We Honor and Remember:
![]() Cpl. Thomas E. Saba
Hometown: Toms River, New Jersey, U.S. Age: 30 years old Died: February 7, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Unit: Marines, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. Birth: Mar. 15, 1976, Grymes Hill, Richmond County, New York, USA Cpl. Thomas Saba of Toms River, NJ., was a 1994 graduate of Susan Wagner High School and moved with his family to Toms River in the late 1990s. He attended the College of Staten Island, pursuing studies in liberal arts and also worked in Fortunoff, Woodbridge, and as an assistant manager at United Artists' former Travis Theater. He made a five-year commitment to the Marine Corps shortly after 9/11, enlisting on April, 21, 2002. For most of that time, he was assigned to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, The Flying Tigers, in Okinawa, Japan. The January deployment to Iraq was the first combat deployment of the squadron since the Vietnam war. He was posthumously awarded both the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Ribbon. Thomas was honored on November 14 2007 with the unveiling of a park bench in his memory at the Lake Ridge adult community where his parents live. The granite bench with an inscribed dedication is placed in front of the community's clubhouse. He was killed when his helicopter was shot down in Baghdad at age 30. Burial: Moravian Cemetery New Dorp Richmond County New York, USA ![]() On February 7, 2009 in Staten Island, NY, Marines, family and friends gathered to pay tribute to the life and sacrifice of Corporal Thomas Saba on the second anniversary of his death in Iraq. After mass and a visit to his alma mater, Susan E. Wagner High School, the entourage continued to Moravian cemetery where the somber ceremony was marked by a 21 gun salute and a fly-over by two CH-46 Marine helicopters. A celebration at the local Marine Corps League ended the day's festivities.
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New Jersey Run for the Fallen ~ 2023
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New Jersey Run for the Fallen ~ 2022
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