LUTHER, OK, USA U.S. Marines CPL, HQ CO, 1ST BN, 4TH MAR, 1ST MAR DIV, CAMP PENDLETON, CA AL QAIM, IRAQ 07/05/2007
Corporal Jeremy Allbaugh of Luther,Oklahoma, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. He died onJuly 5, 2007 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Qaim, Iraq. The unit had been in Iraq four months. Jeremy Allbaugh was the first member of his Marine unit to die in Iraq combat.
The twenty-one year old had joined the Marines three years before and strongly believed in what he was doing and supported his country’s direction. Even as a young boy he had a camouflaged backpack and dressed in fatigues for Halloween. So it was not too surprising that Jeremy joined the Marines before he graduated from high school just two months from his 18th birthday.
Jeremy was the nephew of Joe Allbaugh, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency during President George W. Bush’s first term in office. A native of Blackwell, Joe Allbaugh served as Bush’s chief of staff while he was governor of Texas and later became part of Bush’s “Iron Triangle” of loyal Texas aides when Bush was elected president.
Jeremy’s brother, Marine Lieutenant, Jason Allbaugh considered his brother his best friend, said his brother “always wanted to be in the military since I can remember. It’s something he wanted.” Jason recalled that his brother asked him to do two things before he deployed to Iraq with his Marine unit. ‘Take care of Mom and Dad,’ and then he hesitated — ‘Remember me,’ ”
Jeremy Allbaugh grew up in Harrah and graduated in 2004 from Harrah High School, where he was a member of the school’s baseball team. He was remembered by school staff and friends as a great baseball player, a great student and a great athlete
Jeremy was a remarkable man whose life touched many others. Family recognized that they were doing good things in Iraq and recognized the progress being made which included the building of schools and hospitals even though the public rarely heard about these successes.