California’s War Dead

    Josiah W. Hollopeter, 27

    Army, Specialist
    Mugdadiya (died in Balad), Iraq
    Gender: Male
    Hometown: San Diego
    "Joe was a very loyal person. When you make friends with him, you'd be a friend no matter what."
    — Chad Coleman, 15-year friend from San Diego, Beatrice Daily Sun, Neb.

    The Army rejected Hollopeter twice because of extensive tattoos on his arms, according to his father, in an Omaha World-Herald story. A determined recruiter helped him enlist. He grew up in Nebraska but had moved to San Diego to work prior to enlisting.
    Times obituary
    Letter from Hollopeter's parents to President Bush
    « Derek T. Roberts, 06/14/2007
    Damon G. Legrand, 06/12/2007 »
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    Two memories of Josiah W. Hollopeter

    joe. i love you man you were allways super cool. if it wer'nt for joe i would have gone crazy living in killeen. i was also injured in balad iraq and just now after a year and a half of surgeries and rehab have been discharged from the military.

    — CPL Tyson Deringer
    June 20, 2008 at 7:56 a.m.
    Permalink

    He was a good soldier and has been sorely missed. RIP my brother.

    — CavScout
    February 17, 2011 at 1:52 p.m.
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    Sources: Times research, Defense Department, iCasualties.org
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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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