Freedom Remembered

Cpl. Michael J. Palacio, 23, of Lake Elsinore, Calif., died March 29 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. Mikey joined the Marine Corps on Nov. 28, 2007 and served as a military policeman. He arrived on Okinawa, Nov. 11, 2010, and deployed to Afghanistan on Nov. 12, 2011. His service awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the NATO-International Security Assistance Force Medal.

To be updated…

Born: February 3, 1988 in Mexico
Died: March 30, 2012 in Afghanistan

Cpl. Roberto Cazarez of Harbor City, California was born in Angostura, Mexico. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on July 10, 2006 and was serving his first deployment to Afghanistan. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation. He was assigned to the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Cazarez died at age 24 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Burial is at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, California

To be updated…

Capt. Francis D. Imlay, 31, of Vacaville, Calif., died March 28 from injuries received in an accident involving an F-15 aircraft near a base in Southwest Asia. He was assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Captain Imlay was known among his fellow airmen as ‘Piston’ and ‘Dee’ by his loved ones at home. He was part of the 391st Fighter Squadron known as the ‘Bold Tigers.’

Burial is at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California – Section 13 Site 1320

To be updated…

Died: February 28, 2012 in Mobile Bay, Alabama

Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge of Cypress Valley, California

To be updated…

Born: April 30, 1990 in California
Died: March 5, 2012 in La Jolla, California

Spc. Edward J. Acosta, 21, of Hesperia, Calif., died March 5, in La Jolla, Calif., of injuries sustained Dec. 3, 2011, when his vehicle was struck by an improvised-explosive device in Wardak province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. Acosta enlisted in August 2008, trained as a combat medic, deployed to Korea in 2009 and was promoted in 2010. He deployed to Afghanistan in October and earned awards including the Purple Heart and Combat Medical Badge. Acosta, a combat medic, was riding in a vehicle struck by a bomb during a route-clearance mission on Dec. 3 in the Wardak province of Afghanistan. The blast that day killed three other Fort Bliss soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class Clark A. Corley Jr., Spc. Ryan M. Lumley and Spc. Thomas J. Mayberry.

Sunset Hills Memorial Park

To be updated…

Sgt. Justin A. Everett, 33 of Clovis, Calif, helicopter crew chief aboard UH-1Y Hueys. He joined the Marines in 2002 because of the Sept. 11, 2011 terrorist attacks. He felt it was his duty to go and join the military and be what he could be for this country and fell in love with the Marines. A 1996 graduate of Reedley High School in Central California, Justin served as a youth pastor in Fresno before he joined the Marines. He and his wife had just marked their 11-year wedding anniversary on Feb. 17, 2001. He was one of seven Marines killed in a helicopter crash near Yuma, Ariz. His personal awards include, the Air Medal Strike/Flight, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (second award), Good Conduct Medal (second award), National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Korean Defense Service Medal.

To be updated…

Born: July 29, 1987
Died: February 11, 2012 in Bahrain

Pfc. Cesar Cortez of Oceanside, Calif., died at age 24 in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Cortez was assigned to 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas. He is a 2005 graduate of Oceanside High School. Cortez joined the Army in March 2011 and arrived to Fort Bliss in October 2011. His awards and decorations include, the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.

Burial is at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, California – Sec 12 Site 352

To be updated…

Born: March 1, 1988 in Seattle, Washington
Died: January 31, 2012 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Sgt. William C. Stacey, 23, of King, Wash., died Jan. 31 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Will is a 2006 high school graduate. He began serving in the Marine Corps Jan. 3, 2007 and was currently serving his second deployment to Afghanistan. His personal service awards include, the Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze star devices, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver star device, and the NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia – Sec 60 Site 9960

Donations Information
Will’s family requests that in lieu of flowers,
donations be sent to
Roosevelt University Greenlake Little League
Attn: Will Stacey Memorial Fund
9594 First Avenue NE, #122
Seattle WA 98115

To be updated….

Born: October 31, 1988 in Los Angeles County, California
Died: January 21, 2012 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Cpl. Christopher G. Singer, 23, of Temecula, Calif., died Jan. 21 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. Chris is a 2007 graduate of Chaparral High School where he participated in the Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps program. He joined the United States Marines shortly after graduation. His awards include, the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.

Burial is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California – Sec 61 Site 1403

To be updated…

Born: May 30, 1987
Died: January 2, 2012 in Helmand, Afghanistan

Petty Officer 1st Class Chad R. Regelin of Cottonwood, California died at age 24 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Regelin was assigned as an explosive ordnance disposal technician to Marine Special Operations Company Bravo. Regelin was stationed at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, San Diego, Calif. Chad was expected to be back stateside in mid February. PO 1st Class Regelin was named Sailor Of The Year last November. His parents traveled to the nation’s capitol last November to accept the award on his behalf. Regelin received the award for personally locating and destroying 24 explosive devices and preventing an insurgency attack against his team. PO Regelin served a tour of duty in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. He was stationed at Explosive Mobile Unit Three out of San Diego, Ca. His military decorations included the Bronze Star medal and Combat Action Ribbon, according to Navy Personnel Command. He joined EODMU 3 in February 2008 after completing EOD training. Chad graduated in 2005 from Anderson Union High School, then enlisted in the Navy in 2006. While in high school, he helped launch the school’s Surf Club and was named Outstanding Senior for the Anderson Cubs varsity football squad.

Burial is at Northern California Veterans Cemetery in Igo, California – Sec 4 Site 150

To be updated…