Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Dyer

Died August 3, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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19, of Cincinnati; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Columbus, Ohio; attached to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward); killed Aug. 3 when the amphibious assault vehicle in which he was a passenger was hit by an improvised explosive device south of Hadithah, Iraq.

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Ohio-based Marine killed by explosion in Iraq

The Associated Press

Christopher Dyer had an auspicious beginning to his diving career. On one of his first competitive dives in the 9th grade, he flattened out and hit the water in a belly flop.

But he stuck with it and twice made it to the high school district championship. He even lost two front teeth on an inward dive attempt and had to wear two false teeth.

“He thrived on challenges,” his father, John Dyer.

Dyer, 19, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was killed in an explosion Aug. 3 south of Hadithah. His Marine reserve unit was based in Columbus, Ohio.

Dyer graduated with honors from high school in 2004, where he also played the viola in the school orchestra. He had been accepted into Ohio State University and wanted to major in finance.

His father said he joined the Marines because of his sense of duty and the challenge to be “one of the best.”

John Dyer said he and his wife, Kathy, saw a mature and proud son when they visited him during his pre-deployment leave in Las Vegas.

“He said that he couldn’t be happier with the way his life had worked out to this point,” his father said.