19 year old Marine killed in Afghanistan

Marine from Fairhaven dies in Afghanistan
Boston Herald
Thursday, December 12, 2013

BOSTON — A 19-year-old Marine combat engineer from Massachusetts has died in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

Lance Cpl. Matthew Rodriguez, of Fairhaven, died Wednesday during combat operations in Helmand Province, the Department of Defense said.

Rodriguez was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force based in Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The Marine Corps said Rodriguez enlisted in August 2012 and has been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and NATO Medal-International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan.

Rodriguez's father, Roland Rodriguez, told New Bedford's The Standard-Times the family is headed for Dover Air Force Base in Delaware where his son's body is expected Saturday. He said his son "made a lot of friends very quickly" in the Marine Corps.
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