COVINA, CA, USA
U.S. Marine Corps
LCPL, 1ST BN 7TH MAR, (RCT-6, I MEF FWD), 1ST MAR DIV, TWENTYNINE PALMS,
08/01/2012, HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN
Lance Corporal Curtis Joseph Duarte, United States Marine Corps from Covina, California died On August 01, 2012 in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom at the age of 22. He was conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Duarte was a rifleman assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division based out of Twenty nine Palms.
Growing up, he was always labeled as a playful, mischievous kid, but when he did anything wrong you couldn’t get mad because he always had a goofy smile. His goal was to make everyone smile. He loved his hometown of Covina and after graduating from Covina High School, where he played baseball, Duarte briefly attended San Diego State University.
He only took a few classes before following in the footsteps of his father, Joe, and enlisting in the Marines on Aug. 6, 2008. He wanted to honor his family and serve his country. This was his first tour of duty and he was serving our country dutifully up until his death. Duarte leaves behind his mother, father, one brother and two sisters.