|
We Honor and Remember:
LCpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca
Age: 20 years old Hometown: North Arlington, New Jersey. Died: February 10, 2012 in Operation Enduring Freedom. Unit: 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca, 20, of North Arlington, N.J., died Feb. 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Burial: Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA. More than 150 mourners and bystanders Friday paid tribute to Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca, a Marine killed in Afghanistan last week, as his flag-draped casket arrived at the Parow Funeral Home from Dover Air Force Base. Family members waiting on the funeral home steps cried and moaned during the military rite that included a maneuver by honor guard to move Montes De Oca’s remains from a hearse. Across the street on Ridge Road, where a church bell tolled, scores of schoolmates, residents and sympathizers paid tribute to the fallen hero, some crying and waving flags. “We understand,” said Marjorie Sietsma of Wyckoff, president of Blue Star Mothers of North Jersey, who along with a dozen members of her group embraced family members before the procession arrived. Mothers in the group have children serving in the military and wear blue jackets emblazoned with their branch of service. They handed out miniature flags to people in the crowd. Vern Nelson, 66, an ex-Marine who served in Vietnam and a member of Warrior’s Watch Riders motorcycle club, joined the procession in South Jersey. “I wanted to make sure that when they come home, our servicemen are not forgotten,” he said as he climbed on his Harley-Davidson to return home to Lansdale, Pa. Montes De Oca, 20, was killed on a combat mission in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, the Defense Department said. Details of his death have not been released. Montes De Oca’s twin brother, Osmany, and his older brother, Sandro Moreta, 22, are both Marines. |
|
|
|
2 Identical Twins, 2 Marines: N.J. Soldier's Death Shatters A Mirror Image. (Published Feb 14, 2012)
NORTH ARLINGTON — The men are mirror images of one another, twin brothers in the crisp dress blues of the Marine Corps.
Inseparable on the streets of North Arlington, Osbrany and Osmany Montes De Oca enlisted little more than a year ago, shortly after graduating high school. They wanted to serve their country and fight those who would harm it, they told family members. Together, they went off to war in Afghanistan.
Monday, the Department of Defense gave word that only one would be coming home alive. Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca died Friday in Helmand Province. He was 20.
"They were always talking about the Marines," an uncle, Adriano Moreta, said outside the family home Monday night. "It’s what they always wanted to do." The twins’ passion for the Corps persuaded their older brother, 22-year-old Sandro Moreta, to enlist a few months after them, relatives said. He had not yet been deployed.
Both surviving brothers were en route to North Arlington Monday evening, Adriano Moreta said. A third brother is a student at North Arlington High School.
The Department of Defense provided no detail about Montes De Oca’s death, saying only that he died while supporting combat operations. Family members, their eyes red-rimmed, said they were not ready to speak about the incident or talk at length about Montes De Oca, who trained as an infantry mortar man. Based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
On his Facebook page, Montes De Oca poses in uniform with his girlfriend, whom he calls "the love of my life," and writes, "I do have a future. I am a United States Marine."
An aunt, who provided only her first name, Teresa, said Montes De Oca spoke often of his desire to fight for his country in the Marine Corps. "He truly loved what he was doing," she said.
Another relative, an older woman, began to cry as she cradled framed photos of the two middle brothers. "Twins," she repeated. "Twins."
Across the street from the home, at the Tradicione Mi Peru restaurant, employee Carmen Mendoza recalled seeing the brothers frequently around the neighborhood before they enlisted.
"They were always together," said Mendoza, 23. "They’re lovely guys. Handsome."
She said their mother, Miriam, runs a hair salon next door to the restaurant.
A memorial wreath hung from the front door of the Montes De Oca home Monday, the wind tugging at ribbons on which someone had written "Osbrany" and "Rest in Peace." A small American flag was tucked into the arrangement.
Montes De Oca is the 42nd service member with ties to New Jersey to be killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. An additional 102 service members from New Jersey have died in Iraq since 2003.
Adriano Moreta, the brothers’ uncle, said his nephew seemed too young to die in a war. "Twenty years old," he said, his voice tinged with grief. "He’s just a little kid."
NORTH ARLINGTON — The men are mirror images of one another, twin brothers in the crisp dress blues of the Marine Corps.
Inseparable on the streets of North Arlington, Osbrany and Osmany Montes De Oca enlisted little more than a year ago, shortly after graduating high school. They wanted to serve their country and fight those who would harm it, they told family members. Together, they went off to war in Afghanistan.
Monday, the Department of Defense gave word that only one would be coming home alive. Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca died Friday in Helmand Province. He was 20.
"They were always talking about the Marines," an uncle, Adriano Moreta, said outside the family home Monday night. "It’s what they always wanted to do." The twins’ passion for the Corps persuaded their older brother, 22-year-old Sandro Moreta, to enlist a few months after them, relatives said. He had not yet been deployed.
Both surviving brothers were en route to North Arlington Monday evening, Adriano Moreta said. A third brother is a student at North Arlington High School.
The Department of Defense provided no detail about Montes De Oca’s death, saying only that he died while supporting combat operations. Family members, their eyes red-rimmed, said they were not ready to speak about the incident or talk at length about Montes De Oca, who trained as an infantry mortar man. Based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
On his Facebook page, Montes De Oca poses in uniform with his girlfriend, whom he calls "the love of my life," and writes, "I do have a future. I am a United States Marine."
An aunt, who provided only her first name, Teresa, said Montes De Oca spoke often of his desire to fight for his country in the Marine Corps. "He truly loved what he was doing," she said.
Another relative, an older woman, began to cry as she cradled framed photos of the two middle brothers. "Twins," she repeated. "Twins."
Across the street from the home, at the Tradicione Mi Peru restaurant, employee Carmen Mendoza recalled seeing the brothers frequently around the neighborhood before they enlisted.
"They were always together," said Mendoza, 23. "They’re lovely guys. Handsome."
She said their mother, Miriam, runs a hair salon next door to the restaurant.
A memorial wreath hung from the front door of the Montes De Oca home Monday, the wind tugging at ribbons on which someone had written "Osbrany" and "Rest in Peace." A small American flag was tucked into the arrangement.
Montes De Oca is the 42nd service member with ties to New Jersey to be killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. An additional 102 service members from New Jersey have died in Iraq since 2003.
Adriano Moreta, the brothers’ uncle, said his nephew seemed too young to die in a war. "Twenty years old," he said, his voice tinged with grief. "He’s just a little kid."
New Jersey Run for the Fallen 2023 ~ Click on photos below to enlarge...
|
|
|
New Jersey Run for the Fallen 2022
|
|
|
|
|
