Marine Corps Lance Corporal David Espinoza

Marine Corps Lance Corporal David Lee Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas, was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, at Camp Pendleton, California. He was killed on August 26, 2021, when an ISIS-K suicide bomber attacked Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. David had arrived in Afghanistan only about a week earlier and was helping evacuate civilians during Operation Allies Refuge.

LCpl Espinoza was born in Laredo and raised in nearby Rio Bravo. From childhood, he played with toy soldiers and told his family that he intended to become a Marine. He graduated from Lyndon B. Johnson High School in 2019 and enlisted that August. After recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and infantry training at Camp Pendleton, David served approximately two years in Jordan before being sent to Kabul.

His family remembered David as quiet and initially shy, but also caring, honest and deeply loyal. His mother called him her hero and said he was brave enough to pursue his dream of serving and protecting people.

LCpl Espinoza was survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister.