Lejeune Marine dies in Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

Lejeune Marine dies in Afghanistan
Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Jan 6, 2009 20:25:39 EST

A North Carolina-based Marine was killed late last week after triggering a land mine in Afghanistan, his family said.

Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi, 21, of Bronx, N.Y., died Thursday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, the Defense Department reported Monday. An infantryman assigned to Camp Lejeune’s 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, Francesconi was on his second combat deployment, having spent July 2007 through January 2008 in Iraq, Marine officials said in a news release.

A fellow Marine called the family from Afghanistan to tell them Francesconi had died, his brother Robert Rivera told the New York Daily News. Within an hour, two Marines appeared at their home and confirmed the report, according to the newspaper.

“At least he was fighting for something,” his mother, Minerva Negron, told the Daily News. “He died like a hero.”

Marines from 3/8 deployed to Afghanistan in November. Rivera, a Navy reservist, told the newspaper that he spoke with his brother just a few days before the incident.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/01/marine_afghan_casualty_010509w/%2e



uhc comment: To date six hundred thirty one soldiers have been killed in the invasion and continued occupation of Afghanistan --> http://icasualties.org/oef/