Area Soldier Killed in Iraq
By Marianne Love
Staff Writer

LA PUENTE - Army Spc. Marcelino R. Corniel had just five days left in Baghdad, 13 days before he would arrive stateside and 23 days before saying, "I do."

But the life of the 23-year-old National Guard member from La Puente was cut short Saturday when he was killed in a mortar attack, authorities said.

The death of Corniel, a former Marine assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment in Fullerton, has left a huge whole in their life.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without him," said his mother, Elaine Lopez, 43.

Corniel, whose family members called him Ronnie, served four years as a Marine, went to Iraq and was sent back a second time in September with the Army National Guard.

Lopez said she didn't want her son, a Bassett High School graduate, to re-enlist, but he told her he wouldn't be sent back to Iraq. Family members have agonized over the details of not knowing exactly how Corniel died; they said he always wore full-body protection.

His grandmother, Geraldine Vigil, described her grandson as confident and a born leader who loved guns, protected the women in the family and was a role model. She said he was set to get a bronze star with a "V" for valor for an incident earlier in Iraq, where his actions saved other troops.

Vigil said Corniel loved music. He started a band last year called Crash Ride, which recorded a CD titled "Never Forget," before reenlisting.

Corniel's biological father died when he was young.

His sisters, Kristen Lopez, 16, a junior at Bassett High School and Kimberly Lopez, 14, a freshman at Bassett, said Corniel was the best brother who always included them in everything he did.

The last one to speak with him was his fiancee, Claudia Calderon, 24, of Bellflower.

Calderon said they had set their wedding date.

marianne.love@sgvn.com (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2108

Copyright © 2005 Los Angeles Newspaper Group

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This LA INDYMEDIA thread will be updated as more information becomes available.

La Puente National Guardsman Killed In Iraq
Spc. Marcelino R. Corniel Dies In Mortar Attack

POSTED: 4:15 pm PST January 4, 2006
UPDATED: 4:36 pm PST January 4, 2006

LA PUENTE, Calif. -- A national guardsman from La Puente was killed in Iraq, the governor's office said Wednesday.

Spc. Marcelino R. Corniel, 23, died Saturday in a mortar attack in Baghdad.

Corniel was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, in Fullerton.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered flags to be flown at half staff in the state capitol.

"Spc. Corniel served his country with courage and made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation," Schwarzenegger said. "It is a debt we will never be able to repay. Maria and I will keep Marcelino's loved ones in our prayers as they mourn this brave soldier."

© 2006, Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc.

La Puente Guardsman Killed In Iraq Mortar Attack

(AP) LA PUENTE, Calif. Flags at the state capital are being flown at half-staff in honor of an Army National Guard member from La Puente killed by a mortar attack in Iraq.

Relatives say Army Specialist Marcelino Corniel had just five days left in Baghdad and had planned to return home and marry.

Corniel was killed Saturday. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's First Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, based in Fullerton in Orange County.

In a statement, Governor Schwarzeneger says "Specialist Corniel served his country with courage and made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation. It is a debt we will never be able to repay." He is survived by his mother and two sisters.


© 2006 The Associated Press.

[If you link to the story at cbs2.com, there is a video report you can watch: http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_005004258.html]

SoCal guardsman killed in Iraq mortar attack

Associated Press

LA PUENTE, Calif. - An Army National Guard member killed by a mortar attack in Iraq had just five days left in Baghdad and had planned to return home and marry, relatives said.

Army Spc. Marcelino R. Corniel, 23, of La Puente, was killed Saturday, officials said. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, based in Fullerton in Orange County.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without him," his mother, Elaine Lopez, 43, told the Whittier Daily News.

Corniel's father died when he was young.

"Spc. Corniel served his country with courage and made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation. It is a debt we will never be able to repay," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement released Wednesday.

"Maria and I will keep Marcelino's loved ones in our prayers as they mourn this brave soldier," he said.
Flags at the state capital were to be flown at half-staff in his honor.

Corniel, a graduate of Bassett High School in La Puente, had served in Iraq as a Marine. He returned a second time in September after enlisting in the National Guard.

Lopez said she had not wanted her son to re-enlist in the military, but he told her he wouldn't be sent back to Iraq.

He had been expected to arrive home in less than a month to marry Claudia Calderon, 24, of Bellflower.
His grandmother, Geraldine Vigil, said Corniel liked firearms, protected the women in the family and was a born leader.

But he also was passionate about music and last year started a band called Crash Ride, she said.
He is survived by his sisters, Kristen Lopez, 16, and Kimberly Lopez, 14.

(C) 2006 AP