Marine from North Carolina dies in Iraq

[thedrifter]

Family: Marine from North Carolina dies in Iraq

Jul 29, 2006 : 12:45 am ET

GARNER, N.C. -- A Marine from North Carolina who died this week in Iraq had wanted to join the Marines since he was about 11 years old, his grandmother said.

Pfc. Enrique Henry Sanchez, 21, died Thursday in Iraq when his Humvee ran over an explosive device near Ramadi, family members said Friday. He was on his second deployment to Iraq.

His family discussed his death, which the military had not yet announced.

Sanchez, who wanted to enlist after graduating from Garner Senior High School, had to lose weight before he could join the Marines. So he ran with an 80-pound backpack and dieted, eventually losing 152 pounds.

He left in 2005 for Fallujah, serving a seven-month tour. His grandmother, Pat Ayscue, said he was dark and brooding for the first few months after he returned. He tried to confide in high school friends, but they had a difficult time relating.

"The most traumatic stuff we'd (ever) been through was petty high school stuff," said friend James Johnson, 21. "He was telling the stories of a war-weathered man, stuff we civilians could not come close to imagining."

He eventually returned to Iraq, patrolling the streets in and around Ramadi, in central Iraq.

Sanchez was especially close to his grandmother, who had raised him since he was 4 days old. His mother and father, who were in the Navy, divorced.

Funeral arrangements haven't been made, said his mother, Christie Otten, who plans to fly soon to North Carolina from Winchester, Calif.

Mayor Ronnie Williams has offered to hold a memorial service and lower Garner's flags. But it's unclear when his remains will return, Otten said.

Either way, he wouldn't have wanted much fanfare. "He liked to fly under the radar," his grandmother said.

Ellie

Rest In Peace

[thedrifter]

Garner Marine dies in Iraq
He worked hard to join the Corps

Peggy Lim, Staff Writer

GARNER - A Marine who at 16 years of age began laying flowers each Memorial Day on the graves of relatives who were World War II veterans died Thursday in Iraq. His Humvee ran over an explosive device near Ramadi.

Pfc. Enrique "Henry" Sánchez, 21, was the 58th service member from North Carolina to die in Iraq since the war began. Sánchez wanted to join the Marines since he was about 11 years old, said his grandmother Pat Ayscue, who raised him. He hoped to enlist after graduating from Garner Senior High School but needed to lose weight to join the Marines.

The 5-foot-11-inch teen spent a year exercising by running around Lake Benson and his rural neighborhood with an 80-pound backpack. He cut back on soft drinks, pastas, desserts and breads. Eventually, he shed about 152 pounds.

After training in California, Sánchez left in 2005 for a seven-month tour in Fallujah.

He never told his grandmother, whom he called "Pap," too much about what he saw there. But the first few months after he came back, he was "dark and broody," Ayscue said. "He had a lot of angst."

He tried to tell his high school buddies about friends he had watched die, but it was hard for them to relate.

"The most traumatic stuff we'd [ever] been through was petty high school stuff," said friend James Johnson, 21. "He was telling the stories of a war-weathered man, stuff we civilians could not come close to imagining."

After a rocky adjustment, he learned to separate his wartime experiences from the time he spent with family and friends back in North Carolina. He then turned his focus to preparing for his next deployment in Iraq, this time patrolling the streets in and around Ramadi, in central Iraq.

Sánchez never wanted any fuss. He didn't make a big deal of homecomings or send-offs. He was the kind who preferred camouflage to starchy-stiff uniforms.

"He was a 'grunt' first and foremost ... [one of] the boys on the bottom that do the fighting," Ayscue said.

A grenade exploded near Sánchez's Humvee about a month ago. Sánchez, a machine-gunner, wrote a letter home to one of his closest friends that he was so caught up in shooting while his guys got out of the vehicle that he didn't notice that the Humvee was on fire and had burned his arm. Sánchez wrote that he was happy to have been nominated for a bronze star, but that he didn't care whether he got it.

"He was the most modest person I met in my life," said best friend Chris Gilliam, 20, of Garner.

On Friday, friends, cousins, aunts, uncles and other relatives packed the kitchen of the family farmhouse, comforting each other.

Sánchez had an especially tight relationship with his grandmother. She had raised him since he was 4 days old. His mother and father, who were in the Navy, divorced. He went on spontaneous road trips with his grandmother. Sánchez's friends hung out at her home. Recently, Ayscue, 61, had sent him the movie "Grandma's Boy." His platoon watched it five times.

Sánchez's mother, Christie Otten, plans to fly soon to North Carolina from Winchester, Calif. The family had yet to decide on funeral services, she said. Already, Mayor Ronnie Williams has offered to hold a memorial service and lower Garner's flags. But it's unclear how long it will be before his remains will be ready to come home, Otten said.

Either way, he wouldn't have wanted much fanfare.

"He liked to fly under the radar," his grandmother said.

Staff writer Peggy Lim can be reached at 836-5799 or plim@newsobserver.com.

Ellie

[criggleman]

Pfc. Enrique C. Sanchez, 21, of Garner, N.C - 05 Aug 06

My deepest condolences to the Family and Friends of Pfc. Enrique C. Sanchez

Thank you for your sacrifice - you will be remembered as a hero. When we glance at our flag it only serves to remind us of what it takes to keep it flying daily. It was an honor for this to be my first Lead Ride Captain mission.



I arrived at the staging area at 0630 with several riders pulling in shortly thereafter. Soon 55 bikes would arrive along with 5 cages. There were 16 PGR members on their first mission. Lead bikes with double flags were chosen. It was determined that the Lead Bike would fly both the American Flag and the Marine Flag. We formed in the Missing Man Formation with position two reserved for the spirit of our fallen hero. Positions three flew the American Flag and the PGR flag. The remaining lead bikes fell into position.



The second group of riders were led by two sets of American flag in the right position and the Marine Flag in the left position. The remainder of the bikes followed with the cages pulling up the rear. We rode from the staging area to the funeral home and regrouped with the Lead flags falling behind the Police Vehicle, the hearse was next. The Detachment of Marines fell in next and the remainder of the PGR followed the Marines.



We rode to the Church at 25mph. The Police Car and the hearse went to the second entry way and the PGR pealed off as requested and went into the first parking lot. All PGR dismounted their bikes and put together their 3’x5’ flags on poles. We made a wall of flags along the road as the casket was unloaded from the Hearse and taken into the Church.



We stood down for about and hour. Some PGR broke to going into the church for latrine duties and to get bottled water that was provided by the cages. Pastor Harvey Whalely came out of the church and shook hands with all Patriot Guard Riders that remained in position. Both a U.S. Marine Colonel and a Major came over to thank the PGR and shook hands with all that were present. They wanted to ensure that all of the PGR were aware of how much they appreciated us supporting the Marine Corps.



The PGR regrouped with a wall of flags lining the road awaiting the family. Respects were given as the family arrived and went into the church. The PGR stood down for one hour while the Church Service was performed.



The PGR regrouped with two PGR members flying a U.S. Flag and Marine Flag in the center of the formation. Next to the flags was Lance Corporal Muller who is a new PGR member and a United States Marine (readying for his 2nd deployment to Iraq in the next 4 weeks) He was home this weekend from Lejeune. He had witnessed the PGR's at the funeral of his high school buddy (J.P. Jacobs) in Lumberton earlier this year. Lance Corporal Muller was carrying a U.S. Marine Helmet and googles.



Family and Friends of Pfc Sanchez exited the church and either entered the tent or stood on the outside of the tent.



Pastor Whaley opened up the Honors by thanking the Patriot Guard for us attending the service.



Full military honors were bestowed upon Pfc Sanchez. At the conclusion of the honors, I presented the condolence book to Mrs. Sanchez and Lance Corporal Muller presented the Marine helmet to Mrs. Sanchez. He told her that his unit will be replacing Pfc Sanchez’ unit in Iraq. Mrs. Sanchez reached up and kissed the cheek of Lance Corporal Muller and asked him to be safe. This was a very touching moment and brought tears to my eyes.



Pfc Sanchez was placed in the hearse. It was previously requested that the Patriot Guard remain in place until the hearse departed. The hearse departed and the Patriot Guard was dismissed. A family member shook my hands and asked me to personally thank each Patriot Guard for attending. I complied with his request.



Thank you to everyone who made this such a successful mission.



Respectfully Yours,



Andy Anderson

North Carolina Ride Captain.