Marine Sgt. Zachary J. Walters

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Sgt. Zachary J. Walters, 24, of Palm Coast, Fla.

Sgt. Walters was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died June 8, 2010 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed was Sgt. Derek L. Shanfield.Palm Coast Marine killed in Afghanistan

First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Marine Sgt. Zachary J. Walters, 24, of Palm Coast, Fla., died Tuesday in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Walters was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Walters’ grandmother Bobbie Walters, said tonight that Walters was her only grandchild and was more like a son, than grandson.

“He was such a wonderful young man. There’s such a hole in my heart,” said Walters.

He graduated from Palm Coast High School five years ago. The day after graduation at age 19, she said, he joined the Marines. After serving five years, he decided to commit another four years.

“He said ‘Nana I love it’. He had just re-upped four more years. He wasn’t gone two weeks and could’ve been out but he chose to stay,” said Walters.

Walters was home in May and had only been deployed for two weeks when he stepped on an IED.

“He said ‘please don’t worry about me. I’ve had the best training in the world. I’m good at my job, been promoted you know? And if it’s my time, if it’s my day, I know where I’m going to spend eternity’,” said Walters.

Bobbie Walters said today she still is in disbelief. Details on his burial aren’t final yet.

Sgt. Walters will be laid to rest at the Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery, close to where his family now lives.

Marine Sgt. Zachary J. Walters was killed in action on 6/8/10.