KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Elrod, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division II Marine Expeditionary Force machine gunner, on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was on his second tour in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom when his battalion came under numerous attacks while providing security for the U.S. Army.
Elrod engaged the enemy with his machine gun from the turret of his vehicle and successfully defeated enemy attacks.
On Oct 21st, 2006, Elrod lost his life at 20 years old with three others while conducting combat operations when their Humvee was hit by an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his father Tim, his mother Teresa, his brother Chris, and his sister Shannon.
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