Photo Caption: BETTER TIMES: Jason Morrow, who was stationed at Camp Pendleton, holds Evelyn Flores at her parents' Costa Mesa home.
PHOTO COURTESY THE FLORES FAMILY


Costa Mesa Marine dies in Iraq

Jason W. Morrow was mere days away from his first anniversary.

By CINDY CARCAMO
The Orange County Register

Evelyn Flores and Jason Morrow kept quiet about their intimate ceremony at the Santa Ana Courthouse a year ago this month.

The Costa Mesa couple had planned on surprising friends, holding a grand reception this fall.

She visited an open reception hall set on a hill in Tustin, snapped pictures of herself in Cinderella-like dresses and chatted with a disc jockey about reception music.

Morrow would say "Baby, whatever you want we can do it."

Now, she's placing calls, asking vendors not to call her or send brochures.

"We're not interested anymore," the 19-year-old says.

What she doesn't say is that Morrow died Tuesday in combat in Anbar province in Iraq.

"It's too hard," she explains. "It's hard enough to say it to family and friends."

The 27-year-old Morrow was a machine gunner assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force of Camp Pendleton. He joined the Marine Corps on Dec. 9, 2002.

Evelyn said the man with the chameleon-like eyes that wooed her during a blind date was more than a warrior. He was the love she'd planned on starting a family with in December. He was the man who urged her to quit working and pursue higher education.

He was the one.

The couple met between Iraq tours of duty during the holidays in 2003. Morrow, born and raised in Riverside County, eventually moved in with Flores in Costa Mesa.

The avid Angels fan proposed to Flores in front of fans and players on the field of Angel Stadium before a game in March 2005. The couple married July 5. He later threw the first pitch during a playoff game at the stadium.

He was scheduled to return July 31 from his third tour of duty in Iraq.

Flores said Morrow was proud to be serving his country and happy to help the Iraqi people who he said told him "thank you, thank you, mister" all the time. He was recently featured in a FOX News segment, Flores said.

It's still too surreal for Flores, who not too long ago threw herself into planning every detail of her wedding.

She tries not to think of how he died.

"I think of how grateful I am I had him," she said. And memories.

While Morrow loved sports, such as baseball, golf and surfing, he was also a great storyteller. He acted out his war stories with his classic facial expressions and variety of voices, friends and family said.

Morrow was the type of guy you couldn't stay mad at for long.

"He can just make you happy with just one look," Flores said.

When he knew he was in trouble, he'd roll his eyes back playfully, nod his head and flash a smile.

"Baby, you know you love me," he said.

Flores had waited to change her name to Morrow during her wedding celebration in October. Instead, she plans to change it today.

Copyright 2006 The Orange County Register

Marine dies in war

CASUALTY: Cpl. Jason Morrow, of Riverside, was killed Tuesday in Iraq. He was 27.

10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 28, 2006
By MELANIE C. JOHNSON
The Press-Enterprise


Cpl. Jason W. Morrow's love of baseball prompted him to pop the question to wife Evelyn on the field at Angel Stadium of Anaheim last year.

The Riverside Marine's love of country carried him through three tours in Iraq.

Morrow died Tuesday in combat against enemy forces in Iraq's Al Anbar Province, officials said. He was 27.

Morrow joined the Marine Corps on Dec. 9, 2002, and was a machine gunner assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Pendleton, officials said.

William Morrow said he last spoke to his son the Monday after Father's Day. Jason had been home in February for a visit and was expected to make a return trip to Riverside in 35 days, he said.

William Morrow said he got word in person of his son's death at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning and said while the family is "devastated" by the loss, they are proud of Jason's service.

"I'm very proud that he was a Marine and served our country," he said. "I have no regrets at all. ... We come from a military family."

William Morrow said not only was Jason in the military, but he has a daughter and a son-in-law in the Navy and another son-in-law in the Marines.

Jason Morrow's medals include the Iraq Campaign, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary, Global War on Terrorism Service, Marine Corps Good Conduct, and National Defense Service. He also earned Combat Action and Sea Service Deployment ribbons, officials said.

William Morrow described his son as family oriented and a sports enthusiast who loved to surf and golf. The 1998 graduate of Buena Vista High School in Corona also had attended La Sierra High School and wrestled, and played baseball and football, William Morrow said.

Jason Morrow lived another dream last year when he threw the opening pitch at an Angels versus White Sox game, his dad said.

Besides wife Evelyn and dad William, Jason Morrow is survived by his mother, Kristin; sisters Katie, Renee, Stephanie and Ashley, and brother Garrett.

Funeral services are pending.

Reach Melanie C. Johnson at 951- 893-2113 or mjohnson@PE.com

© 2006, The Press-Enterprise Company

The Devil (George Warmonger Bush): "Sorry to Oil the Azores Summit, the Flag Draped Coffins, the Lost Limbs, and the Iraq Massacures but Oil comes First. Fill her Up ???????"