This is the real cost of freedom

CAMP PENDLETON MARINE DIES IN IRAQ
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - The I Marine Expeditionary Force announced today the deaths of three Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Benjamin S. Bryan, 23, of Lumberton, N.C., died Nov. 13 as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Bryan was a rifleman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. Bryan joined the Marine Corps Feb. 17, 2001. His personal awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal. This was Bryan's second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Victor R. Lu, 22, of Los Angeles, Calif., died Nov. 13 as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Lu was a rifleman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. Lu joined the Marine Corps Dec. 17, 2002. His personal awards include the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal.
Lance Cpl. Justin D. McLeese, 19, of Covington, La., died Nov. 13 as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. McLeese was a rifleman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. McLeese joined the Marine Corps Oct. 6, 2003. His personal awards include the National Defense Service Medal.
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - The I Marine Expeditionary Force announced today the deaths of five Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Nicholas H. Anderson, 19, of Las Vegas, Nev., died Nov. 12 in a vehicle incident while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Anderson was an assaultman assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Anderson joined the Marine Corps Sept. 22, 2003. His personal awards include the National Defense Service Medal.
Lance Cpl. Justin M. Ellsworth, 20, of Mount Pleasant, Mich., died Nov. 13 as result of a enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Ellsworth was a combat engineer assigned to Combat Service Support Battalion 1, Combat Service Support Group 11, 1st Force Service Support Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Ellsworth joined the Marine Corps Sept. 15, 2003. His personal awards include the National Defense Service Medal.
Cpl. Jarrod L. Maher, 21, of Imogene, Iowa, died Nov. 12 as result of a non-hostile gunshot wound at Abu Ghraib, Iraq. Maher was assigned an assaultman to 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Maher joined the Marine Corps June 3, 2002. His personal awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal. This was Maher's second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maher's death is under investigation.
Sgt. Byron W. Norwood, 25, of Pflugerville, Texas, died Nov. 13 as result of enemy action in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Norwood was an assaultman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Norwood joined the Marine Corps July 6, 1998. His personal awards include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Humanitarian Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. This was Norwood's second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Morgan W. Strader, 23, of Crossville, Tenn., died Nov 12 as result of enemy action in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Strader was a military policeman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Strader joined the Marine Corps July 17, 2000. His personal awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal. This was Strader's second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - The I Marine Expeditionary Force announced today the deaths of eight Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
2nd Lt. James P. Blecksmith, 24, of San Marino, Calif., died Nov. 11 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Blecksmith was a platoon commander assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Blecksmith joined the Marine Corps May 23, 2003. His personal awards include the National Defense Service Medal.
Cpl. Theodore A. Bowling, 25, of Casselberry, Fla., died Nov. 11 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Bowling was a motor vehicle operator assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Bowling joined the Marine Corps Jan. 8, 2001. His personal awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the National Defense Service Medal. This was Bowling's second deployment in support of OIF.
Lance Cpl Kyle W. Burns, 20, of Laramie, Wyo, died Nov. 11 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Burns was a light armored vehicle crewman assigned to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Burns joined the Marine Corps June 24, 2002. His personal awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the National Defense Service Medal. This was Burns' second deployment in support of OIF.
Lance Cpl. Erick J. Hodges, 21, of Bay Point, Calif., died Nov. 10 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Hodges was a rifleman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Hodges joined the Marine Corps Aug. 5, 2002. His personal awards include the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. This was Hodges' second deployment in support of OIF.
Staff Sgt. Theodore S. Holder II, 27, of Littleton Colo. died Nov. 11 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Holder was an infantry unit leader assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Holder joined the Marine Corps June 19, 1996. His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon, Marine Security Guard Ribbon, and the National Defense Service Medal.
Staff Sgt. Gene Ramirez, 28, of San Antonio, Texas, died Nov 10 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Ramirez was a motor vehicle operator assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Ramirez joined the Marine Corps Jan. 29, 1996. His personal awards include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the National Defense Service Medal. This was Ramirez' second deployment in support of OIF.
Lance Cpl. Justin D. Repphun, 20, of Hemlock, Mich., died Nov. 11 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Repphun was a motor vehicle operator assigned to 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Repphun joined the Marine Corps June 11, 2003. His personal awards include the National Defense Service Medal.
Lance Cpl. Abraham Simpson, 19, of Chino, Calif., died Nov. 9 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Simpson was a mortarman, assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Simpson joined the Marine Corps Aug. 11, 2003. His personal awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - The I Marine Expeditionary Force announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Thomas J. Zapp, 20, of Houston, Texas, died Nov. 8 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Zapp was a supply administration and operations clerk assigned to Combat Service Support Battalion 1, Combat Service Support Group 11, 1st Force Service Support Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Zapp joined the Marine Corps June 9, 2003. His personal awards include the National Defense Service Medal.
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - The I Marine Expeditionary Force announced today the deaths of three Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. William C. James, 24, of Huntington Beach, Calif. died Nov. 10 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. James was a rifleman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Nicholas D. Larson, 19, of Wheaton, Ill. died Nov. 10 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Larson was a rifleman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Wood, 19, of Kirkland, Wash. died Nov. 9 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Wood was a rifleman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
James joined the Marine Corps July 27, 1998. His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon and Marine Security Guard Ribbon.
Larson joined the Marine Corps Sept. 8, 2003. His personal award include the National Defense Service Medal.
Wood joined the Marine Corps Sept. 8, 2003. His personal award include the National Defense Service Medal.
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I invite you to visit this website
http://www.pendleton.usmc.mil/scout/articles/nov%2011/sarcastic.asp
I also urge you to pray for them and their families.
DDW