Army Sgt. Jose R. Escobedo

Died March 20, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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32, of Albuquerque, N.M.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment in Schweinfurt, Germany; died March 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident, which happened the previous night at Forward Operating Base Kalsu in Baghdad, Iraq.

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Iraq incident kills soldier from NM

The Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Defense Department has announced that a soldier from Albuquerque has died of injuries suffered during a non-combat incident at a base in Iraq.

The department identified him as Sgt. Jose R. Escobedo Jr., 32. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment in Schweinfurt, Germany.

The circumstances surrounding the incident at the Forward Operating Base Kalsu in Iskandariyah are under investigation. The department said Escobedo died March 20, the day after the incident.

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Flags at half-staff

The Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. — Gov. Bill Richardson has ordered flags to fly at half-staff Friday and Saturday in honor of an Albuquerque soldier who died of injuries suffered during a non-combat incident in Iraq.

Army Sgt. Jose R. Escobedo, 32, was a field artillery forward observer assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment based in Schweinfurt, Germany.

Escobedo died March 20, the day after he was injured during a non-combat incident at a base south of Baghdad. The Defense Department did not release details about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Escobedo left behind a wife, a daughter and two sons.

Richardson says Escobedo’s patriotism, bravery and dedication will always be remembered.

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Former Marine found new home in Army

The Associated Press

Staff Sgt. Shawn Johnson, a close friend of Jose R. Escobedo Jr., smiled during his eulogy, remembering Escobedo’s humor. When he would see a soldier doing something that he disliked, he would say something like that wouldn’t happen in the Marine Corps.

“I would just respond by saying, ‘You’re not a Marine anymore,’ ” Johnson said.

“ ‘Once a Marine, always a Marine,’ would be Jose’s response,” recalled Johnson.

Escobedo, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., died March 20 in Baghdad of injuries from a non-combat incident while in Iskandariyah. He was assigned to Schweinfurt, Germany.

Escobedo attended high school in Albuquerque and joined the Marines after graduation, serving 11 years with the Corps. He briefly left the service and then joined the Army in 2007.

Johnson said he would miss playing pickup basketball with him.

“He was always the one little guy on the basketball court going against a giant,” Johnson said.

He is survived by his wife, Angelica, and their three children, Elvida, 9; Jose, 4; and Mikey, 2.

“You can really see a reflection of his character in his family,” Johnson said following the ceremony.