Marines Honor those who died During Recent Deployment

The members of the 1^st Marine Division’s 1^st Battalion, 5^th Marines assembled on base Friday to honor the 17 members of their unit who died this year in Afghanistan.

The unit returned home last month from a seven-month deployment. Most of the fallen Marines  died during the Taliban’s fighting season in the summer months.

The men served despite knowing the dangers, Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Thomas Savage said.

  “They all joined knowing — and probably hoping — they would go to war,” he said. “These men protected this country. In my mind, there is nothing more noble.”

The following Marines were honored:

Lance Cpl. Joe M. Jackson.

Lance Cpl. Ronald D. Freeman.

Lance Cpl. Nicholas S. O’Brien

Lance Cpl. Joshua B. McDaniels

Lance Cpl. Sean M. O’Connor

Lance Cpl. Jared C. Verbeek

Cpl. Gurpreet Singh

Gunnery Sgt. Ralph E. Pate Jr.

Lance Cpl. John F. Farias

Sgt. Chad D. Frokjer

Cpl. Kyle R. Schneider

Lance Cpl. Norberto Mendez-Hernandez

Lance Cpl. Robert S. Greninger

Sgt. Daniel J. Patron

Sgt. Adan Gonzales Jr.

Sgt. Joshua J. Robinson

Cpl. Michael J. Dutcher