Marine Sgt. James R. Graham III
Death: Aug 01, 2005
of Coweta Okla.; assigned to 4th Tank Battalion 4th Marine Division Marine Forces Reserve Broken Arrow Okla.; attached to Regimental Combat Team 2 2nd Marine Division II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward); killed Aug. 1 as a result of a suicide bombing while conducting combat operations near Hit Iraq. Oklahoma Marine killed in Iraq suicide bombing Associated Press TULSA Okla. — A 25-year-old Marine from Coweta was killed in a suicide car bombing near Hit Iraq about 85 miles northwest of Baghdad the Department of Defense confirmed on Tuesday. Sgt. James R. Graham III was assigned to the Marine Reserve Unit in Broken Arrow an anti-tank company. The military said Graham was “conducting combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom” when the bomber struck on Monday. The anti-tank unit from suburban Tulsa was scheduled to return from its tour of duty in about one month Tulsa television station KOTV reported Tuesday. Graham is survived by a wife and two small children. Graham had received three medals for his time served in Iraq including the Good Conduct Medal the Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the Selective Marine Corps Reserve medal said Christopher Logan media officer for the Marine Forces Reserve. Graham will receive more honors as well including a Purple Heart Logan said. Betty Willhoite a next-door neighbor said she has fond memories of Graham playing with his boys. “He would always be out there showing the oldest how to kick a soccer ball into the net” Willhoite said. “He was a nice man. He worked very hard and was such a good person. I just hate to see this happen to such a nice young family. He felt like it was his duty.” Willhoite said she heard the news Monday from Graham’s wife who was out in the yard. Willhoite said she asked the family pastor to add them to a church prayer list. “He was very gentle and a great father a little on the quiet side” Willhoite said. “I’ve never heard him raise his voice.” The Department of Defense reported six other Marines all serving in a suburban Cleveland Ohio unit were killed in a separate attack Monday near Haditha in western Iraq. Fighting has intensified in recent weeks in Haditha Hit and other dusty towns along the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad as American forces step up efforts to seal off the approaches to the Syrian border and prevent foreign fighters from entering the country. Operation Iraqi Freedom