Lance Corporal Reilly, 19, of London, Kentucky was a 2007 graduate of South Laurel High School. In school, his culinary talents came out, he was gifted especially at baking and decorating cakes. He was an office holder in both the local and regional chapters of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, a national organization for students in Family and Consumer Sciences education, formerly known as home economics. He was thinking of going to culinary school when he got out of the military. TJ also liked basketball, football, hockey, baseball, boxing, partying, and hanging with his friends. TJ was known for his big heart and he joined the Marines right out of high school because he wanted to make others safe. He was deployed to Iraq in July 2008, assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He was killed while supporting combat operations in Karmah, Anbar Province, Iraq, when a rocket propelled grenade struck the Humvee he was riding in. His awards include a combat action ribbon, sea service deployment ribbon, Iraq campaign medal, global war on terrorism medal, global war on terrorism expeditionary medal, national defense service medal and posthumous awards of The Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Thomas was the son of Georgina Bray of London, Kentucky; the brother of Kenneth G. Bray of Braidwood, Illinois, and Regina A. Reilly of Manchester, Kentucky; and the grandson of George Bray of Chicago, Illinois. Thomas' grandmother Dorothy H. Bray preceded him in death.
Lance Corporal Reilly, 19, of London, Kentucky was a 2007 graduate of South Laurel High School. In school, his culinary talents came out, he was gifted especially at baking and decorating cakes. He was an office holder in both the local and regional chapters of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, a national organization for students in Family and Consumer Sciences education, formerly known as home economics. He was thinking of going to culinary school when he got out of the military. TJ also liked basketball, football, hockey, baseball, boxing, partying, and hanging with his friends. TJ was known for his big heart and he joined the Marines right out of high school because he wanted to make others safe. He was deployed to Iraq in July 2008, assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He was killed while supporting combat operations in Karmah, Anbar Province, Iraq, when a rocket propelled grenade struck the Humvee he was riding in. His awards include a combat action ribbon, sea service deployment ribbon, Iraq campaign medal, global war on terrorism medal, global war on terrorism expeditionary medal, national defense service medal and posthumous awards of The Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Thomas was the son of Georgina Bray of London, Kentucky; the brother of Kenneth G. Bray of Braidwood, Illinois, and Regina A. Reilly of Manchester, Kentucky; and the grandson of George Bray of Chicago, Illinois. Thomas' grandmother Dorothy H. Bray preceded him in death.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
