Fallen Soldier: Mario D. Carazo

Lieutenant Colonel Mario Carazo, 41, of Springfield, Ohio, was assigned to the Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. On July 22, 2010, while serving during Operation Enduring Freedom, Lieutenant Colonel Mario D. Carazo was killed when his AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter went down during engaged combat in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

LtCol Carazo earned his bachelor’s degree from the US Naval Academy in 1991 as well as two subsequent master’s degrees. He went on to fly the AH-1W Cobra with the World Famous HMLA-369 “Gunfighters” at Camp Pendleton. He attended the Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico, and then went back to Camp Pendleton for another tour as a “Gunfighter”.

“He always wanted to be a Marine serving his country and protecting those he loved,” said Robert Barry, Carazo’s roommate at the Naval Academy. “While I am extremely sad, I know he didn’t go down without a fight and he went down doing what he always wanted to do.”

His children are recipients of the Folds of Honor Scholarship.