amancio, if you can hear me, I love you. May you rest in peace; we will never forget you."

Bishop Edmond Carmody of Corpus Christi officiated at the Mass and burial.

Carmody praised Perez's commitment to his work, and the sacrifices he made as a medic and a soldier.

"You have to appreciate the hours of training and running with those heavy boots, the endless push-ups and sit-ups, the moving and traveling," Carmody said. "And he did all that to serve his country."

Perez was buried with full military honors. His mother was presented with a Bronze Star for her son. The Texas Blue Star Mothers of America presented the family with a special flag.

U.S. Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, whose 28th District includes San Diego, brought with him from Washington a flag for Elsa Perez.

"We're here to express the condolences of a grateful nation to a fallen soldier," he said. "It's great to see that San Diego opened its arms to a soldier who had fallen in battle."

One of San Diego's best-known traditions, the Pan de Campo Festival, kicked off Friday, but potential revelers instead withstood the searing midday heat to witness the burial of the town's first war casualty in more than 25 years.

"Almost everybody knows everybody. We're going to miss him," said local resident San Juanita Hughes, who recalled that Perez used to play baseball with her boys.

Hundreds of residents also lined Texas 44 when Perez's body was returned to this South Texas town Wednesday. Many of them waved flags or held candles as a memorial.

Army Spc. Zachariah Long

http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:120H_0n6PLIJ:www.dailyitem.com/archive/2003/0610/local/stories/05local.htm+long+iraq+%22zachariah%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Fallen soldier remembered

By Marcia Moore
The Daily Item

SUNBURY — More than 300 people grieving the death of Army Spc. Zachariah Long gathered Monday to honor the fallen soldier.
The 20-year-old Milton resident was killed in a vehicle accident on May 30 while serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq.

He is among 180 U.S. soldiers who have died in Iraq since the war began on March 20.

At Long’s funeral, held Monday morning at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Sunbury, the Rev. Jeffrey Swanger recalled how Long’s mother, Karen, explained the significance of her only son’s name.

"Zachariah means ‘A gift from God,’ " she said.

Swanger added that among his Army colleagues, Long was referred to as "The Entertain-er."

"Even in harm’s way, he gave them a smile, he brought joy, he was a special gift from God," Swanger said.

Long was also a young soldier who understood the danger he faced in the combat zone a world away from home.

"He knew it could mean his death," Swanger told the congregation.

In the event of his death, Swanger said, Long had given his parents, Ricky and Karen, instructions on planning a funeral, including the music he wanted played.

Citing the bitter irony of war, Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt compared Long to Gen. George S. Patton, the decorated soldier who also "risked his life in combat only to die in a traffic accident."

Prior to the tragic accident that claimed his life, Kimmitt said, Long had served his country in one of the "most dangerous" of combat jobs, going behind enemy lines to pinpoint their location.

Kimmitt urged Long’s family and friends to take pride in his decision to enlist and participate in the war, which ended with the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s government.

"Zach helped make these historic events possible," he said.

There was apparent pride in Long’s decision to serve his country displayed at the church.

Along with dozens of photographs, a framed certificate of Long’s enlistment in the U.S. Army dated July 27, 2000, was also exhibited.

Several members of the U.S. Army Reserves, National Guardsmen, and veterans showed their appreciation for Long’s sacrifice by standing at attention on Veterans Memorial Bridge and along the route to Orchard Hills Cemetery in Shamokin Dam.

At the burial site, Kimmitt presented the Bronze Star and a folded flag to Long’s mother as more than 100 mourners looked on.

A few feet way, looming high above the cemetery plot, a large U.S. flag flew at half-staff.

Some of those gathered at the site cried as soldiers fired rifles as a salute, and two buglers played in honor of the fallen soldier.

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