Marine Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo, 41, of Springfield, Ohio

Lt. Col. Carazo was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died July 22, 2010 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed was Maj. James M. Weis.

SPRINGFIELD — A former Springfield resident who served two tours in Iraq and received the Bronze Star medal has died in Afghanistan.

Marine Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo, 41, died Thursday, July 22, while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, the U.S. Department of Defense said in a press release Monday, July 26.

It appears Carazo died in a helicopter crash, but a military spokeswoman couldn’t confirm that. The military didn’t release information describing how Carazo died and said the cause of the incident in which he died remains under investigation.

Carazo, a Cobra helicopter pilot based out of Camp Pendelton, Calif., was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

He enlisted in the Marines in 1987. He served in Iraq in 2006 and 2008, then deployed to Afghanistan this year.

He has received several commendations in his career, including a Bronze Star and a Meritorious Service medals. Information on what led to the medals wasn’t available.

He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and held master's degrees in national security and strategy and operational studies.

SPRINGFIELD — A Marine with local ties died while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Monday, July 26.

Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo, 41, was killed Thursday, July 22, in Helmand Province, the DOD reported.

Mario Carazo frequently visited the area in the early 1990s to spend time with his sister, who was reportedly married to a Springfield native. He served two tours in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star medal. He died in a helicopter crash, according to media reports, but the military has yet to confirm his cause of death. The incident remains under investigation.

Lt. Col. Mario Carazo’s former brother-in-law described the veteran Marine as intelligent, funny and a family man.

He also always wanted to serve in the military, said Carl Parrett, whose ex-wife is Carazo’s sister.

“He loved his country and he wanted to keep it safe,” said Parrett of Springfield. “That was his goal.”

A California native, he lived briefly with his sister and Parrett in Springfield in the late 1980s before Carazo entered the U.S. Naval Academy. Carazo’s parents also lived with Parrett for a while.

Carl Parrett recalled Carazo as bright and caring, with an interest in pursuing politics after he retired from the Marines. He is survived by his wife and two children.

The family also has a strong military tradition. Parrett served in the Navy and his two sons — Carazo’s nephews — are Marines. Cpl. Jacob Parrett was injured recently in Afghanistan and is home on medical leave. Lance Cpl. David Parrett will deploy this fall to Somalia.

Both of them are in California for Carazo’s funeral, their father said.

“They’re taking it kind of tough,” Carl Parrett said.

Mario Carazo’s desire to join the military was clear even in high school when he wanted to go to the Naval academy, Carl Parrett said.

“He just wanted to serve,” he said.

Lt. Col. Carazo was a Cobra helicopter pilot based out of Camp Pendelton, Calif., and was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

Beyond service to his country, Carazo had a strong impact on those under his command.

“If I had to rate all of my COs, he was No. 1, and I was in the Marines for 20 years,” said retired Staff Sgt. E. Michelle Paul. Lt. Col. Carazo was her commanding officer until January.

Carazo enlisted in the Marines in 1987. He served in Iraq in 2006 and 2008, then deployed to Afghanistan this year.

He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and held master’s degrees in national security and strategy and operational studies. He shared his love of learning with his troops.

“He would always ask me if I was in school and I’d always tell him, ‘No, because I’m afraid of math,’” Paul said. “He’d take me into his office and help me with algebra then ask me if I got it. ...Now I’m in school and I have a 4.0 GPA. I can’t wait to get a copy of my grades and send them to his wife.”

During one tour of duty in Iraq, the father of two flew an American flag over the U.S. Embassy and sent it home to his son, who then raised the flag at his school, Paul said.

He received several commendations in his career, including a Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service medal and the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation medal.

Paul’s experiences with Carazo allowed her to know a person who was always smiling, looking for the best in everyone — he took the time to mentor every Marine under his command, she said.

“You couldn’t have any more respect for the kind of man he was. ...If it were possible to get more than 100 percent from his people, he could have gotten it. ...You just couldn’t know a better man. He is going to be missed,” Paul said, crying.

Lt. Col. Carazo, who was commissioned in 1991, deployed to Iraq in 2006 and 2008, Delarosa said. His military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Marine Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo was killed in action on 7/22/10.