Eric R Lueken

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DUBOIS, IN, USA U.S. Marines CPL, 3D BN, 3D MAR, (RCT-7, I MEF FWD), 3D MAR DIV, MCBH KANEOHE BAY, HI BAGHDADI, IRAQ 04/22/2006

Corporal Eric Robert Lueken died on April 22, 2006 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was part of the 3d Battalion, 3d Marine Regiment,3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He had served in Afghanistan from November 2004 to June 2005, before assignment in Iraq. After his time in Afghanistan, Eric told his mother he was not taking life for granted anymore. Pictures from that country show Eric with Afghan children, and he hated to see the way those children were forced to live.

Eric, often called “Radio” by his Marine buddies, was a twenty-three year old Dubois, Indiana native. His company nicknamed him Radio, due to his love of the movie “Super Troopers” and because he was a Radio Operator. A former roommate says he was just the coolest person he’d ever known in the Marine Corps and that Eric’s parents had raised the coolest Marine in 3/3.

Eric was a graduate of Northeast Dubois High School in Dubois, Indiana. He was a member of the basketball teams of 2000 and 2001 that went to the semi state and regional competitions. He graduated in 2001 and later joined the Marines on October 12, 2003. Before going into the Marines, he worked for Patoka Water in Dubois. He was an avid hunter and loved the outdoors. He was a member of Saint Raphael Catholic Church in Dubois. He was also an honorary member of the Southern Indiana Leathernecks Detachment Marine Corps League.

Eric was born at Jasper, Indiana on February 25, 1983 to Glenn and Melinda (Denu) Lueken. Surviving are his parents Glenn “Jake” and Melinda Lueken; one brother, Brent; Eric’s girlfriend, Ericka, and grandparents Evira Denu and Louis Leuken. All of his family is from Dubois, Indiana.

Eric’s portrait is also located on Poster 1 and Poster 2