Marine Capt. Jennifer Harris, 28, was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. She died February 7, 2007, when the helicopter she was piloting was struck by an anti-aircraft missile in a field in Fallujah in Anbar Province, killing all seven people on board.

Capt Harris graduated with honors from Swampscott High School in Mass. She then went on to the Naval Academy, graduated in 2000 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. She earned her Wings of Gold in 2002 and became the first female pilot in the Purple Foxes Squadron. She did three tours of duty in Iraq.

A fellow Marine pilot’s wife recalled, “Jen was grace under pressure. She was gentle and peaceful, beautiful and elegant. At the same time, she was strong, confident, motivated and humbly commanded the utmost respect of all those around her. She was courageous.”

Capt Harris is survived by her parents, Raymond and Rosalie, and her fiancé, Maj. Christopher Aaby.