Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph C. Lopez

Died October 14, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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26, of Rosamond, Calif.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Oct. 14 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

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3 Marines killed in Helmand province combat

Staff report

Three Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based Marines died Thursday during combat operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, the Defense Department announced.

Lance Cpl. Alex E. Catherwood, 19, a rifleman from Byron, Ill., and Lance Cpl. Irvin M. Ceniceros, 21, a machine-gunner from Clarksville, Ark., were killed by small-arms fire, the 1st Marine Division said in a news release.

Lance Cpl. Joseph C. Lopez, 26, a rifleman from Rosamond, Calif., died after an improvised explosive device detonated during dismounted combat operations, the release said.

The Marines were on their first combat deployments and were part of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. The battalion has suffered seven deaths in the past two days.

Catherwood enlisted in June 2009. His military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal and Korean Defense Service Medal.

Ceniceros enlisted in September 2007 and deployed in 2009 to the western Pacific with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

His military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Lopez enlisted in March 2009. His military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Korean Defense Service Medal.