Freedom Remembered

Born:October 27, 1982 in Grand Forks, North Dakota
Died: May 18, 2024 in National City, California

Cpl Riley E. Pape of East Grand Forks, Minnesota was the son of Ron and Shar Monk Pape. He graduated from East Grand Forks Senior High School in 2000. Riley enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on June 21, 2000. Upon graduation from Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, he was meritoriously promoted to the rank of Private First Class. Upon completion of Infantry Training School at Camp Pendleton, he was assigned as a rifleman to 2d Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton. In July 2002 he deployed to the western Pacific in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with 2d Battalion, 4th Marines. Upon returning to Camp Pendleton in June of 2003, he was screened for service with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and by virtue of his superior physical and mental performance was accepted into the Advanced Reconnaissance Course. Upon completion of Advanced Reconnaissance Course he was assigned for duty to 1st Recon Battalion as a Reconnaissance Marine. He was promoted to the rank of Corporal in February of 2004. In March 2004 he deployed to the Al Anbar Province of Iraq with A Company, 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. While serving in Iraq he participated in combat operations in and around the cities of Fallujah, Karmah, and Ramadi. Riley was awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal with “”Combat V’ device for individual heroism during numerous engagements against the enemy and the Combat Action Ribbon between March and August of 2004. He redeployed with the 1st Recon Battalion to Camp Pendleton in September of 2004. Riley is survived by his parents; Ron and Shar Pape of East Grand Forks, Minnesota, brothers; Ryan Pape who later died at Camp Pendleton on December 3 2009, Spc Ross Pape stationed in Iraq with the United States Army, grandparents; Robert Jr. and Donna Pape, Herbert and Donna Monk, great grandparents; Robert Sr. and Henrietta Pape, and Gladys Useldinger. Riley died at age 22 in a motorcycle accident.

Burial is at South Bethany Cemetery in East Grand Forks, Minnesota

The Cpl Riley Eric Pape by Freedom Remembered, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.