Marine Cpl. Max W. Donahue

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Cpl. Max W. Donahue, 23, of Highlands Ranch, Colo.

Cpl. Donahue was assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Aug. 7 of wounds received Aug. 4 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations.

A Camp Pendleton Marine has been killed in fighting in southern Afghanistan, the Defense Department reported Monday.

The department said Cpl. Max W. Donahue, 23, of Highlands Ranch, Colo., died Saturday of wounds suffered Wednesday in what was described only as combat operations in the Helmand province.

Donahue, a military policeman and dog handler, was assigned to the I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group led by Maj. Gen. Richard Mills.

Donahue, who was on his third combat assignment after two tours in Iraq, joined the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2006.

His body was returned Sunday to the U.S. Air Force base at Dover, Del.

Cpl. Donahue, originally from Highlands Ranch, Colo., had been wounded Aug. 4 while serving in Helmand Province with the force’s Headquarters Group. No further details about the cause of death were released. “The Marines and Sailors of I MEF extend their heartfelt condolences to his family,” Marine officials said.

Donahue had enlisted in the Marine Corps July 17, 2006, and served two combat tours in Iraq before deploying to Afghanistan. His personal service awards include the Navy Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the Certificate of Commendation, the Marines said

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered that flags at the state Capitol be lowered to half-staff in honor of "a courageous and strong Marine."

"The loyalty he displayed in defending our nation's freedoms is an inspiration to us all, and his service and sacrifice will be remembered forever," the governor said.

Soldier with local ties dies in Afghanistan

A soldier with ties to Lawrence County has died from injuries while fighting in Afghanistan.

Max Donahue, 23, of Highlands Ranch, Colo., died Saturday from wounds sustained three days earlier in combat, the Associated Press has reported.

Cpl. Donahue was the grandson of Max Donahue, Sr., and the son of Greg Donahue, both of whom lived in Coal Grove. Max Donahue Sr. is the former pastor of Memorial United Methodist Church in Coal Grove, where he served from 1970 to 1982. He now serves at Slab Fork United Methodist Church.

Coal Grove resident Carol Gool spoke with the soldier’s grandfather last week after his grandson had been injured.

“When I talked to Max (Sr.) they were told that he had both legs amputated and an arm and they were waiting to hear about brain and eye damage,” Gool said.

Gool said she has not talked to the family since then and assumes that they are traveling to Colorado for the funeral service.

Funeral Services Set For CO Marine Killed In Afghanistan

Max Donahue was assigned to the I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was a military policeman and working dog handler who enlisted in the Marine Corps July 17, 2006.

His family says he always wanted to serve his country.

"He hated bullies. If you were a little kid you wanted to be around Max. If you were with Max you wouldn't get picked on," Donahue's father Greg said. "He wanted to be a Marine. He said, 'That's what I want to be.'"

"He loved working with the dogs," Donahue's mother Julie Schrock said.

Schrock said he loved it so much, he even turned down a safer assignment.

"'That's what I'm trained to do, they need me over there and my buddies are over there,'" Julie Schrock said. "That's when I realized when he was a Marine man and not my boy."

Marine Cpl. Max W. Donahue died 8/7/10 from wounds received in the line of duty on 8/4/10.