WALKER, WV, US
U.S. Marine Corps
CPL, 2D CEB, 2D MAR DIV, CAMP LEJEUNE, NC (ATTACHED TO 1ST MAR DIV)
04/30/2004, AL ANBAR PROVINCE, IRAQ
Marine Corporal Joshua S. Wilfong died on April 30, 2004 during combat operations near Fallujah, in Anbar Province, Iraq. He and his unit were serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
The twenty-two year-old Walker, West Virginia resident liked to drive Wood County’s back roads with friends. He was a quiet, reliable person who loved the outdoors. Joshua Wilfong was a 2000 graduate of Parkersburg High School. He was a guy who would do anything for you and was always there to help out. A friend recalled learning to drive with Joshua in an old black Chevrolet truck at the Wilfong’s home. That driving continued with his operation of all-terrain vehicles and trucks or just riding with friends on muddy backroads. These were Joshua’s favorite things to do.
He was a real go-getter and was always the first to get un-stuck from the mud and was very skilled at working chained tires in mud to easily navigate his vehicle where he wanted it to go. The mud did not matter. With accumulated vehicle and terrain experience like this it was no surprise that his skills showed through: he was the honor graduate of his class in July 2001 from the Marine Corps Basic Combat Engineers Course at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
He and his friends spent many nights sitting on the banks of the Little Kanawha or Ohio rivers, caring little about whether the catfish nibbled or not. There was too much to occupy their time on the riverbank — such as good-natured arguing about their favorite NASCAR drivers — to care about catfish.
His willingness to do anything to help his friends will not be forgotten. He was always there, taking care of his buddies. He was a real easygoing guy and quiet, but when you got him aside, he would talk your ear off.
At his service, it was a fitting salute to Joshua, and a reminder of things that made him happy, that a loudly revving motor in the distance could be heard by all in attendance.
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