California’s War Dead

    James M. Ahearn

    James M. Ahearn, 43

    Army, Major
    Baghdad (southern part), Iraq
    Gender: Male
    Hometown: Concord
    I wish I could just sit all the Iraqi entities down in a room, pitch my plan to rid the place of Al Qaeda, and promise that the Americans will leave shortly thereafter -- or at least take up positions out in the desert on the Iranian border, which the average Iraqi wouldn't mind at all. I'll figure out the whole Iran thing later. I never realized saving the world was so damned hard.
    — James M. Ahearn, one of his final messages home

    During Baghdad duty in 2003, Ahearn, who spoke Arabic, met and fell in love with an Iraqi woman. He brought her to the U.S. in 2005, and they married and had a baby girl.
    Times obituary
    James Ahearn's family website
    « Bruce C. Salazar Jr., 07/06/2007
    Faoa L. Apineru, 07/02/2007 »
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    Four memories of James M. Ahearn

    My dad was friends with James while he lived in California and he used to watch 49ers games with him. It sounds like James was a really good man.

    — CHRISTIAN LENBERGER
    May 13, 2010 at 5:24 p.m.
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    With the name Ahearn, I reckon that James must have had some Irish connections.

    I wish to extend my sympathies to his widow and child and hope that they find some happiness in life.

    James comes across as a fair minded man who felt helpless in doing anything positive in Iraq, other than to give his life for the people of Iraq. Like the IRA it is very difficult to eradicate an enemy that cannot be seen.

    — James Kelly
    November 21, 2010 at 11:03 a.m.
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    Jim - I am running in the "Fallen Hero Run" tomorrow (22 May 2011) here at Victory Base, Baghdad Iraq. I am running for you. You are a great man - Jim - I think of you often my friend.

    — Jeff Powell
    May 21, 2011 at 7:52 a.m.
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    THANK YOU!!!!!!! For your sacrifice, words do little to describe our sincere gratitude. However, There is a hope for a future where such wonderful people will not have to die in the wars of the world. ISAIAH 2:4 And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore....REV 21:3,4-"death will be no more"

    — krystal
    March 31, 2012 at 10:57 p.m.
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    California's War Dead is the Los Angeles Times' collection of stories about the 700 California servicemembers and 474 others based in California who died during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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