San Gabriel, CA, US
U.S. Marine Corps
CPL, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune
9/6/2009, San Diego, US
Nick was born on April 10, 1985 in West Covina , California . He attended elementary school in Sierra Madre and Pasadena and eventually graduated from Gabrielino High School in San Gabriel, California. Nick was a gifted athlete and lettered in Varsity Baseball and Soccer. After high school, Nick briefly attended Citrus College and worked at UPS where he joined the Teamsters Union.
In December 2004 Nick decided to do more with his life and joined the United States Marine Corps. He attended boot camp in San Diego and completed advanced radio and electronic communications and repair training at MCAGCC Twenty-Nine Palms. Nick was assigned to the 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune . Nick deployed to Iraq in March 2007 and assisted in reconstruction efforts in Barwana in the Haditha triangle in western Iraq . Nick and his team were deeply involved in reconstructing civil institutions and infrastructure and assisting the Iraqi population in recovering from decades of tyranny and war. Nick also participated in over 100 reconnaissance and combat missions with American and Iraqi forces.
He was promoted to Corporal and received, among other honors, the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal for professional accomplishments which “clearly exceeded that which is normally required or expected, considering the individual’s grade or rate, training and experience” and for “an important contribution of benefit to the United States and the Naval Service.” After a year in Iraq , Nick was deployed to Okinawa where he was involved in electronic maintenance and was a pistol instructor. In June 2009 Nick was assigned to electronic maintenance and repair duties at MCAS Miramar. Nick fell ill in June 2009 as he was reporting to duty and died on September 6, 2009 at age 24. Nick was looking forward to completing college and a career with the LAPD when he left the Marine Corps in 2010. Nick was proud of his service as a Marine and his significant accomplishments, which included mentoring his younger brother Patrick.