Army Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr.

Remember Our Heroes

Army Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif.

Pfc. Anzack was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; was captured May 12, 2007 by enemy forces in Al Taqa, Iraq, when his unit was attacked by insurgents using automatic fire and explosives. His body was recently recovered in Iraq. The circumstances surrounding his capture and death remain under investigation.

SoCal family mourns soldier found dead in Iraq river
By Jeremiah Marquez
The Associated Press

TORRANCE, Calif. — In high school, Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr. was surprisingly self-assured, knowing early what he wanted to do with his life: join the military.

“I just remember, as a sophomore or a junior in high school, he was set on it,” said Kyle Flynn, the soldier’s friend and football teammate at South High School. “’I’m ready to go,”’ Flynn recalled Anzack saying.

Now family and friends are mourning Anzack after receiving news May 23 that his body was found in the Euphrates River following an ambush in Iraq.

“They told us ‘We’re sorry to inform you the body we found has been identified as Joe,’ ” his aunt, Debbie Anzack, told The Associated Press while choking back tears. “I’m in disbelief.”

On May 24, the front steps of South High held a makeshift shrine of flowers, flags, candles, balloons and a sign that read: “We love & miss you Joe Anzack. You’re our HERO.”

Anzack, 20, was one of three soldiers who vanished after their combat team was ambushed May 12 about 20 miles outside Baghdad. Five others, including an Iraqi, were killed in the ambush, subsequently claimed by al-Qaida.

Anzack’s family had held out hope for the past 11 days. They had already endured an earlier rumor that he was dead — and were relieved to learn then that he was alive.

Flynn, his high school friend, said the two became fast friends on the football team. Anzack played nose guard, while Flynn was a defensive back.

“He was very positive. He was a guy you could look to and say ‘I’m OK. I’ve got Joe right there,’ ” Flynn said. “He was a man among boys when we were in high school. You don’t realize that until something like this happened.”

Anzack’s father told his hometown newspaper, The Daily Breeze, that several relatives gathered in his home for a vigil led by an Army chaplain after hearing the devastating news about his son.

“We said a prayer for the other two boys, then sat around and talked about Joseph,” said Joseph Anzack Sr., “just sharing the love of my son and why we all loved him.”

The soldier’s MySpace Web site was flooded with condolences.

Members of Anzack’s platoon choked back tears at news of his death and said they would not stop looking for the other two missing soldiers.

“We can’t leave them behind. I just hope that they have enough faith to keep them going. What they’re going through right now, I can’t imagine,” said Pfc. Sammy Rhodes, 25, of Albuquerque, N.M.

On May 24, thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops combed the fields of southern Iraq in scorching temperatures. The military said it remained determined to find Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.; and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich.

Fouty’s step-grandmother, Mary Dibler of Oxford, Mich., said the family was heartened by people’s support but saddened by the news about Anzack.

“We’re just continuing the same as we have been, one day at a time,” Dibler said. “We continue to pray; that’s all we can do.”

A yellow ribbon was tied to the front door of Jimenez’s father’s home in the former mill city north of Boston. Ramon Jimenez, who speaks Spanish, said through a translator in a cell phone conversation that he has been buoyed by the support of friends and family.

“The hope is very high that God is going to give Alex back to him,” said Wendy Luzon, a family friend who translated the conversation and has been serving as a spokeswoman for the family.

Torrance students remember soldier killed in Iraq
By Jeremiah Marquez
The Associated Press

TORRANCE, Calif. — Schoolmates held a moment of silence May 24 at the high school where slain Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr. was remembered as a gentle jock — a “pumped up” athlete who made his friends laugh and comforted them when they were sad.

Anzack, 20, should be honored for “his service to America and for representing South High and Torrance so proudly and so well,” Principal Scott McDowell told students in a second-period classroom announcement.

Anzack, an Army gunner, vanished with two other soldiers May 12 when their combat team was ambushed about 20 miles outside of Baghdad. The attack killed four other Americans and an Iraqi.

Anzack’s family, who a month ago heard false rumors of his death, were confronted with the reality May 23, when authorities identified a soldier’s body found floating earlier in the day in the Euphrates river. He had been shot in the head.

“They told us, ‘We’re sorry to inform you the body we found has been identified as Joe,’ ” his aunt, Debbie Anzack of Torrance, told The Associated Press while choking back tears. “I’m in disbelief.”

At South High, friends built a memorial of flowers, flags, candles and balloons on the front steps, where a sign read: “We love & miss you Joe Anzack. You’re our HERO.”

“I was in shock” at hearing of his death, said childhood friend Erika Esquivel, 20, of Torrance.

Just last month, Anzack sent her a MySpace Web site message wishing her a happy birthday, she said.

In high school, Anzack played football and was on the wrestling and swim teams. He was “always pumped up and ready to try something new,” Esquivel said.

Anzack was popular on campus for his sense of humor.

He was “the funniest person ever. He can make anyone laugh, I swear,” she said, fighting back tears.

He also had a reputation for compassion.

“Joe had a big heart. Joe would do anything to help anyone,” Esquivel said. “You’d be sad and sitting there by yourself, and he’d come up to you and just talk to you, and say, ‘Hey, how’s your day? Are you OK?’ ”

Anzack’s father told his hometown newspaper, The Daily Breeze, that several relatives gathered in his home for a vigil led by an Army chaplain after hearing the devastating news about his son.

“We said a prayer for the other two boys, then sat around and talked about Joseph,” said Joseph Anzack Sr., “just sharing the love of my son and why we all loved him.”

The soldier’s MySpace site was flooded with condolences.

Members of Anzack’s platoon choked back tears at news of his death and said they would not stop looking for the other two missing soldiers.

“We can’t leave them behind. I just hope that they have enough faith to keep them going. What they’re going through right now, I can’t imagine,” said Pfc. Sammy Rhodes, 25, of Albuquerque, N.M.

Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops were searching in southern Iraq for the two soldiers. The military said it remained determined to find Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.; and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich.

Fouty’s step-grandmother, Mary Dibler of Oxford, Mich., said the family was heartened by people’s support but saddened by the news about Anzack.

“We’re just continuing the same as we have been, one day at a time,” Dibler said. “We continue to pray; that’s all we can do.”

A yellow ribbon was tied to the front door of Jimenez’s father’s home in the former mill city north of Boston. Ramon Jimenez, who speaks Spanish, said through a translator in a cell phone conversation that he has been buoyed by the support of friends and family.

“The hope is very high that God is going to give Alex back to him,” said Wendy Luzon, a family friend who translated the conversation and has been serving as a spokeswoman for the family.

Horse-drawn carriage takes Torrance soldier’s body to service
By Daisy Nguyen
The Associated Press

TORRANCE, Calif. — The body of an abducted U.S. soldier found dead in an Iraq river last week was taken by horse-drawn carriage June 1 to the football field of his former high school for a memorial service that drew a hometown throng.

Traffic stopped and residents clustered on sidewalks as a white horse pulled the carriage with the flag-draped casket bearing the remains of Army Cpl. Joe Anzack, 20, through town to the field where members of the South High football team lined the route wearing green jerseys and holding American flags.

“Joe: Forever in our hearts,” said a sign in front of the school, where people placed flowers, candles and balloons.

Anzack vanished with two other soldiers May 12 when their combat team was ambushed about 20 miles outside Baghdad. The attack, subsequently claimed by al-Qaida, killed four other Americans and an Iraqi. Two soldiers remain missing.

Dozens of war veterans in a motorcycle group called the Patriot Guard Riders participated in the procession that began at a funeral home in the Los Angeles suburb.

Some mourners said they didn’t know Anzack but felt compelled to attend.

“I just want to pay my respects,” said Michaela Sears, 22, a South High graduate who came up from California State University, Long Beach, for the service. “This is an unbelievable event. I’ve seen so many people coming here to mourn him. He deserves it.”

Joan Adams, 72, said she has lived in Torrance for 40 years and a daughter is a friend of Anzack’s father.

“Everyone in town has been talking about his death this week. It feels right to come here to pay respects to him,” Adams said.

Lisa Viscovich, 52, arrived in black with a big bouquet of flowers and cried as she spoke about her feelings.

“This is a close-knit community. It’s so sad,” she said.

Edward Carrillo, a Marine veteran of the Vietnam War and one of the Patriot Guard Riders, said he rode in from Rialto “to express my condolences to a brother in arms.” Carrillo said he has a son on a second tour of duty in Iraq and another son who served in Afghanistan.

Anzack will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. He was promoted from private first class to corporal after his death.

Army Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr. was killed in action on 5/12/07.