The video of that speech was played Saturday at his funeral.

Payne was killed May 7 in hostile action near Tawara, Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense. It was his second tour in two years; the 23-year-old was part of the initial force that invaded Iraq and went to Baghdad. When that tour ended, Payne volunteered to return to combat.

"He had to be a Marine," recalled Guy Howard, Payne's former Sunday school teacher and a former Marine - just like Payne's father, grandfather and three uncles all were. "He wanted to serve and do what he could do."

1st Lt. William Schorr, who had served with Payne, read a letter to Payne's family from Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Asad Khan during the service. In the letter, Khan said Marines went to the area where Payne died to seek out his killers; four suspects were then slain, including "a prominent Taliban leader," Khan said.

The 6-foot-7 Payne was a "hero" and a "giant among Marines," Khan said.

Marines at Saturday's service carried Payne's coffin, fired a 21-gun salute and presented his family with his Purple Heart and the American flag that draped his silver casket.

"He was a loving child. There was never a time I wasn't proud of him," said Kathy Seymour, his mother. "He was the joy of my life and I can't believe I will never hear his voice again or his laugh again."