Army Pvt. Robbie M. Mariano

Died January 5, 2006 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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21, of Stockton, Calif.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Jan. 5 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during convoy operations in Najaf, Iraq. Also killed were: Maj. William F. Hecker III, Capt. Christopher P. Petty, Sgt. 1st Class Stephen J. White and Sgt. Johnny J. Peralez Jr.

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Stockton soldier among those killed in Iraq explosion

A California soldier was among five servicemen killed by an explosion during convoy operations in Iraq, the Department of Defense announced Friday.

Pvt. Robbie M. Mariano, 21, of Stockton, Calif., died Thursday in Najaf when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle, the military said.

He and the other four soldiers were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

Also killed were Capt. Christopher P. Petty, 33, of Vienna, Va.; Maj. William F. Hecker III, 37, of St. Louis; Sgt. 1st Class Stephen J. White, 39, of Talladega, Ala. and Sgt. Johnny J. Peralez Jr., 25, of Kingsville, Texas.

— Associated Press

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Slain Stockton soldier found second family in Army

STOCKTON, Calif. — Army Pvt. Robbie Mariano asked for two simple things in the care package his family had planned to send him this month: protein powder, so he could stay in the best shape while at war, and guitar strings, so he could continue playing for the soldiers in his camp.

“He loved music,” said his mother, Debbie Mariano. “He would always sing. He was always making people laugh, too. He was really popular; had lots of friends.”

But the box, already on its way to Iraq, won’t make it into Mariano’s hands.

The 21-year-old from Stockton was one of five soldiers killed Thursday when a roadside bomb exploded near their convoy in An Najaf, the Department of Defense announced Friday.

Also killed were Capt. Christopher P. Petty, 33, of Vienna, Va.; Maj. William F. Hecker III, 37, of St. Louis; Sgt. 1st Class Stephen J. White, 39, of Talladega, Ala. and Sgt. Johnny J. Peralez Jr., 25, of Kingsville, Texas.

The soldiers were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.

Mariano’s father, Bob Mariano, said his son joined the Army in November 2004, shortly after graduating from Stagg High School, and soon found a second family with his fellow soldiers. Deployed to Iraq in late 2005, he worked to fight insurgents, manning a .50-caliber machine gun atop a Humvee.

“He was always upbeat about the war and believed in what he was doing over there,” said the elder Mariano, a Stockton Police sergeant. “The Army was his new family. I talked to him about 10 hours before he died. He said he was doing fine.”

Bob Mariano said his son had planned to leave the service in 2008, attend college on the GI Bill and possibly follow in his father’s footsteps with a career in law enforcement.

The soldier is survived by his parents and 19-year-old brother, Bobby. Funeral services have not been set.