WEARE, NH, U.S.A.
U.S. MARINE CORPS
MASTER GUNNERY SGT, 1ST MARINE EXPEDITION
08/09/2003, WEARE, NH, U.S.A.
Master Gunnery SGT Dale Racicot just wanted to get home to his wife and two daughters. Their reunion was joyful but short lived. Dale Racicot died suddenly after just three hours with his family.
“I came running over to him and I knew something serious was going on,” she said. “He looked at me and said, ‘I love you all,’ and that was the last thing he said.”
While in Kuwait, Racicot headed a six-member intelligence team that analyzed statements from Iraqi prisoners of war.
SSG Luis DeJesus, 33 said MGYSGT Racicot was a careful listener who was a mentor to fellow Marines. And Master SGT Racicot often talked about how proud he was of his family.
“He was very focused about going home and being with his family” SGT DeJesus said.
His family was equally devoted to him.
“When you love someone and they go to war you have to mentally prepare yourself for the fact they might not come home, so we were just thrilled,” said his daughter, Keri Magnarelli. We had three hours. They were the most precious hours we could have asked for.”
In civilian life, Dale Racicot was a mechanical engineer. He was a devout Christian. He was a drummer in the “music ministry” at Goffstown Christian Fellowship Church.
Dale Racicot enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969, at the age of 20. He was on active duty until 1975. He became a reservist in 1985. He was called to active duty with 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in January 2003. He was on active duty in Kuwait and Iraq.
Keri Magnarelli and her sister, Stacey Racicot, said their father was passionate about ending the suffering of the Iraqi people.