The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

November 18, 2005

Marine with Truman ties killed in Iraq

Roger W. Deeds died in firefight with insurgents

By Amanda Dyslin

TRUMAN — Joyce Deeds of Truman was devastated to learn her son, Marine Lance Cpl. Roger W. Deeds, died Wednesday while fighting insurgents in Iraq.

But her heart soared, she said, when she learned how he was killed.

Deeds, 24, of Biloxi, Miss., was with a squad of Marines — assigned to Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. — who were looking for insurgents in a farm house in the rural town of Obeidi, Iraq.

An explosion occurred, possibly due to a grenade, and at least one man died. As the squad tried to get the Marine out of the building, insurgents hiding in the farm house attacked with small arms and grenades. Five Marines, including Deeds, were killed and 11 were wounded.

“The Marine mottol is ‘Semper Fi’ — always faithful. They have a saying that no one is left behind,” Joyce Deeds said. “And that’s how my son died. ... He was faithful to God, country and family.”

In Biloxi, Deeds had a wife, Sarah, a 16-month-old son, Alaric, and a 7-week-old daughter, Mikaleigh, who he had never met.

“He never got to see her, and he was such a good daddy,” Joyce Deeds said.

Deeds, who comes from a large military family, joined the Marines the weekend before Thanksgiving two years ago because he wanted to do his part to prevent instatement of the draft, which he doesn’t believe in.

“He thought it was his duty to volunteer,” she said. “I’ve always known this is Roger’s purpose in life.”

This was Deeds’ second combat tour. During his first, he earned a Purple Heart from an injury sustained in a roadside bomb blast.

Deeds’ father, Scott Deeds of Colorado Springs, Colo., was in the Air Force and the family moved around quite a bit. Roger Deeds was born at Clark Air Base in the Philippines.

Joyce Deeds and her children moved back to her home town of Truman from Germany in the early 1990s, where Roger Deeds attended school from third grade through eighth grade. His first job at age 14 was as a Free Press carrier in Truman.

At age 14 Deeds went to live with his father and attended school in New Mexico and later Biloxi, where he graduated high school.

Flags flew at half staff Friday in Truman. Joyce Deeds said prayers and community support are keeping her strong during this difficult time.

Deeds’ funeral date and place have yet to be determined.

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