Pfc. Christopher Cobb, U.S.M.C (KIA)

Nineteen-year-old Marine from Bradenton killed in Iraq

By MITCH STACY
Associated Press Writer
BRADENTON, Fla.
Sheila Cobb had just packed a box to send to her 19-year-old son who was serving in Iraq: his favorite Chips-Ahoy cookies and some hard candy that he wanted to share with Iraqi children he met.

She never got to send it. Tuesday night, some Marines came to tell her that her son, Pvt. 1st Class Christopher Cobb, was killed in action earlier that day, less than two months into his tour of duty.

The Marines didn't tell the family the details of his death, but they are assuming he was among the dozen Marines killed in a fierce battle Tuesday with insurgents in the city of Ramadi.

As his family gathered in the small Bradenton apartment where Chris Cobb grew up Wednesday afternoon, they got a phone call and even more bad news: Another relative, a career Marine set to retire this year, was missing in action in Iraq.

Sgt. Charles "Chuck" Blumenberg, 39, who grew up in Chiefland, Fla., was serving as an infantry sergeant in the same region of Iraq and his whereabouts were unknown, according to a half brother, Jim Tuten, who is Chris Cobb's stepbrother.

"We're hoping that maybe he's holed up somewhere, we don't know," Tuten said. "We don't want to give up yet."

As the family awaited further word, they remembered Chris Cobb as a shy, fun-loving teenager who played the violin in his high school orchestra, spent hours playing on the computer, enjoyed alternative rock and talked about a career in the Marine Corps.

He graduated from Bayshore High School last spring and went to boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., then to infantry training in the fall at Camp Pendleton, Calif. His family saw him last when he came home for Christmas. Part of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, he went to Iraq on Feb. 9.

He had turned 19 on New Year's Day.

"He said Mom, I don't want you to worry," Sheila Cobb said. "I left you some money in case anything happens to me. I'm not scared to go over there because we need to take care of these people.

"I was scared for him, real scared for him, but I knew he would be in God's hands."

His mother said she last talked to him two weeks ago, when he asked for the chocolate chip cookies for himself and the candy for the Iraqi children. She recently sent him an Easter package with a chocolate bunny, cigarettes, cigars and other goodies.

While waiting for her son to come home, Sheila Cobb participated in an Internet support group for military moms and made ribbon badges to send to them.

Chris Cobb's father, a Vietnam War veteran, died when he was 3 months old from what his family said were the effects of Agent Orange. Sheila Cobb was remarried to Howell Tuten, whose own children made up the extended, close family.

"He was really happy-go-lucky, spoiled by his mom," said his aunt, Pam Morris.

In high school he worked serving food at a Bradenton nursing home, as a cashier at Walgreens and as a bagger at a Winn-Dixie grocery store. He drove a beat-up Chevrolet Celebrity but talked about buying a new car when his Iraq tour was up in the fall.

He enlisted in the Marines while still in high school and talked of becoming an officer someday.

"He was just funny. He was sweet person," said Carla Botelho, 22, one of his best friends, whom he met when both worked at Westminster Towers nursing home. "He always had big dreams of being a big hero. That was his dream."

Members of the Bayshore High School ROTC unit lowered the flag to half-staff Wednesday morning in Cobb's memory, principal David Underhill said.

"He was incredibly proud of being in the Marines," Morris said. "He was always such a good kid, but when he came back on leave he carried himself so proudly. He was built up, muscular, just excited."

Funeral arrangements were incomplete.