Jeffery Holmes wasn't among the best players on his high school football team, coach Mike Stone said. But the Marine had other, more precious gifts."He was a good-natured guy," Stone said. "He was a pretty popular kid, happy-go-lucky kid. He was one of those kids you remember."

The 20-year-old from White River Junction, Vt., was killed on Nov. 25 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

At 6 feet 2 inches, Holmes felt he was too tall to fly Air Force fighter jets, so he joined the Marines instead, his parents recalled.

"He wanted to fight for his country. He's always believed in it," Patti Holmes said of her son. "He always said if he dies over there, he died doing what he wanted to do."