A 26-year-old Illinois Marine was among two members of a reserve unit killed during combat over the weekend in Iraq, the military said Monday.
Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Hines, of Westfield and formerly of Olney, was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division based out of Terre Haute, Ind., the Department of Defense said in a statement.
He and Sgt. Brock Babb, 40, of Evansville, Ind., were killed Sunday while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Al Anbar province, west of Baghdad, the military said.
Hines, Babb and another Marine who was injured were in a Humvee when it was struck by an improvised explosive device, said 1st Sgt. Troy Euclide, of the Terre Haute unit.
Ashley Belcher said she worked with Hines at Papa Mike's when he lived in Olney between 2003-2005.
“He was the type of person who would do anything for you,” she said. “He never met a stranger.”
Belcher said Hines, a Marine reservist, was living in Westfield with his wife Caryn and his one-and-half-month-old son before he was shipped to Iraq at the end of September. She said he was working at Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Olney.
Belcher said he was able to spend time with his son shortly before leaving.
Papa Mike's owner Doug Dillard said Hines was a nice man and a good employee.
He was a Great man, Loving father and husband who will be dearly missed.
May his memory live on forever!!!
Please support the memory of lost loved ones and bring our troops home.
