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Pentagon IDs Marine killed in Iraq

LONDON, Ky. — A 19-year-old Marine from Kentucky was killed in a surprise attack in Anbar province, Iraq, his mother said.

Lance Cpl. Thomas “T.J.” Reilly Jr., of London, died Dec. 21 during combat operations, according to the Department of Defense.

His mother, Gina Bray, said her son joined the military after graduating from South Laurel High School last year.

“I didn’t want him to go. He wanted to go. But I didn’t want to crush his dream,” Bray told WKYT-TV in Lexington.

But on Sunday, Bray said Reilly’s unit came under a surprise attack, and he was killed instantly.

“He was on a mission. There was a hostile situation, and they just hurt my baby. And they took him,” Bray said.

Reilly was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Bray said Reilly had a knack for baking in home economics classes and he had wanted to enter culinary school after the military.

“They used to tell him how good he made cakes,” Bray said.

One of Reilly’s former teachers, Mary King, said she kept in contact with him after he was deployed to Iraq over the summer.

“Needless to say, we have been heartbroken,” King told The Times Tribune in Corbin.

King said Bray was given the news of Reilly’s death at a hospital in Harlan, where her daughter Regina had just given birth.

“She’s had ups and downs over the past few days,” King said.

“He was very, very close with her, very tight with his mother, and so she is really struggling.”

King said Reilly was attracted to the opportunities in the military.

“He saw (the Marines) as a place he could excel and be a leader and be someone who could be in charge and move on up in the ranks,” King said.

Funeral services have not yet been scheduled at London Funeral Home.