thedrifter
07-24-07, 07:04 AM
Neighborhood mourns the death of L.I. Marine in Iraq
Tuesday, July 24th 2007, 4:00 AM
The death of a Long Island Marine in Iraq threw his Northport neighborhood into mourning yesterday.
Yellow ribbons on mailboxes along Madsen Lane stood as sad reminders that Chris Scherer, 21, wouldn't be coming home, and many of those who knew him were overcome with grief.
"You read about this all the time," said one 53-year-old neighbor, who identified himself as Jimmy, "but this is close to home. This really, really hurts.
"Chris was a great kid, a good-natured kid, a special kid," he said, his voice breaking.
Scherer was mortally wounded Sunday in a firefight in Al Anbar province in western Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, in Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was among 4,000 Marines sent to Al Anbar as part of President Bush's "surge" plan to counter insurgents.
Friends and neighbors said Scherer joined the Marines right out of Northport High School, where he lettered in lacrosse and played soccer.
Scherer's parents, an older brother and twin kid sisters all were too distraught to talk yesterday.
Richard Weir and Leo Standora
Ellie
Tuesday, July 24th 2007, 4:00 AM
The death of a Long Island Marine in Iraq threw his Northport neighborhood into mourning yesterday.
Yellow ribbons on mailboxes along Madsen Lane stood as sad reminders that Chris Scherer, 21, wouldn't be coming home, and many of those who knew him were overcome with grief.
"You read about this all the time," said one 53-year-old neighbor, who identified himself as Jimmy, "but this is close to home. This really, really hurts.
"Chris was a great kid, a good-natured kid, a special kid," he said, his voice breaking.
Scherer was mortally wounded Sunday in a firefight in Al Anbar province in western Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, in Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was among 4,000 Marines sent to Al Anbar as part of President Bush's "surge" plan to counter insurgents.
Friends and neighbors said Scherer joined the Marines right out of Northport High School, where he lettered in lacrosse and played soccer.
Scherer's parents, an older brother and twin kid sisters all were too distraught to talk yesterday.
Richard Weir and Leo Standora
Ellie