Marine Lance Cpl. Robert J. Newton

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Lance Cpl. Robert J. Newton, 21, of Creve Coeur, Ill.

LCpl. Newton was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died Aug. 23, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

A 21-year-old U.S. Marine from Creve Coeur died Monday while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan.

Lance Cpl. Robert J. Newton, 126 Holland Court, was killed by enemy small arms fire while conducting dismounted combat operations against enemy forces in Helmand Province, according to a news release from the Marine Corps.

An infantryman, Newton was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.

He was a 2007 graduate of East Peoria Community High School. Family and friends who gathered Tuesday at Newton's home declined to comment.

The flag at East Peoria High School flies at half-staff. Students and faculty are mourning the loss of former student Robert Newton of Creve Coeur, a United States Marine who died in combat Monday in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Jim Hagedorn was one of Newton's teachers. He remembers the 2007 graduate as respectful and eager to learn. "He always had a smile on his face," said Hagedorn, who taught Newton in shop class. "He was a guy that had a good attitude, a guy you liked to have in class because he was coachable and took pride in his work. He did all the right things."

East Peoria High school Prinicpal Paul Whittington says East Peoria High School is already thinking about ways to honor Newton's memory and service. "Once the family has had an opportunity to make their arrangements we'll see what we can do as a school community to be a part of that and show tribute to a young man who paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country so that we can all do what we do here safely everyday," said Whittington.

Newton joined the Marine Corps more than three years ago, enlisting in June 2007. This was his second combat deployment. He was previously deployed to Iraq in 2008.

Newton's mother Denise declined to comment officially. However, she says she is thankful for the support the family is receiving and would like her son to be remembered as a hero.

His personal service awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment and the NATO Medal.

Marine Lance Cpl. Robert J. Newton was killed in action on 8/23/10.