Sergeant Michael Marzano, 28, of Greenville, Pa. was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Phoenix. He was killed May 7, 2005, in an explosion caused by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in a suicide attack while he was conducting combat operations in Hadithah, Iraq.

Sgt Marzano graduated from Sharon High School in 1995 and then attended Glendale Community College in Phoenix. He applied to the Marines but was refused admission because he tore a knee ligament in a high school wrestling tournament his senior year. He had surgery and kept reapplying to the Marines until he was finally accepted in 1999. He served on active duty until 2003 and then joined the Reserves in Phoenix.

“Anyone who ever met him that I know of was just amazed at his politeness, his manner, such a great personality he had,” Albert Marzano said. “He was really, really proud of being a Marine. He was really gung ho. It’s what he wanted to do.”