It was with great pride and honor that I participated today in a ceremony honoring Cpl David Vicente of Methuen, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004. Cpl. Vicente was a Marine, and his family was there today as this bridge was dedicated. From Military Times (Honor the Fallen)

When other youngsters were wearing T-shirts and jeans, David M. Vicente was wearing fatigues and combat boots. “We all wore combat stuff when we were little kids but he kept it up through high school,” said his best friend, Jason Lenotte in Vicente’s hometown of Methuen, Mass. “He was so excited when he got in the Marines and he talked about staying in the service as his career.”

Cpl. Vicente, 25, died March 19 when the Humvee in which he was riding hit a landmine just outside Hit, Iraq. He had been in Iraq for two weeks, and was based at Twentynine Palms, Calif. His brother Daniel Vicente said the family had worried about Vicente, “but I knew in my heart this is exactly what he wanted to being doing.” His uncle Michael Marques said as a teenager, when his nephew was not dreaming of a career in the military, Vicente was working on his truck. “He loved everything mechanical,” Marques said. “He took his truck apart piece by piece, which I thought was going to be the end of it. But it was that truck he drove across the country to report for duty.” Vicente also is survived by his parents.

A special thank you to Steve Battles of the Methuen Fire Department, who is a Marine and really pushed for this naming. State Senator Steve Baddour and Representative Linda Dean Campbell both worked very hard to secure the legislation, and both spoke eloquently at todays dedication. When we lost David Methuen said it would not forget him and his service to his country. Today the community reflected on our continuing love and affection for David and his family. Thank you, Marine Cpl. David Vicente.