Army Sgt. Trista L. Moretti

Died June 25, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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27, of South Plainfield, N.J.; assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died June 25 in Nasir Lafitah, Iraq, when her unit was attacked by insurgents using indirect fire.

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Friends, teachers remember soldier killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

Fran Flannery, who coached Army Sgt. Trista L. Moretti in field hockey, recalls an athlete always smiling, always laughing.

“She was a great kid,” Flannery said. “I know that sounds like a cliche that you read about everybody. She was perky, energetic and pretty.”

Moretti, 27, of South Plainfield, N.J., was killed by indirect fire June 25 in Nasir Lafitah, Iraq. She was assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska.

“She was fearless,” said her sister, Jennifer Moretti.

A 1998 high school graduate, Moretti distinguished herself in athletics by earning nine varsity letters while participating in field hockey, winter track and spring track.

She was a member of the high school’s field hockey team that won the 1997 Middlesex County championship. She later went onto study at William Paterson University from 1998 to 2000.

“Trista exuded enthusiasm and confidence and always gave 110 percent,” said Kenneth May, her former principal. “She was a small person. Petite. But she had such an energy level a smile on her face that was infectious. You would have to smile back.”

She is survived by her parents, Judy and Fred.