Marine Cpl. Orville Gerena

Died February 06, 2006 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom

21, of Virginia Beach, Va.; assigned to Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed Feb. 6 by an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations in Hit, Iraq.

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21-year-old Va. Marine killed in Iraq

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach Marine was killed during combat in Iraq, the Defense Department announced Wednesday.

Cpl. Orville Gerena, 21, died Feb. 6 from the blast of an improvised explosive device while fighting in Hit, Iraq, a small city west of Baghdad. Another Marine, Lance Cpl. Davis S. Parr of Benson, N.C., also was killed in the blast.

Both were members of the Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Maine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Gerena joined the Marine Corps in 2002 while living in Virginia Beach. He was born in Puerto Rico.

Gerena had served at least two combat tours in Iraq, said Marine Corps spokesman Staff Sgt. Angela Mink. He was awarded a Combat Action Ribbon, the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism expeditionary and service medals.

— Associated Press