LCpl. Samuel Tapia

(reprinted from TheDesertSun.com, December 21, 2005)
Twentynine Palms Marine killed in Iraq
By Scott Turner

A Marine lance corporal based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms was killed in Iraq on Sunday.
Samuel Tapia, 20, was in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when he died following small arms fire, Marine Corps officials announced Wednesday morning.

Tapia was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Twentynine Palms. In Iraq, he was part of the 2nd Marine Division, II MEF (Forward).

Tapia was born Sept 4, 1985, in San Benito, Texas, and joined the Marine Corps in September 2004. He served as an ammunitions technician since March 2005 and was deployed to Iraq in September.

Tapia had earned the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal and a Sea Service Deployment ribbon.

Tapia is survived by wife Jacqueline, daughter Samantha, and parents Jubenal Tapia and Nazaria Sanchez.