Marine Staff Sgt. John C. Stock

Died September 6, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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26, of Longview, Texas; assigned to 3rd Assault amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Sept. 6 while conducting combat operations in Albu Hyatt, Iraq. Also killed were Cpl. Christopher L. Poole Jr., Cpl. Bryan J. Scripsick and Sgt. Michael J. Yarbrough.

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East Texan among 4 dead Marines

The Associated Press

An East Texas Marine and three others from his battalion were killed in combat in Iraq, the Defense Department said Sept. 10.

Staff Sgt. John C. Stock, 26, of Longview, died Sept. 6 in Anbar province, a predominantly Sunni province west of Baghdad that the military says has seen a recent drop in violence.

Stock was remembered as a fun, outgoing young man who was adventurous, fearless and “always kept a smile on his face.” He and childhood friend, Bosten Gisi, earned their Eagle Scout status together.

“He was a good East Texas boy through and through. He was not scared; he had no fear, and that’s why Iraq did not scare him. He said he knew what he had to do, and he was proud to do it,” Gisi told the Longview News-Journal.

Stock also attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and was very active along with his five siblings.

“He was a fine young man, very committed to trying to do something valuable with his life and very committed to his family and his country,” said the Rev. Gavin Vaverek, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

“He was considering going back into the Marines, and that was a very serious commitment to make, and his wife Lindsey was very supportive of that choice,” Vaverek said. “He very intentionally chose to go back into the Marines to fight the war against terrorism.”

Also killed in the combat were Cpl. Christopher L. Poole Jr., 22, of Mount Dora, Fla.; Cpl. Bryan J. Scripsick, 22, of Wayne, Okla.; and Sgt. Michael J. Yarbrough, 24, of Malvern, Ark.

All were assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The Pentagon also said Spc. Marisol Heredia, 19, of El Monte, Calif., died Sept. 7 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio of injuries from a non-combat incident July 18 in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.