Posted on 01/29/2015 6:25:37 AM PST by SandRat
A U.S. Marine veteran who grew up in Sierra Vista was one of nine people killed in Libya by a gunman in an apparent attack by the Islamic State.
David Berry, a 34 year-old combat veteran who was working for a Virginia-based security contractor, was the sole American who died in Tuesday’s attack. Berry grew up and spent most of his early life in Sierra Vista, attending Buena High School and graduating from Tombstone High School in 2000.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps immediately after high school and earned promotions to become a gunnery sergeant. He was deployed to the Middle East five times and in 2003 in Iraq, Berry served in the I Marine Expeditionary Force and was honored with the Presidential Unit Citation. That award is given to units for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.
After three deployments, the Marines assigned Berry to the National Defense Institution to learn to speak and become fluent in the Arabic language and culture for counter-intelligence operations. When Berry was discharged from the Marines, he sought employment with a security firm and had been living in Libya for a year before Tuesday’s attack.
According to his father, James Berry, David was “a true patriot” who was doing what he believed in.
“He was a true American patriot. He would not back down from a fight,” Berry said in a statement. “My son is a warrior, he always wanted to do what he’s doing right now, or what he did up to this day. He was a man who had more respect and honor for this country than you would believe.”
According to James Berry, the F.B.I. is currently investigating the attack, while his son’s employer, Team Crucible, is recovering David Berry’s remains from Libya to be returned to the U.S., where he is eligible for interment in Arlington National Cemetery with military honors.
David Berry is survived by his wife and four children.
Thanks for Posting
The Gunny sounded like a pretty sharp guy. Prayers for him and his family.
He was, but was also a ‘wild and crazy’ kid, to borrow a phrase. We knew pretty quickly he was going to join the Corps and that he would do great things.
He and my son were on the Army JROTC rifle team together in high school. That small group has kept in touch through the years and this loss has hit them pretty hard.
Prayers up for the soul of David Berry and for his family.
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