Rick Gannon. Died from injuries received during enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 17, 2004.

The battle that took his life began with an ambush of Company L that led to a fourteen-hour battle against an estimated three hundred insurgents. He was hit while giving aid to a wounded Marine.  He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, California.

Rick was my roommate at Cornell University, and also my roommate at The Basic School at Quantico Virginia in 1995.   Rick was posthumously promoted to Major, was awarded a Purple Heart, and on 15 April, 2005 was awarded the Silver Star for the brave actions that resulted in his death.  Semper Fi.