November 28, 2004

By NANCY PASTERNACK
Sentinel staff writer

SANTA CRUZ — Mariachis struck the first chord of "Cuatro Caminos," a favorite song of U.S. Marines Cpl. Andrés H. Peréz, as his friends and family said a last goodbye.

Peréz, a 21-year-old Santa Cruz native, was killed in Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 14.

His flag-draped coffin was attended at a military burial Saturday by seven uniformed U.S. Marines, including his younger sister, Lance Cpl. Elvira "Vita" Peréz.

The mariachis’ voices rang out as the remains of Peréz were laid to rest beside a magnolia tree at Holy Cross Cemetery. The site lies a few blocks from Peréz’s parents’ home in Live Oak.

"Alza tu vuelo poquito a poco ... ." The lyrics mean "lift your wings and fly away, little by little."

Cpl. Peréz was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart "for wounds received in action ... resulting in his death," according to a citation read aloud during the ceremony. The award was presented to Peréz’s mother and father, Yolanda and Hipolito Peréz.

Nearly 500 mourners had attended a funeral service at Holy Cross Church for Peréz earlier in the day.

Those unable to squeeze into the packed church stood outside the opened doors and listened to the Mass, delivered mostly in Spanish.

Among the mourners was Cpl. Andrew Folk, who had traveled from Yorktown, Va., to attend the funeral. Folk and Peréz had served as squad-mates in 2nd U.S. Marine Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) company for nearly two years.

"When you’re standing watch on security, you end up talking about everything," Folk said. When Peréz was tired of talking, he said, "eventually, he would sing."

The two shared a fondness for "oldies." Together, they would bide their time wailing away on Beach Boys songs and others from the 1960s and 70s.

"He was very competitive too," Folk said. "We tried to outdo each other in everything — soccer, Ping-Pong, football, everything."

The Spanish Peréz tried to teach him by way of Mariachi music, unfortunately, didn’t stick, Folk said.

In the spring of 2004, Peréz left the elite security unit, and like most members of FAST company, was sent to join I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, which is largely deployed to Iraq.

Folk had requested a similar billet so he could continue to work alongside Peréz, he said. But the Marine Corps kept him in Virginia so he could help train newcomers.

Michael Anderson came from Modesto with his wife, Angela. Anderson said his son, a Marine currently in Fallujah, was a close friend to Peréz.

"‘We lost Peréz,’" Anderson’s son had said, during a brief phone call home recently.

"Perez was his buddy," Anderson said. "So I didn’t ask a lot of questions because we’re trying to keep him upbeat. He needs to stay focused over there."

"He always had his mind set for going into the military," said Alex Davila, a close friend to Peréz since elementary school. "He had a plan. It wasn’t like he just made up his mind overnight."

Davila and Peréz played football together for four years at Harbor High School. Davila as a running back, Perez was an offensive guard.

Thomas Albrecht was a middle linebacker on the same team.

Peréz, he said, "wasn’t your typical football player. He went beyond what was expected of him."

"We had a close team" Albrecht said. "It’s hard to see somebody go."

The Mariachi hired in Peréz’ honor sang the song familiar to most who had known him. "llévate mi alma bajo tus alas, y dime adiós a pesar de todo."