Ryan Jerabek




UNION-TRIBUNE
April 23, 2004

U.S. Marine Private First Class
Age 18

When Ryan Jerabek joined the Marines, he was continuing a proud family tradition of serving this country. His grandfather was in the Army Air Corps. His grandmother was a Navy lieutenant. His father was in the Army during the Vietnam War.

Pfc. Jerabek, 18, of Hobart, Wis., died April 6 in a battle in Ramadi, Iraq. He was a mortarman and rifleman with the 1st Marine Division from Camp Pendleton, and he had been in Iraq for four weeks.

The Jerabek family is still waiting for the military to provide details surrounding his death.

"Ryan just loved this country with a passion. He just loved this country so much and the history behind it," said Ken Jerabek, Ryan's father, who last heard from his son on April 4.

"He said, 'Don't worry about it. I am all right. Everything was cool. Just send me some more candy,' and he said he loved me and his family here."

Ryan Jerabek wanted more candy to hand out to Iraqi children.

The middle child of Ken and Rita Jerabek, he was a history buff and a computer whiz who loved video games and paintball. He wanted to first serve his country, then go to college and return home to become a history teacher.

He was an avid reader of American and world history books and had walked the Freedom Trail in Boston with his mother and aunt to learn about the founding of America.

He was curious about his Irish heritage and traveled to Ireland in 2001 with his older brother, Aaron. They hiked across the country and visited castles.

At Pulaski High School, where he graduated with honors in 2003, he ran on the track team and was known as a nice person and humble student who never caused any trouble. He tutored kids who struggled with physics.

Deeply affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Jerabek signed up with the Marines at 17, motivated by a sense of duty to do something for his country. Jerabek went through boot camp with his childhood friend Michael Andrews, who escorted his body home from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

More than 1,400 people attended Jerabek's memorial service two weeks ago. Those in attendance included congressmen, senators, the governor of Wisconsin and veterans from throughout the state. The Jerabek family has received cards and letters of condolence from all over the country.

Jerabek was buried with full military honors and a Purple Heart.

"He is just going to be deeply missed. There is a loss here that will never be filled," Ken Jerabek said.
–
Helen Gao

JOSHUA M. PALMER
U.S. Marine 1st Lieutenant
Age 25
Two days before he was killed in Iraq, 1st Lt. Joshua M. Palmer was promoted to his new rank.

But the paperwork had not been finished and Palmer had not been told of his promotion.

"He never knew it," said his mother, Jackie Palmer.

On April 8, a sniper killed Palmer in Fallujah, said family and friends.

Palmer was 25.

He was an infantry officer with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Marine Expeditionary Force.

Palmer grew up in Banning in Riverside County and was a bright, athletic boy. He loved to read books, especially about history, and he played on the Banning High School football team.

Palmer joined the Marines straight out of high school. He was 17 and his mother showed up one day to find two Marines with him in their home.

She wanted him to slow down and think it through, but once her son had made up his mind, it became impossible to change it.

"He loved the uniform," said Jackie Palmer. "He loved the discipline."

He was able to attend the University of San Diego while being in the Marine reserves program, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in international relations.

In 2002, he went on active duty and two days before Thanksgiving 2003 he was shipped to Okinawa and, later, Iraq.

"He would tell me that he was doing what he had to do," said his mother.

At a young age, he was in charge of 40 men and he loved to take care of them, protecting them and trying to help them become better Marines.

"He really enjoyed the fact that it was a family," his mother said. "He really watched out for everybody. He would refer to them as his boys."

Three weeks before he died, his mom talked to him to tell him good news – she had become engaged. The wedding was going to be in June and she wanted him to put in for time off to attend it.

He said he would. But Palmer had also told friends he wanted to extend his stay in Iraq, said friend Dominic Persechini.

"He spoke about how he was doing a lot of good in Iraq, how he was there to help people," Persechini said.
– Luis Monteagudo Jr

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/m...m23fallen.html


Ellie

Rest In Peace