Tonight we come to honor and remember a young marine who would have celebrated his twenty-first birthday the day after he became the latest casualty in Operation Enduring Freedom.
"He which hath no stomach for this fight, let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today that sheds his blood with me shall always be my brother." (William Shakespeare)
Lance Cpl. Ralph J. Fabbri, 20, of Gallitzin, Pa. , died September 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1 Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton.
This was the first tour of duty for Lance Cpl. Fabbri, and he was scheduled to return home in only three weeks, which made the news especially heartbreaking to his family. He worked primarily as a combat photographer and was reportedly the only casualty from an insurgent attack on Tuesday. Hoover also said Fabbri was a proud Marine who thought military service "the right thing to do," and he planned on becoming an art teacher when his tour ended.
According to his cousin Stacy Hoover, who is the spokesperson for the family, his parents are "pretty shaken up." The grieving family released a bouquet of balloons in his memory Wednesday night. The family has released a statement saying the young marine "will be remembered as a down-to-earth, fun-loving and considerate person who chose to serve his country."
Lance Cpl. Fabbri graduated from Penn Cambria High School in 2008 and enlisted in the marines immediately following graduation. While in high school, Lance Cpl. Fabbri was active in art organizations and had prints added to the school's coollection. His work was also exhibited at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Mount Aloysius College.
Penn Cambria Superintendent Mary Beth Whited remembers Lance Cpl. Fabbri as an honor student in the district. She also stated that, along with his friendly smile, he had a deep interest in science, history and art. "He took pretty much every history course he could while he was here; he just loved it," she said. His talent and enthusiasm left a legacy at the school," added Whited.
The mayor of Gallitzin, Ray Osmolinski, was awakened by a phone call Wednesday morning about the news. "He was known around town. He was a well-liked young man," said Osmolinski, who knew both parents, though he did not know Lance Cpl. Fabbri personally. "When something like this happens it hits home in a small town. It's heartbreaking."
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To see what these tributes mean to those who have lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan, please read Sandy on Signal’s story about meeting the father of a soldier at NN10.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.
Since 2003 there have been 4424 US casualties in Iraq and since 2001 there have been 1310 US casualties in Afghanistan. Source.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is currently maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, a girl in MI, Spam Nunn, JeNoCo, Janos Nation, True Blue Majority, Proud Mom and Grandma, Sandy on Signal, CalNM, Wide Awake in KY, maggiejean, racheltracks, kestrel 9000 and noweasels.
If you would like to contribute to the series, even once a month, please contact Sandy on Signal or noweasels.
To see what these tributes mean to those who have lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan, please read Sandy on Signal’s story about meeting the father of a soldier at NN10.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.