PACIFIC, MO, USA U.S. Marines CPL, H&S CO, 3D BN, 8TH MAR, (1-1 AD, I MEF FWD), CAMP LEJEUNE, NC AR RAMADI, IRAQ 06/22/2006
22 year-old CPL Riley Baker of Pacific, Mo.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed June 22, 2006 while conducting combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq.
Cpl. Baker of Missouri personified what a young man should be. He was loyal, funny, fearless and kind. Willing to help anyone at any time, he was a great kid and a hard worker. Riley was a 2002 graduate of Eureka High School and the school’s senior class prom king, a linebacker for the football team and the school’s first state wrestling champion. He loved to wrestle because it was one-on-one competition. Football was a team effort, but wrestling for him was showing that if you want it, you have to go for it yourself.
After graduating in 2002 he attended St. Louis Community College before enlisting in the Marine Corps in February of 2004. Riley was assigned to Camp Lejeune and selected for the Scout Sniper Platoon. He deployed to Iraq with the 3rd Battalion 8th Marines in 2005. In 2006, he deployed again with the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Expeditionary Force, serving as a Scout Sniper Team Leader.
He was a natural leader and never gave up, never passing up a challenge to be loyal to his family, community, country or fellow Marine.
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