The Associated Press
In a tragic twist, funeral rites for MARINE LANCE CPL. RYAN J. KOVACICEK were performed in the same church where he had stood as godfather to his only sister’s child.
“He was a funny kid, a sweet kid,” said Jackie Coleman, a friend.
Kovacicek, 22, of Washington, Pa., was killed July 10 by indirect enemy fire in Hit. He was assigned to a Reserve unit based in Moundsville, W.Va.
“He was a brother to everyone, especially to those that didn’t have one,” said Kovacicek’s best friend, Raymond Marinpetro. “He was there whenever and wherever you needed him.” He graduated from high school in 2001 and lettered in hockey. He continued to play hockey after enrolling at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was in his third year of study for a degree in criminology.
He enlisted in the military in 2003. His father, Joseph Kovacicek Jr., of Washington, is a veteran of the Vietnam War.
“He was a happy-go-lucky kid,” said Kathy Smith, a friend. He also is survived by his mother, Judy.
“Ryan had a great sense of humor,” said Kovacicek’s brother-in-law, Ron Salvitti. “He was a well-liked kid.”
MARINE LANCE CPL. CHRISTOPHER P. LYONS never got to hold his 3-month old daughter, but he glimpsed her over the Internet.
Bethany Lyons said she saw tears in her husband’s eyes when he looked at their daughter, Ella, through a Web camera.
“He said she was beautiful, just like me,” Bethany Lyons said.
“I’m so glad he at least got to see her once.” Christopher Lyons, 24, of Shelby, Ohio, died July 28 when his unit was attacked in Cykla. He was assigned to a Reserve unit in Columbus, Ohio.
A 1999 high school graduate, Lyons attended Pioneer Career and Technology Center. He also was a sales representative in the advertising department at the News Journal in Mansfield.
Tom Brennan, publisher of the News Journal and the Telegraph-Forum, said, “Chris was an outstanding young man. He was the ultimate professional. Simply put, he was polite and positive. Any employer would have found a spot for him. The staff here will surely miss him.”
Bethany Lyons said her husband was kindhearted and goofy. “He made everybody laugh. He used to tickle me to make me laugh and I would get irritated,” she said.
ARMY PVT. ANTHONY M. MAZZARELLA had plans with his dad for next year: They would take off somewhere – maybe cruise the Mediterranean, or “jump in the car, drive south and hang out together,” Michael Mazzarella said.
Instead, the father made plans for a memorial service.
Anthony Mazzarella, 22, of Blue Springs, Mo., was killed July 5 in Taji when his vehicle accidentally rolled over. He was based at Fort Riley, Kan.
In high school, Mazzarella had been in Junior ROTC as a freshman, then delivered pizzas and played guitar with a small band.
“He was a real sociable person,” Michael Mazzarella said. “Anthony had a joy for life. He did what he wanted to do.” He graduated from high school in 2001 and decided to enlist two years ago.
“After the invasion into Iraq he talked about going into the Army … seeing the world … driving a tank,” his father said.
“I felt a sense of pride when he told me.”
ARMY SGT. ARTHUR R. McGILL went off to war with a superhero – and, to those who knew him, became one himself.
“He loved Spider-Man. It seemed like everything we ever got him revolved around Spider-Man,” said his aunt, Jamie Gilstrap. So she found a CD-ROM that had the first 500 issues of “The Amazing Spider-Man” comic and he took it to Iraq.
McGill, 26, of Gentry, Ark., was killed July 19 in Baghdad when a bomb detonated near his patrol. He was based at Fort Stewart, Ga.
McGill earned a GED diploma and joined the National Guard in 1997 and the Army in 2003.
“He wanted to do something with his life that he could be proud of and that his daughter could be proud of. When he was younger, he didn’t feel like he had much, but he was really proud of how his career was turning out,” Gilstrap said.
Packages were always arriving from Iraq – collector’s knives, undeveloped film, a videotape – bound for his large family. He bought his sister her first car for her 15th birthday, sent money home for school clothes and sent Gilstrap, who is in college, a laptop computer.
“He was always thinking of other people,” she said.
He also is survived by his daughter, Kaylee, 7.
ARMY SGT. CHAD MERCER signed up for the National Guard so he could get a scholarship to Georgia Military College. Married with three young children, he worked at a hardware store after he graduated.
“He did what he had to do to get by. He worked six, seven days a week to provide for his family,” said Casey Caswell, a childhood friend.
Mercer, 25, of Waycross, Ga., was killed June 30 in Baghdad, where his vehicle rolled over during combat operations. He was based in Fitzgerald, Ga.
Mercer is survived by his wife, Pam, and three children – Gavin, 2, Amber, 5 and Alanna 8.
He was on the competitive rifle team in high school and at the Georgia Military College, where he graduated in 2000.
“He was a great cadet,” said Col. Pat Beer, the commandant of cadets. “He had the biggest smile you could possibly believe, always very friendly.”
Even while in high school, it was quickly apparent that ARMY STAFF SGT. JASON W. MONTEFERING was someone you could count on. He even took his part-time job at an auto repair store with gusto.
“He was somebody that if you told him to be there at 8, he’d be there. Sometimes, he’d be waiting on us. He wasn’t afraid to get in there and get dirty with the rest of us,” said John Murtha, owner of Murtha Repair. “He’d help out, no matter what.” Montefering, 27, of Parkston, S.D., died July 24 when a bomb detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad. He was stationed at Fort Carson and was on his second tour of Iraq.
His priest, the Rev. Bob Krantz, said Montefering was a quiet man who preferred the background. “He was pretty quiet. His presence told you he was military,” Krantz said.
Montefering graduated from high school in 1997. “He never had any discipline problems, and he was always real polite and courteous,” said his principal, Joseph Kollmann.
His mother, Lorraine Montefering, said her son had been scheduled for a break from duty early next month.
“He was looking forward to coming back here,” she said. “He loved farm life. He loved coming here and spending time.”
ARMY SGT. RYAN J. MONTGOMERY and his twin brother, Bryan, had been together from band camp to boot camp to Iraq, where they served in the same unit. The two were known for their infectious laughter.
“My brother and I always lived like a laugh could solve anything,” Bryan Montgomery wrote in a letter read at his brother’s funeral.
Ryan Montgomery, 22, of Greensburg, Ky., was killed July 3 when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad. He was based in Campbellsville, Ky.
Montgomery joined the military in September 2000, during his senior year of high school.
Musically inclined, Montgomery played in the marching band and jazz band.
“Ryan Montgomery was killed in Iraq serving the country he loved,” his family said in a statement. “Ryan was proud of his unit and believed in what he was doing. He was loved by all who knew him. He will be greatly missed but never forgotten.”
MARINE CPL. CLIFTON B. MOUNCE was happiest fishing, hunting or riding dirt bikes. He also loved to laugh.
“We had our best times sitting on the couch and watching ‘Will and Grace.’ He loved that show,” recalled Tiffany Owen, his wife of three years.
Mounce, 22, who went by the name Blake, of Pontotoc, Miss., died July 14 when his vehicle was struck by an explosive device near Trebil. He was based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Pat Mounce said her son had worked at a furniture factory and a Wal-Mart distribution center, but after the 2001 terrorist attacks, he decided he wanted to do something good with his life and joined the Marines.
“He loved the guys he was out there with. When he called home and asked for prayer, he didn’t just ask for it for himself, but for everyone serving,” she said.
When Rhonda Owen, his mother-in-law, asked him if he was sure he wanted to sign up, she got a glimpse of his thinking.
“He has two younger brothers and I think maybe he was thinking about if he could help end the war, maybe they wouldn’t have to go.
“He put everybody before him,” Owen said.
“He was the best and he always has been,” Tiffany said.
It wasn’t enough for ARMY SPEC. EDWARD L. MYERS to be part of the JROTC program. He had to have his hand in virtually every activity it offered, including drill team, rifle marksmanship, color guard and other teams.
“He was a highly motivated student with a lot of self-discipline,” said retired Lt. Col. Russell Cleveland, senior Army instructor. “He was a highly patriotic young man.” Myers, 21, of St. Joseph, Mo., died July 27 in Samarra when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He graduated from high school in 2002 and was based at Fort Stewart, Ga.
Myers planned to make a lifelong career out of his service with the military, said Danette Peters, a family friend. “This is what he wanted to do for life,” she said. “It wasn’t a spur-of – the -moment decision.”
“He always wanted to enlist in the military,” retired Master Sgt. Jesse Rivera said. “When 9/11 happened, he knew he had to go and do what he thought he was required to do.” He is survived by his wife, Imojean, whom he met at JROTC, and their children, James, 5, and Rebekah, 8 months.
On MARINE SGT. BRYAN J. OPSKAR’S wedding day, his bride-to-be went to their condo a few hours before the ceremony and found her groom crying.
“He didn’t cry often, so I knew something was up,” recalled Leandra Opskar.
She asked him what was the matter. He replied that he was just so overwhelmed and overjoyed that he was marrying her. They embraced.
“It was the best 15 minutes ever,” she said.
Bryan Opskar, 32, of Princeton, Minn., was killed July 23 when his vehicle was struck by an explosive device in Rutbah. He was based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
He graduated from high school in 1991 and played junior hockey for two years before attending Concordia College, where he joined the hockey team for two seasons.
Opskar was engaged last Thanksgiving and married on New Year’s Eve. He and Leandra had known each other for 12 years after working together at a local grocery store.
“He had me at paper or plastic,” Leandra said.
Opskar was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt, fish and golf, family members said. He owned two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, his wife said.
“I think what I’ll miss most about him are his smile and his giggle,” Leandra said.
ARMY STAFF SGT. JORGE L. PENA-ROMERO was known for staying cool and lifting the moods of people around him.
“As an individual, this guy was incredible – easy to talk to, always had some kind of smile on his face, always knew how to lighten people’s moods,” said Sgt. Jason Morris, a friend.
Pena-Romero, 29, of Fallbrook, Calif., died July 17 in Baghdad when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol. He was based at Fort Irwin, Calif.
He graduated from high school in 1995 and joined the Army, where he was a machine gunner.
“He was well-liked, and he was a mentor to many of the guys in the troop,” said Lindsey Keys, whose husband is the commander of Pena-Romero’s unit.
Pena-Romero took joy in doing little things on the side to help Iraqis, such as coordinating a clothing drive through his Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fallbrook.
“He was organizing a group of people who would give things to the kids,” said his sister, Karla Pena-Marin. “He said that no matter how much they got over there, it was never enough.” He is survived by his wife, Melissa, and three children.
