WHITEFISH, MT, USA U.S. Marines CPL, 1ST MAINTENANCE BN, CLR-15, 1ST MLG, CAMP PENDLETON, CA KARMAH, IRAQ 08/07/2008
The Department of Defense says 25-year-old Cpl. Stewart S. Trejo died while supporting combat operations in Anbar province on Thursday, August 7, 2008. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.
Trejo died along with fellow Marine Cpl. Adam T. McKiski, 21, of Cherry Valley, Ill., as a result of an accident involving a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicle, according to the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base media office.
Trejo enlisted in the Marine Corps on Nov. 2, 2005. He was assigned to the 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.
His personal awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Trejo moved to the Flathead from Arizona about eight years ago, according to his mother-in-law, Billie Boles, of Kalispell.
“He was my friend, he lived with me like a son,” she said.
Trejo met his future wife, Taffie Boles, while they worked at Great Northern Bark Co., in Columbia Falls. She was a couple years older than him. They lived for a while at Forest Acres, off U.S. Highway 93 south of Whitefish, raising their two children.
“Everyone who knew him loved him,” Boles said. “He had everyone’s total respect.”
Boles said her daughter had recently left for California to “get the house ready” for Trejo, who was set to return to the U.S. in September after his tour in Iraq.
“They talked about a trip to Disneyland and renewing their vows,” she said.
Trejo planned on a career in the Marines, and Taffie planned on being a military wife, Boles said. “He wanted to be a lifer,” she said. “His grandpa was a Marine, and he idolized him. He wanted to be buried next to his grandpa.”
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