Growing up in rural Wisconsin Jesse Thiry was an typical all-American. He grew up on his family’s farm, one of eight children, and was engaged to marry his high school sweetheart. Thiry was a graduate of Luxemburg-Casco High School, where he played football, wrestled, and ran track.

Jesse Thiry arrived at Combat Instructor Company, Quantico VA as did many other Marines; young, eager, willing, and imbued with the Marine ethos of service to our nation. He was assigned to a platoon whose professional reputation was legendary: led by a superb Marine Captain with the support of a hand-selected group of non-commissioned officers whose very mission was to mentor young Marines like Jesse.

The speed with which Jesse assimilated all aspects of his new assignment as an “apprentice-instructor” was genuinely remarkable. He quickly earned the respect and admiration of the company leadership, and was groomed for a leadership role within the platoon.

Sergeant Thiry was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

Jesse Thiry will be remembered as a young man who loved his job and loved his country.

The Marines had assigned Cpl. Jesse Thiry the safety of a stateside training assignment. He volunteered to go to Iraq, his family said. “He wanted to serve his country and protect his country”, said Sue Thiry, his stepmother. “He wanted to fight for his country, so he asked for a transfer”. Thiry, 23, of Casco, Wis., was killed April 5 in combat in Fallujah, Iraq. He was one of eight children. Thiry was set to leave the Marine Corps in November. He and Johnson, who had dated for nearly five years, became engaged last August.

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