Lance Cpl. Larry L. Wells, USMC
The Department of Defense announced on August 7 the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Larry L. Wells, 22, of Mount Hermon, La., died August 6 due to enemy action in An Najal Province, Iraq. He was assigned to Unit Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Advocate -- Joni Fanguy knew something was wrong the minute she drove into her Mount Hermon driveway Friday.
The two Marines waiting at her home in the Washington Parish community delivered the news that her stepson Larry L. Wells, 22, was killed Friday during fighting in Iraq's An Najal Province.
Wells had left in early May to serve a second tour of duty in Iraq.
"Our youngest son was home for lunch when they came," Fanguy said of the Marines
Family and friends still don't know much about what happened to Wells, other than what they've been able to glean from news accounts of the battle. Funeral plans are on hold until Wells' body is brought back to the United States, which family members expect will happen today.
"We are just going to miss him so much. He was such a big part of our family," Fanguy said. Wells has seven brothers and sisters and two stepbrothers.
Wells moved to Mount Hermon from Bogalusa in 1993, when he was in fourth grade. He graduated from Mount Hermon High School. Fanguy said he was a good student who kept out of trouble.
"His high school years, he talked about the military; it's what he wanted to do," Fanguy said. "He was so proud of that uniform."
While in high school, Wells wasn't sure which branch of the military to join. By the end of his senior year in high school, he decided on the Marines, Fanguy said.
Lance Cpl. Wells was a rifleman assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit of the I Marine Expeditionary Force based in Camp Pendleton.
He had come home to Mount Hermon a few times in the last year, starting when he returned from his first tour in Iraq in October. He returned again briefly when his dad's battle against cancer took a turn for the worse.
"He got to spend a few days with his dad before his dad passed," Fanguy said.
Wells came home again for a few days in April before shipping out again to Iraq. Fanguy said he wasn't excited about going back to Iraq, but knew it was what he needed to do. He was expecting to return home in December.
After his four-year tour in the Marines, Fanguy said Wells had talked about attending college to study criminal justice and eventually join the State Police.
"He was an exceptional young man; oh God, he was fun," Fanguy said. "Very respectful, well-mannered."
Others in Mount Hermon said Wells will be missed.
"I found out the other day; we were just talking about him," said Felder Goings, who owns a hardware store in town and lived down the road.
|
Cpl. Roberto Abad, USMC
The Department of Defense announced on August 9 the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Roberto Abad, 22, of Los Angeles, Calif., died Aug. 6 due to enemy action in An Najaf Province, Iraq. He was assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
|
