Marine Sgt. David R. Christoff

Died May 22, 2006 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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25, of Rossford, Ohio; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died May 22 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Asad, Iraq. Also killed was Lance Cpl. William J. Leusink.

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Two Marines killed in Iraq fighting

ROSSFORD, Ohio — An Ohio Marine serving his second tour of duty in Iraq was killed by a roadside bomb along with another member of his unit, the military said Tuesday.

Sgt. David Christoff Jr., 25, of Rossford, and Lance Cpl. William Leusink, 21, of Maurice, Iowa, died in fighting in Anbar province, according to the Defense Department.

Christoff’s grandmother, Ann Christoff, said military officials came to the family’s home in this Toledo suburb around noon Monday with word that Christoff had been killed Sunday while on patrol.

Christoff and Leusink were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Kaneohe, Hawaii.

Christoff graduated in 1999 from Shawnee High School near Springfield in western Ohio, where his mother, Amy, and stepfather live.

He left the University of Toledo and enlisted in the Marines the day after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, his grandmother said.

“He was very smart and got good grades and worked his way up to sergeant very quickly in the Marines,” she said. “He was so sure that that was what he was supposed to be and that was what he was supposed to be doing.

“He thought as long as the Marines were over there fighting we could all sleep good at home.”

An only child who was single and loved golf, Christoff hoped for a career in law enforcement, though he had re-enlisted and was serving his second tour in Iraq, his grandmother said.

— The Associated Press

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Marine knew his mission brought peace to others

ROSSFORD, Ohio — An Ohio Marine serving his second tour of duty in Iraq has been killed by a roadside bomb, his grandmother said Tuesday.

Sgt. David Christoff Jr., 25, died Sunday while on patrol with his unit, Ann Christoff said.

She learned of the death around noon Monday from military officials who came to the family’s home in this Toledo suburb. Ann Christoff lives in the home with a daughter and David’s father, David Christoff Sr.

The Defense Department had not released details on Christoff’s death as of Tuesday.

Christoff graduated in 1999 from Shawnee High School near Springfield in western Ohio, where his mother, Amy, and stepfather live.

He left the University of Toledo and enlisted in the Marines the day after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, his grandmother said.

“He was very smart and got good grades and worked his way up to sergeant very quickly in the Marines,” she said. “He was so sure that that was what he was supposed to be and that was what he was supposed to be doing.

“He thought as long as the Marines were over there fighting we could all sleep good at home.”

An only child who was single and loved golf, Christoff hoped for a career in law enforcement, though he had re-enlisted and was serving his second tour in Iraq, his grandmother said.

— The Associated Press