Post by admin4laney on Aug 5, 2005 9:10:42 GMT -5
Fallen Hero To Dad: 'I Couldn't Be Any Happier'
Marine Was Honors Student, Musician, Athlete
POSTED: 4:55 pm EDT August 4, 2005
UPDATED: 1:23 am EDT August 5, 2005
EVENDALE, Ohio -- Flags were flying at half-staff at Princeton High School Thursday in honor of 19-year-old Christopher Dyer, who was one of five local Marines killed in a roadside bombing Wednesday, News 5's Emily Longnecker reported.
Dyer died along with four other local Marines, Lance Cpl. David Kreuter, Lance Cpl. Joseph Cifuentes, Lance Cpl. Brett Wightman and Lance Cpl. Timothy Michael Bell Jr.
Dyer's father, John, of Evendale, said his son loved a challenge and becoming a Marine was his biggest challenge of all.
"He saw becoming a Marine as a challenge, and that's what he thrived on," he said.
Dyer said his son was to start college in January as part of the honors program at The Ohio State University. He said his son had enjoyed his physics classes in high school, but was thinking of studying finance in college.
An honors student who played the viola, Chris Dyer was on Princeton's diving team and excelled in his studies.
"If there was a tougher course to take, he wanted to take it," Dyer said. "He was such a fine young man."
John Dyer said his wife, Kathy, was in North Carolina with their 17-year-old twin daughters Wednesday when Marines rang his doorbell at 3:15 p.m. to tell him of his son's death.
Dyer said he heard about the attack Wednesday morning and his worst fear was confirmed when he caught a glimpse of a Marine uniform through his front door.
"I knew about the notification procedure, that if uniformed Marines show up at your door, he's been killed," he said. "I keep wanting to reach back and change things and say, 'No, son. You can't go into the Marine Corps.'"
Even in his excruciating grief, Dyer knew his son lived his dream of becoming a Marine.
"I think, for him not to reach his dreams, would have killed him just as much as that bomb in Iraq," he said. "You have to let your children do what they're going to do and follow the path that takes them."
Dyer recalled taking a walk with his son, just after he graduated from boot camp, Longnecker reported.
"He told me, 'Dad, I know you're going to be worried. I don't want you to worry. I'm going to come home.' He said, 'I couldn't be any happier with what I am in life right now,'" Dyer said.
When the time came last March for Chris to go to Iraq, Dyer said his son was ready and willing to fight for his country.
"He said, 'Dad, I know this is hard for you, but if it comes to it and I have to give my life for one of my fellow Marines, I'll do it without thinking,'" Dyer said.
The five were members of Lima Company, based in Columbus, and the Cleveland-based battalion involved in the single deadliest roadside bombing of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Fourteen Marines were killed in the bombing, most of them from a Columbus-based company that also suffered multiple casualties just months ago. The losses came two days after the same reservist battalion lost six other members in the fighting.
Nine of the reservists killed Wednesday were members of Lima Company, which lost four Marines in another attack in May, said Master Sgt. Stephen Walter, the company's public affairs officer.
All 14 were members of 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, based in Brook Park, the blue-collar Cleveland suburb of 21,000, according to Gunnery Sgt. Brad R. Lauer, public affairs chief. The battalion was activated in January and went to Iraq in March.
www.channelcincinnati.com/news/4811076/detail.html
Marine Was Honors Student, Musician, Athlete
POSTED: 4:55 pm EDT August 4, 2005
UPDATED: 1:23 am EDT August 5, 2005
EVENDALE, Ohio -- Flags were flying at half-staff at Princeton High School Thursday in honor of 19-year-old Christopher Dyer, who was one of five local Marines killed in a roadside bombing Wednesday, News 5's Emily Longnecker reported.
Dyer died along with four other local Marines, Lance Cpl. David Kreuter, Lance Cpl. Joseph Cifuentes, Lance Cpl. Brett Wightman and Lance Cpl. Timothy Michael Bell Jr.
Dyer's father, John, of Evendale, said his son loved a challenge and becoming a Marine was his biggest challenge of all.
"He saw becoming a Marine as a challenge, and that's what he thrived on," he said.
Dyer said his son was to start college in January as part of the honors program at The Ohio State University. He said his son had enjoyed his physics classes in high school, but was thinking of studying finance in college.
An honors student who played the viola, Chris Dyer was on Princeton's diving team and excelled in his studies.
"If there was a tougher course to take, he wanted to take it," Dyer said. "He was such a fine young man."
John Dyer said his wife, Kathy, was in North Carolina with their 17-year-old twin daughters Wednesday when Marines rang his doorbell at 3:15 p.m. to tell him of his son's death.
Dyer said he heard about the attack Wednesday morning and his worst fear was confirmed when he caught a glimpse of a Marine uniform through his front door.
"I knew about the notification procedure, that if uniformed Marines show up at your door, he's been killed," he said. "I keep wanting to reach back and change things and say, 'No, son. You can't go into the Marine Corps.'"
Even in his excruciating grief, Dyer knew his son lived his dream of becoming a Marine.
"I think, for him not to reach his dreams, would have killed him just as much as that bomb in Iraq," he said. "You have to let your children do what they're going to do and follow the path that takes them."
Dyer recalled taking a walk with his son, just after he graduated from boot camp, Longnecker reported.
"He told me, 'Dad, I know you're going to be worried. I don't want you to worry. I'm going to come home.' He said, 'I couldn't be any happier with what I am in life right now,'" Dyer said.
When the time came last March for Chris to go to Iraq, Dyer said his son was ready and willing to fight for his country.
"He said, 'Dad, I know this is hard for you, but if it comes to it and I have to give my life for one of my fellow Marines, I'll do it without thinking,'" Dyer said.
The five were members of Lima Company, based in Columbus, and the Cleveland-based battalion involved in the single deadliest roadside bombing of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Fourteen Marines were killed in the bombing, most of them from a Columbus-based company that also suffered multiple casualties just months ago. The losses came two days after the same reservist battalion lost six other members in the fighting.
Nine of the reservists killed Wednesday were members of Lima Company, which lost four Marines in another attack in May, said Master Sgt. Stephen Walter, the company's public affairs officer.
All 14 were members of 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, based in Brook Park, the blue-collar Cleveland suburb of 21,000, according to Gunnery Sgt. Brad R. Lauer, public affairs chief. The battalion was activated in January and went to Iraq in March.
www.channelcincinnati.com/news/4811076/detail.html
