Articles 6.19.2005

The North County Times, CA and the Massachusetts Republican have articles on the two Marines killed near Ramadi on 6.16.2005. Lance Cpl. Erik Heldt, and Capt. John Maloney, of the 1/5 Marines, died when an IED exploded near their vehicle as they traveled towards the location of a mission. Three other unidentified Marines were wounded in the blast.

Lance Cpl. Heldt joined the Marines in 2003. He was 26 years old.

Capt. Maloney was a company commander in the 1/5th. He joined the Marines in 1987, and served during Operation Desert Storm. He was married and the father of a 6-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter. Capt. Maloney has a brother, Jason, who is a 1st Lt. in the Marines, and served in Iraq from Sept 2004 through March 2005. The two brothers were able to meet for a few hours as they transitioned in and out of the country. A third brother, Justin, is a Lance Cpl. in the Marine Reserves. Capt. Maloney was 36 years old.
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Other Articles from the region:
- Associated Press: Forces pound foreign fighters [along Syrian border]
- LA Times (reg req'd): Iraqi Security Tactics Evoke the Hussein Era
- LA Times (reg req'd): Insurgents Under Pressure in Western Iraq
- Newsweek: The Enemy Spies
- Knight Ridder: 2nd wave of U.S. offensive in Anbar province draws Sunnis' ire