LCpl. William J. Wiscowiche, U.S.M.C (NCD)

V.V.man killed in Iraq

Wiscowiche's vehicle drove over bomb

By LARRY RAND/Staff Writer

A U.S. Marine from Victorville, Lance Cpl. William J. Wiscowiche, 20, died in Iraq on Tuesday when his vehicle drove over an explosive device.

Wiscowiche joined the Marines in August 2001 and was a combat engineer assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq's Al Anbar province. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton, according to the Department of Defense.

Willie Wiscowiche's story is a terrible twist on that of the boy next door. He was a good kid, respectful, yet fun-loving, with a close-knit group of friends, his family said. He married his high school sweetheart and they had a baby daughter.

But Wiscowiche got one month of marriage with his sweetheart Veronica, whom he married on Jan. 7, before a new military rotation scheme took him back to Iraq.

He got one visit with his daughter, born while he served his first tour in Iraq.

At 19, his wife, Veronica, is a widow too stunned to speak publicly about her loss, and baby Arrianna has no dad.

Wiscowiche's mother Patricia sympathized with her daughter-in-law's sorrow Wednesday night as a steady stream of visitors came to her house in southwestern Victorville, not far from Bear Valley Road.

"I had Willie for 20 years, and she got him for one whole month," Patricia said, tears coming from time to time as she reflected on her son's life.

Wiscowiche had not wanted to return to Iraq, and during a phone call last Thursday, he had told his sister Shelia how dangerous he believed it was. He had been back in Iraq for little more than a month.

Yet he was planning to follow in his father Joseph's footsteps by making the military a career. Joe had served a hitch in the Marines before enlisting in the Air Force; Willie had planned on the same.

His friends and family stressed how full of life, fun and positive energy Willie was — "a firecracker," said Theresa Kay, a family friend.

"So respectful, yet so full of fun," said Lynn Jaroszewski, another friend.

Wiscowiche had been a football running back who played for Hesperia and Victor Valley high schools.

"It was an honor and privilege to have coached him," said Leland Eudy, Wiscowiche's football coach at Victor Valley and a family friend. "He had a lot of heart and a lot of character — it was always 'yes, sir' and 'no, sir' with Willie. My son Brian and he graduated together, so we knew him pretty well. This is a great loss.

"He had a lot of heart, and gave football the same kind of dedication and commitment that he gave to serving his country," Eudy said.

But most of the reminiscences of Wiscowiche were of his exuberance and affectionate nature.

"He couldn't just say hello," said Kay, "he had to give you a big hug."

His mother remembered the teen with his radio blasting who would jump out onto the driveway to dance to his current favorite song — "singing along, and he couldn't sing a lick," she said, laughing and crying at the same time.

Willie Wiscowiche's great loves, all agreed, were Veronica, Arrianna and his custom Honda Civic. He would call his mother from Iraq to ask her to buy parts for it that he had found on the Internet.

He also loved pranks and practical jokes. Returning home, he would call on a cell phone and announce that at the last minute, the military had prevented his leave, only to throw open the door and march in.

"I guess I just don't understand," his grieving mother said, "why they had to take his life when he enjoyed it so much."

There will be a military funeral in Victorville, but plans are not yet final.