Bomb kills Kaneohe Marine in Iraq (Yull Estrada Rodriguez)

A Kaneohe Marine unit completing its seven-month combat tour in Iraq next month has suffered its 12th casualty this year.

The Marine Corps said Cpl. Yull Estrada Rodriguez, 21, of Alegre Lajas, Puerto Rico, was the gunner of a 7-ton truck when it struck a homemade bomb Wednesday in Al-Anbar province.

Estrada Rodriguez enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 2004 and reported to Hawaii in July 2004.

It was his second combat tour. Estrada Rodriguez deployed to Afghanistan in late 2004 with Kaneohe Bay's 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

He left Kaneohe for Iraq with the same unit in March.

His awards include the Purple Heart, two Combat Action ribbons, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and two Sea Service Deployment ribbons.

He is survived by his mother and father.

Read the rest at the Star Bulleting