US Marine with Oklahoma ties killed in Iraq

Thursday, August 4th 2005, 5:40 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Military officials confirm a 26-year-old Marine reservist with Oklahoma ties was among six enlisted men killed Monday in a firefight with insurgents west of Baghdad.

Lance Corporal Roger Dale Castleberry Junior of Cedar Park, Texas, was assigned to a San Antonio Marine battalion, but was attached to a reserve unit from Ohio when he was killed.

Castleberry's parents -- Deborah and Roger Castleberry -- and several relatives live in Durant.

His family says they received two e-mails from him on the day he died.

Later that day, Deborah Castleberry says her son's sniper unit was ambushed and overpowered by a large number of insurgents, killing all six members of his team.

Deborah Castleberry says her son was to return to the US in October.

All five of the other men who died with Castleberry were part of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, based in Brook Park, Ohio.