Marine Lance Cpl. Cesar F. Machado-Olmos

Died September 13, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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20, of Spanish Fork, Utah; assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed Sept. 13 in a non-combat related vehicle accident in Anbar province, Iraq.

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Memorial service held for Marine who died in Iraq

Associated Press

SPANISH FORK, Utah — Before he could get his U.S. citizenship, Marine Lance Cpl. Cesar F. Machado-Olmos died in a vehicle accident in Iraq.

Two hundred people gathered Sept. 19 to honor him at a memorial service at the Spanish Fork National Guard Armory.

Machado-Olmos, who would have turned 21 on Sept. 20, died a week ago in a non-combat vehicle accident. He was the first Latino from Utah killed in the Iraq war.

He joined the Marines on Aug. 25, 2001, just a few months after graduating from Spanish Fork High School.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars and Hispanic Advisory Council wanted to honor the Marine for his service to his country,

“All of us are touched by the sacrifice of a fellow Latino,” said Tony Yapias, director of Utah’s Office of Hispanic Affairs.

Despite his lack of citizenship “he felt he had to serve. He thought of America as his country,” Yapias said.

“It’s unfortunate that we send our finest sons and daughters into war to water the tree of liberty with their blood,” said Mayor Dale Barney, who also is a veteran.

“No words in any language can console a family for the loss of a child,” said Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah. “Free Iraqis will praise him forever for what he and his companions have done.”

Cannon gave Machado-Olmos’ mother, Patricia Acosta, and stepfather, Esau Acosta, a letter of condolence.