Jonathan J. Simpson killed in combat

To his Marine buddies, Sgt. Jonathan J. Simpson was the bright navigator who couldn't wait for combat. To residents of Rockport, where he lived with his father Frank in 2001, he's a fallen hero.

Simpson, 25, died Saturday in Al Anbar, Iraq, during undisclosed combat operations.

"He was probably the most personable person," said Cpl. Duane Brawford. "We immediately liked him."

Brawford and Sgt. Graham Deniston met Simpson in San Antonio in 2002 as members of the same class for navigation school. They soon began calling him "Bart" in homage to the TV character Bart Simpson. Brawford and Deniston are now stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, gathering Tuesday night to remember their friend.

"He was a hard-charger," Deniston said. "Several times in school he wanted to quit. He wanted to go out there and be a recon (reconnaissance) Marine, but we wanted him to stay. I felt like I was looking out for him, but recon battalion is what he really wanted."

Simpson got his wish. After five years as a flight navigator, he extended his duty with a reconnaissance battalion. He left for Iraq on Sept. 27.

"He lived life to the fullest," said Deniston. "He lived it like he wasn't going to be around tomorrow. I was always talking about the future, telling him to think about what's down the road but he knew he had to do what's right and enjoy life. And he did."

In Rockport, news of Simpson's death spread across the community.

"He's a part of Rockport, so even if you don't know him, it's like you know him," said Jimmy Nevarez.

Peter Gonzales, a retired Air Force sergeant living in Rockport, said every death matters, no matter if they lived in Rockport or California.

"Regardless of where he's from, we're losing them," he said of the American troops. "We need to go in there and win it or get out because all our boys are getting killed."

Rockport-Fulton High School senior Gabby Diaz said her government teacher brought Simpson's death up in class, and everyone talked about who he was. Diaz said she didn't know Simpson.

A photo of Simpson from boot camp has watched over Wal-Mart shoppers for years, said employee Patty Chupe. His face, along with dozens of others, was part of a display of servicemen and women as a simple reminder that went up shortly after Sept. 11, 2001.

Simpson attended high school in Canada. His mother, Johanne Paquette, now lives in Chertsey, Quebec.

But Simpson regularly visited his father, Frank, in Rockport, and he wanted to return here, said Brawford, who was Simpson's roommate when they were stationed in North Carolina in 2003.

"He always talked about recon," Brawford said. "He said he wanted to do something, to be somebody. I told him he didn't need to do that to prove himself, but it's what he wanted."

Brawford and Deniston said Simpson knew recon would be more dangerous than navigation.

News of his death hit hard, Brawford said.

"I kinda figured it would happen. I don't know why I did," he said. "I don't think - or maybe he did - realize what he was getting into. Maybe now he feels like he did something."

Frank Simpson said Tuesday that services for his son would likely be in Canada.

From the Caller Times