SAFETY HARBOR, FL, US
U.S. Marine Corps
LCPL, 2D BN 6TH MAR (RCT-7, I MEF FWD) 2D MARDIV, CAMP LEJEUNE, NC
08/21/2010, CAMP DWYER, AFGHANISTAN
After he found out he was being deployed to Afghanistan, Marine Lance Corporal Nathaniel J. A. Schultz talked to his sister over the phone. Deanna Maguire reminded her younger brother that when he enlisted, the entire family essentially enlisted. She begged him to return safely.
“I kept telling him, ‘Don’t come home in a box,’ ” said Maguire, who lives in Balm.
Her worst fears were realized Saturday when Schultz, 19, died in a combat operation while serving in Helmand Province in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense said.
The news has been difficult for the family, Maguire said. “He was the life link because of his personality,” Maguire said. “He held us all together.”
Schultz was the youngest of four siblings and the only male. He was born in Florida and his family moved from Coral Springs to Brandon in 2001. He later moved to Safety Harbor. He played acoustic and electric guitars and enjoyed skateboarding. He was an outdoorsman who liked hiking, hunting, fishing and the beach.
“He was an American boy,” Maguire said. “He died an American hero. I’m so proud of him.”
A 2009 graduate of Countryside High in Clearwater, Schultz joined the Marine Corps in June 2009. He was deployed to Afghanistan last month. He wanted to serve his country and he also wanted to assist the people, especially the children of Afghanistan.
“He was one who wanted to fix everything,” Maguire said. “He wanted to help everybody.”
He was engaged to Britney Victoria of Virginia, Maguire said.
In the Marine Corps, Schultz was an assistant gunner. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat 7, I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., and was promoted to Lance Corporal on August 1. He had been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
He is survived by his mother; Lisa Naktin, father; Duane Schultz, sisters; Shahna Maggard, Stephanie Schultz, Charlotte Maguire, Deanna Maguire, Grace Maguire, maternal grandparents; George and Ilse Roberts, paternal grandmother; Antoinette Schultz, three nephews, a niece and his fiancé; Britney Victoria