Marine Cpl. Eric M. Torbert Jr.

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Cpl. Eric M. Torbert Jr., 25, of Lancaster, Pa.

Cpl Torbert was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Dec. 18, 2010 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

A local Marine has died in Afghanistan. Cpl. Eric Torbert, 25, a 2003 graduate of Penn Manor High School, is the fallen Marine. Circumstances of his death were not immediately available.

Torbert was married in June to Marcelle Torbert. The couple lived in Vista California, near where he was stationed. Torbert's body was scheduled to be returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, according to a press release from the base.

Torbert, a combat engineer, left for Afghanistan in November, according to his Facebook page. "Heading to the other side of the world for a bit. ... Alright so I'll be back in a couple months, 7-10 maybe," he wrote.

Then in a post from early this month, he wrote, "I'm going to be out for a while. A bit long than last time, which was shorter than expected.

"I send my love to my friends and family."

Torbert's Facebook profile photo showed a different side: playing an electric guitar, with hair below his shoulders, sporting a denim vest with a Metallica patch and a Black Sabbath T-shirt.

On Sunday, his father posted an update to the death announcement: "I pray to God those of you with loved ones serving in the armed forces never see the Black GMC Cargo Van pull to the front of your home with 2 uniformed officers exiting the vehicle, knowing as they approach the front door what it is they are about to say."

Torbert's awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Phil Gale, the Penn Manor principal, said the school sent out an e-mail about Torbert's death this morning. Torbert's sister graduated last year and his brother is still a student at Penn Manor.

Gale said Torbert enlisted in the Marines soon after high school, and had an inclination for military service.

Marine Cpl. Eric M. Torbert Jr. was killed in action on 12/18/10.