Marine Sgt. Ralph W. Frietas

Died December 8, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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23, of Detroit, Mich.; assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; died Dec. 8 in Baghdad, Iraq, of unknown causes.

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23-year-old Marine from Detroit is killed in Iraq

By Niraj Warikoo

Detroit Free Press

A Marine from Detroit has died while serving in Iraq, the Pentagon said Saturday.

Sgt. Ralph Anthony Webb Frietas, 23, died Tuesday in Baghdad.

The Department of Defense said the cause is unknown and is under investigation.

Frietas was assigned to the Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan.

Frietas was a combat engineer who began active duty in the Marine Corps in August 2004, according to the Marines.

He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in September 2008 and began his tour on Okinawa in June.

“He was a very good Marine, and it always hits hard when you lose one of your Marines,” Maj. Victor A. Chin, the executive officer of Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, said in a statement today. "He will be missed."

Frietas received a number of awards, including the Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon