Marine Lance Cpl. Travis J. Layfield

Died April 6, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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19, of Fremont, Calif.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed April 6 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq.

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Travis J. Layfield was a history buff who used to watch films on World War II on the History Channel as a boy. His grandfather was a Navy Seabee, which may have influenced his decision to join the Navy ROTC in high school. He enlisted in the Marine Corps right after high school graduation. Lance Cpl. Layfield, 19, of Fremont, Calif., was killed April 6 during a battle in Iraq’s Anbar province. He was based at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Layfield had been enthusiastic about going to Iraq. "He always said he was excited to go," said Layfield's cousin Ashley Mills, 19. "But you could see in his face he was a little scared ... He always assured us he was ready to go and that he would come back." "He thought this would be his career, the Marines," said his sister, Tiffany Bolton, 31. "We were very proud of him." Other survivors include his parents, Diane Bolton Layfield and John Layfield.

— Associated Press