a second marine with connecticut ties has lost his life

in iraq this past week. my thoughts and prayers are with capt brian s. letendre's family and friends.

and from a couple of posts back, dealing with cpl bixler's death: the father of cpl bixler has a simple request; remember our deployed men and women and SEND A CARE PACKAGE. do it! it will make you feel SO good (not even thinking about how it will make THEM feel). i send four soldiers and airmen care packages (and this reminds me, i'm due to send the next ones). i know they share what is in those packages with their fellow mates. you don't have to spend tons of money. ANYTHING is appreciated. candy, or books or magazines. socks and tee shirts. dvds, music, puzzles, little games, batteries, hot chocolate or powdered drink mixes. you can no longer just send a package to general delivery you MUST have a soldiers (or sailors or airmens or marines) name and address. i got mine from a wonderful organization called soldier's angels


Second Marine with Connecticut ties killed in Iraq this week

By Shelley K. Wong, Associated Press Writer May 5, 2006

...........Capt. Brian S. Letendre, 27, of Woodbridge, Va., was stationed in Plainville with the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. He died Wednesday in combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, military officials said.
Letendre was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserves inspector and instructor staff, the Defense Department said................
............Letendre was killed when a suicide vehicle exploded near him, his family in Virginia said Friday. It was his second tour of duty in Iraq.
"He wasn't ordered to go back to Iraq for another combat tour, and his unit was not going to deploy there, but he selflessly and courageously volunteered to go help train the Iraqi forces," his family said in a prepared statement.
"Brian just didn't feel right being back here in the U.S. while other Marines were serving overseas, and wanted to get back to the front lines as soon as he could," the statement read.
Letendre was born in California and raised in Woodbridge, Va., where he graduated from Potomac High School in 1996............