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thedrifter
04-01-04, 04:43 PM
Hostile fire in Iraq kills Camp Pendleton Marine





By Kristen Green
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

April 1, 2004

Marine Lance Cpl. William Wiscowiche was newly married, with a baby, when he was deployed for his second tour of duty in Iraq.

Before he left Camp Pendleton, he and his high school girlfriend, Veronica Vargas, wed in an intimate ceremony in Redlands. The bride's mother kept their infant daughter, Arrianna, so they could go for a snowboarding honeymoon at Big Bear Mountain Resorts, said his father, Joseph Wiscowiche.

On Tuesday, Wiscowiche, 20, was killed by hostile fire in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, the Marine Corps said.

Wiscowiche joined the Marines before he turned 18. His parents had to go with him to the recruiter's office to sign the papers. He reported for duty just months after he earned his high school diploma in Victorville in 2001.

"Willy," as he was known by his family, enjoyed working on his car, a 1999 Honda Civic. He had installed speakers, upgraded the electronics and given it a new paint job.

He was the baby of the family, and as a child, he loved to build with Legos and play video games. As he grew up, he developed an interest in break dancing. He also gave modeling a try.

"Willy was a great kid," said his sister-in-law, Karen Wiscowiche. "Everyone loved him. He had a great heart."

William Wiscowiche met his wife in high school, where she played soccer and he played football.

He served his first tour of duty in Iraq in 2003 and returned to Camp Pendleton in October, just weeks after his daughter was born. He worked out of the base during the week, but spent the weekends with his family in Victorville in the high desert.

His wife was worried about him returning to Iraq, but it was something Wiscowiche had accepted as part of his job, his father said.

He was a combat engineer assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by his parents, three sisters and two brothers.



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Union-Tribune library researchers Denise Davidson and Peter Uribe contributed to this report.
Kristen Green: (619) 542-4576; kristen.green@uniontrib.com

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20040401-9999-news_1m1marine.html

Ellie


Rest In Peace