Marine Lance Cpl. Jason William Moore

Died May 19, 2003 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom

21, of San Marcos, Calif.; assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Camp Pendleton, Calif., killed in a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crash in the Shatt al Hillah Canal in Iraq.

Lance Cpl. Jason William Moore was gung-ho about everything — no matter how much of a challenge it was.

“He was the only person who complained when boot camp was over because he wanted more,” longtime friend Josh Wagner said.

Moore, 21, of San Marcos, Calif., and stationed at Camp Pendleton, was one of four Camp Pendleton Marines who died May 19 when their CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter went down in the Shatt al Hillah Canal shortly after takeoff. It had been on a resupply mission in support of civil-military operations. “He was an awesome guy, very honorable,” said Sam Scolamieri, another longtime friend. “The way he was hard-core about the Marines, that’s the way it was about his friendships.”

After graduating from high school in 2000, Moore kept in touch with history teacher Jim Beason.

“I felt like I lost my own son,” Beason said. “I’m sorry for the world to lose a kid like this.”

Moore’s sister Michelle said she last spoke to her brother May 16, and he was excited about the possibility of becoming a crew chief at Camp Pendleton. “He promised me that he’d be back. He promised that nothing would happen to him.”