Sgt. Michael V. LaLush, U.S.M.C (KIA)

Troutville Marine dies

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sgt. Michael Vernon Lalush of Troutville could hardly wait to send pictures to his family of his new job flying wounded soldiers to hospitals in Iraq. This was the kind of service he wanted.

Those pictures will be the last images the Marine's family will have of their 23-year-old son.

He died Sunday when a Marine UH-1 Huey helicopter crashed while taking off on a support mission in southern Iraq. Two other Marines died and a fourth was injured.

"He died for me and he died for you," said Linda McMillan, 50, a family friend who had known Lalush since birth. "He loved being out there."

The cause of the crash was unclear, although a Central Command spokeswoman said enemy fire was not involved.

Lalush was assigned to the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron deployed from Camp Pendleton, Calif.

McMillan said Lalush always had his hands in equipment, tinkering with lawnmowers and cars. As a teenager, he dragged home a pink 1965 Volkswagen Beetle, rebuilt it and in no time was driving it around the neighborhood.

A tall, gangly boy who eventually sprouted several inches above his parents, Lalush was anything but domineering, McMillan said. He was an only child and depended on his family.

More than anything, McMillan said, Lalush wanted to be a pilot and he wanted to be a Marine.

A 1997 Lord Botetourt High School graduate, Lalush also graduated from recruit training that year at Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot, Parris Island, S.C.

As expected, he specialized in fixing things.

In his final e-mail message that the family received Wednesday, Lalush said he was finally discovering his dream in Iraq. He told his mother that he was finally using his skills to help people.

"He said, 'momma, this is what it's all about,' " McMillan said.