Monday, May 22, 2006

Our Latest American Hero #20


hatakyukakeyumyearby
Originally uploaded by Randuwa.
Marine Lance Cpl. Hatak Yuka Keyu M. Yearby, 21, of Overbrook, Okla.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; killed May 14 while conducting combat operations in the Anbar province, Iraq.


“Three Kane'ohe Bay Marines Killed”

In the first two months of its deployment to Iraq, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment had lost three Marines out of its 1,000-member unit.

That number has doubled over the past five days.

Two Marines were killed Sunday while conducting combat operations, and a third was killed Friday in a "nonhostile" incident, the Pentagon said yesterday.

Lance Cpl. Jose S. Marin-Dominguez Jr., 22, of Liberal, Kansas, and Lance Cpl. Hatak Yuka Keyu M. Yearby, 21, of Overbrook, Okla., died while conducting combat operations in western Iraq.

Lance Cpl. Adam C. Conboy, 21, of Philadelphia, was killed by nonhostile fire, Conboy's mother said....

News of the three deaths came as about 200 Marines with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment from Kane'ohe Bay were expected to arrive home last night after five months in Afghanistan.

"As joyous as it is with our Marines coming home from Afghanistan, we still need to remember the three Marines that were lost this weekend and their families. They will be with us in our thoughts and prayers," said 2nd Lt. Binford Strickland, a base spokesman.

Yearby's family told KTEN TV in Oklahoma that he was a Native American dancer who performed around the world. They were notified early Sunday morning that his Humvee had struck a land mine.

Yearby was a warehouse clerk. He had joined the Marines in May of last year and reported to Hawai'i in October.

On a myspace.com account, Yearby described himself as a 5-foot-7, athletic Native American. Under a heading for children, he wrote, "some day." He said his interests were fishing, camping, spending time with his wife, family and friends. He listed his mother and father as his "heroes."

On May 11, three days before he died, his wife, Lindsey, wrote on the Web site: "Hey, baby ... can you believe that we have been married for 3 months and 1 day!!! I am soo happy you are in my life ... I can't wait for you to come home!!! I love you hubby!!!"

Above that, in an entry dated yesterday, a friend named Cody said, "Hey man, we had great times, parties at the river and even fun at work ... you will be missed greatly man. I'm sorry I didn't go with you. God man, I am so sorry. Please forgive me."

No comments: