Prom king Missourian dies in Iraq
Published Sunday, June 25, 2006
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) - Two Camp Lejeune Marines from the same unit, including one from Missouri, were killed in combat in Iraq’s violent Anbar province, the Department of Defense said Friday.
Cpl. Riley E. Baker, 22, of Pacific died Thursday, and Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Whyte, 21, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was killed Wednesday, a Pentagon statement said. Both were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said Baker was a star athlete at Eureka High School. Officials of the Rockwood School District said the Baker family had contacted their son’s former coaches and teachers with news of his death.
His parents, Grier and Lisa Baker, could not be reached.
"We are mourning the loss of one of our outstanding young men," said Kim Cranston, spokeswoman for Rockwood. "Our hearts go out to his family and the Eureka community."
Baker graduated from Eureka High in 2002, the year he was prom king at the school. He was a state-champion wrestler, having won the Class 3A title in the 140-pound division after a 40-2 senior season. He also was an honorable mention All-Metro linebacker for the Eureka Wildcats football team.
Baker lived near Pacific.
Whyte’s father, Andre Whyte, told WABC-TV in New York that his son would have celebrated his 22nd birthday Friday.
"He was the kind of child any father or any parent would be proud of," said Whyte, choking back tears. "I was proud of him when he joined, I was proud of his service and I still am proud of him today.
As of Friday, at least 2,517 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
Published Sunday, June 25, 2006
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) - Two Camp Lejeune Marines from the same unit, including one from Missouri, were killed in combat in Iraq’s violent Anbar province, the Department of Defense said Friday.
Cpl. Riley E. Baker, 22, of Pacific died Thursday, and Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Whyte, 21, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was killed Wednesday, a Pentagon statement said. Both were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said Baker was a star athlete at Eureka High School. Officials of the Rockwood School District said the Baker family had contacted their son’s former coaches and teachers with news of his death.
His parents, Grier and Lisa Baker, could not be reached.
"We are mourning the loss of one of our outstanding young men," said Kim Cranston, spokeswoman for Rockwood. "Our hearts go out to his family and the Eureka community."
Baker graduated from Eureka High in 2002, the year he was prom king at the school. He was a state-champion wrestler, having won the Class 3A title in the 140-pound division after a 40-2 senior season. He also was an honorable mention All-Metro linebacker for the Eureka Wildcats football team.
Baker lived near Pacific.
Whyte’s father, Andre Whyte, told WABC-TV in New York that his son would have celebrated his 22nd birthday Friday.
"He was the kind of child any father or any parent would be proud of," said Whyte, choking back tears. "I was proud of him when he joined, I was proud of his service and I still am proud of him today.
As of Friday, at least 2,517 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
