Jesus Alberto Suarez del Solar, 20

I did not know Jesus personally, but I went to his memorial service at Camp Pendleton at the request of my son-in-law who was in the same Marine company as Jesus. I dont think there is a day that has gone by that I have not thought about Jesus and his family. It was a very sad day for my daughter and myself I can only wonder at the sadness the Suarez Del Solar family is still feeling. I always remember Jesus in my prayers and I pray for all the troops and their safe return home.

Jesus was in my PE class at San Pasqual. In Kit Carson Park, across the street from the high school, there is a nice memorial along the path near a small lake, apparently one of his (and my) favorite spots. Every time I run by there I tend it a little bit, and try to keep it looking nice. If you go by, I suggest you do the same.

I served with Jesus at 1st LAR. it was a great honor and not a day goes by that i dont think about him. keep fighting the good fight brother! SEMPER FI!

I served with LCpl Suarez in 1st LAR in 2003.

My main memory of him was when we were up in a border observation tower just 300m into Kuwait the day before we pushed into Iraq. He and another LAR scout were up in the tower with me taking turns manning the M82 sniper rifle.

While we were bored and chatting, I mentioned to them how much this deployment would impress girls back in the USA. I remember how Suarez just smiled and said "I have a wife, sir."

I have a pic from that afternoon, and later saw Suarez carried back to our lines for medical treatment just south of the Baghdad-Hillah interchange just south of Sumar. I was on the convoy that rushed to get him far enough behind the frontline to get him on medical helo. I only knew him briefly, but he seemed as good a LCpl as I could hope to meet.