LCpl. John Holmason

(reprinted from OregonLive.com, December 3, 2005)

Oregon Marine one of 10 killed by roadside bomb
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Marine from Oregon was among the 10 Marines killed in a roadside bomb attack in Iraq that was one of the deadliest attacks against American troops in the past four months.

Lance Cpl. John Holmason, , who grew up in Scappoose, was among those killed in an ambush Thursday near Fallujah against Marines from Regimental Combat Team 8, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., his stepmother, Paula Holmason, told The Associated Press on Friday.

The Marines were on foot patrol when an improvised explosive device, or IED, was detonated. The bomb also wounded another 11 Marines in a unit that had already suffered some of the highest casualties in the war.