Marine Sgt. Michael C. Roy

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Sgt. Michael C. Roy, 25, of North Fort Myers, Fla.

Sgt. Roy was assigned to 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Advisor Group, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died July 8, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Nimroz province, Afghanistan.

Grew up in New Hampshire
The Associated Press

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — A Marine who was killed in Afghanistan had ties to New Hampshire.

The Department of Defense says 25-year-old Sgt. Michael C. Roy, who lived in North Fort Myers, Fla., and was stationed out of North Carolina, died Wednesday while supporting combat operations in Nimroz province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Advisor Group, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command at Camp Lejeune.

Roy grew up in Candia, N.H., and his mother still lives there, WMUR-TV reported.

Took care of his men in the field
The Associated Press

Michael C. Roy enlisted in the Marines just two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, hoping he could stop al-Qaida and Osama Bin Laden.

“He wanted to protect his country and wanted his children to grow up without war,” said Julie England, a longtime neighbor whose children befriended Roy.

Roy, 25, of North Fort Myers, Fla., was killed by a sniper in Nimroz province, Afghanistan. He graduated from Academy High School in 2001 and was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C.

“You couldn’t ask for a better leader as your sergeant,” said Cpl. John Wood, 23, a Marine stationed in Parris Island, S.C., who served under Roy for his first two tours in Iraq. “You couldn’t ask for a better person. If there was anything you needed, he would take care of you.”

Roy’s father, Sgt. Michael Roy of Punta Gorda, Fla., said his son knew from an early age he wanted to serve in the military.

“It was a privilege to serve with him because of his dedication and the way he treated his Marines,” Wood said. “It didn’t matter that he was the same age as us, he was our leader.”

Roy is survived by his wife, Amy, and three young children: Olivia, Mikey and Landon.

Marine Sgt. Michael C. Roy was killed in action on 7/8/09.