Columbus Marine dies in Afghanistan

[IndianaGreen]

2/19/2010 6:43:00 PM
Columbus Marine dies in Afghanistan

By Chris Schilling
Reporter

A Columbus native serving in the Marines in Afghanistan was killed Thursday by an explosive device, his family said.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Jeremy McQueary, 27, was the son of Deborah Kleinschmidt and the late Dallas McQueary and the brother of Rebecca Willison. He was married to Rae McQueary of Brown County and had a 5-month-old son, Hadley.

McQueary's mother and stepfather, David Kleinschmidt, are traveling today to Dover, Del., for the dignified transfer ceremony for McQueary's body.

<snip>

McQueary was serving his first tour in Afghanistan. He previously had served two tours in Iraq, his family said.

He enlisted with the Marines in January 2002, following his early graduation from Columbus East High School.

McQueary's mother, Deborah, said the family has a strong heritage of military veterans, and McQueary always expressed interest in becoming a Marine.

His sister, Rebecca, said McQueary felt a strong desire to help people, inspired by his father's work as a Bartholomew County Sheriff's reserve deputy.

The death of McQueary's father in 1992, when McQueary was 9, amplified his desire to serve others.

http://www.therepublic.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=111&ArticleID=142941

RIP Marine!

:cry:

[indypaul]

1. Star also reporting death of

L/Cpl Joshua Birchfield, 2004 Westville, IN high school
graduate was killed in Afghanistan Friday. He had been
a Marine for 2 years and details were incomplete. May
he rest in peace. My heart and prayers go out for the
relatives, friends and their fellow Marines.