Sgt. Jose Gomez of Corona, New York graduated from Newtown High School in Elmhurst, where he was on the track team. He met Analaura Esparza Gtz, an Army private who immigrated to the United States from Mexico as a child. They fell in love on the dusty battlefields of Iraq, promised to marry and dreamed of growing old together back home in their adopted country. But they were star-crossed lovers destined to die in eerily similar insurgent attacks nearly three years apart. Analaura died October 2003 just as Jose was winding down his first tour of duty. Jose slowly put the pieces back together and even found love again with his new fiancée, Marie Canario. The two met at a mall near Queensborough Community College and were planning to marry later this year. But Gomez got a letter in the mail informing him he would return to Iraq for another tour. He left in August and was due to finish his hitch in a month. He tried convincing his family he wasn't going to Iraq, rather that he was returning to Texas to train other soldiers. But it was a lie aimed at sparing his loved ones worry. But he didn't come home. Jose earned the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal during his service. He died in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations at age 23.
Army
10th Cavalry
4th Brigade
4th Infantry Division
Fort Hood, Texas
Army
10th Cavalry
4th Brigade
4th Infantry Division
Fort Hood, Texas
Sgt. Jose Gomez of Corona, New York graduated from Newtown High School in Elmhurst, where he was on the track team. He met Analaura Esparza Gtz, an Army private who immigrated to the United States from Mexico as a child. They fell in love on the dusty battlefields of Iraq, promised to marry and dreamed of growing old together back home in their adopted country. But they were star-crossed lovers destined to die in eerily similar insurgent attacks nearly three years apart. Analaura died October 2003 just as Jose was winding down his first tour of duty. Jose slowly put the pieces back together and even found love again with his new fiancée, Marie Canario. The two met at a mall near Queensborough Community College and were planning to marry later this year. But Gomez got a letter in the mail informing him he would return to Iraq for another tour. He left in August and was due to finish his hitch in a month. He tried convincing his family he wasn't going to Iraq, rather that he was returning to Texas to train other soldiers. But it was a lie aimed at sparing his loved ones worry. But he didn't come home. Jose earned the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal during his service. He died in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations at age 23.
Army
10th Cavalry
4th Brigade
4th Infantry Division
Fort Hood, Texas
Army
10th Cavalry
4th Brigade
4th Infantry Division
Fort Hood, Texas
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