Fallen Heroes of Operation Iraqi Freedom

Remembering the servicemembers who died in the service of their country.

Marine Lance Cpl. Sean P. Maher

19, of Grays Lake, Illinois..
Maher died as a result of hostile action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Died on February 2, 2005.

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"I drew Sean's card at the Boots on the Ground poker Run May 10th 2015 in Jacksonville Florida. He rides with me to work everyday, he goes everywhere with me. My son is in the United States Army and will be deploying to the Middle East sometime this yr. I feel deeply, as a mother and United States Navy Veteran, about the sacrifices our children make, to make Americans safe. I will never forget Sean and seek information about his life so that I may carry his memory forward. As I would want someone to do for my son. My heartfelt condolences on his loss. I too have lost one son, not to conflict but from A car accident and I know your pain and suffering. It never goes away. It never dulls, and not a day goes by that you think of something you'd like to tell him, or show him. I sometimes still pick up the phone to text or call and then I realize, with fresh tears, that I cannot."
Kelly Valliere of Jacksonville, Fl

"Rest in peace brother and just know you are remembered every single day."
U S MARINE

"To the family of:Sean P.Maher
I am so sorry for the loss of your love one. My heart cries out for you in your grief and you have my thoughts and prayers. He died a hero defending freedom. May you have the peace and understanding that only comes from God. Prayerfully we will all meet in Heaven one day where we will rest in the arms of Jesus. If you need prayer or need someone to talk to, please call or write my pastor: Rev. John Pearrell 11677 Brown Bridge Rd., Covington, GA 30016. (770)787-1015.
Your friend in Jesus Christ, Polly Ballew Covington,Ga""

"I enlisted with Sean out of Chicago and was in his platoon in boot camp he slept two racks down from me and I saw him on a daily basis for the 3 months we trained together. I didn't go with him to Hawaii right away even though I am here now, but I saw his name in the Marine Corps Times in 2005. I still think of him and all of my brothers that we have lost. I am proud to have known a brave Marine such as him and I know that the pain of his loss will never truly go away, but he will be remembered always by his family, friends, and fellow Marines."
Sgt David Reitz of MCBH Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

"Miss you every day buddy. See you on the other side. To the Maher's, love you guys."
Andy Kaplan

"i didnt know Sean however his picture was displayed in my history class on the wall of heroes as well as in the merit club caddy shack. I would like to offer my condolences to the Maher family as well as thank them for raising such a valuable member of the greatest country in the world. Thank you for our freedom. In my eyes that was his gift to us all even those he didnt know which is extremely selfless."
john of gurnee

"”Honor and Remember” - “Project Compassion” We love our Soldiers! We love our country and we cannot express enough love and compassion to the families of our fallen heroes. War does not discriminate – It breaks our hearts to see the faces of the fallen. We want to give this gift to you. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization! Over 1,600 portraits have been completed and shipped to the parents and or spouse - at no cost as this is a gift from one American to another!
Contact us directly at Projectcompassion@manti.com or go to www.heropaintings.com . If you have already had a portrait completed, we pray that you are enjoying the portrait and God Bless You.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Kenna"
Kenna - Project Compassion of Manti, Utah USA

"lest we forget, and never forget the sacrifice Sean, the soldiers and their families. Our young men give the ultimate for our liberties. Thank you to Sean and his family. 5/25/2009"
Steve Fisher of Winthrop Harbor, IL

"Dear Sean im a football player at warren just like you and i know your watching down on us. just know that every time we step on the field its in your honor so protect us and keep looking down on us once a blue devil always a blue devil
miss u man"
anonomous of gurnee

"I miss you Sean.. Every day I hear about this war, and I think of you. Thank you for all you did. You mean the world to me, and I never will forget you. I saw a Jeep today, all white. It reminded me of the last time we hung out at Steve's house. You lost all your money on "between the sheets" and went to your car. I drove with you around the block to listen to your system. The last time I saw you was summer football camp and you told me "they" would not touch you. I wish that was the truth. You should not be gone. I hope you are living the life, but I wish you were here. Your family misses you, as well as your friends. I hope you are doing well. "Thank you"
Someone who still cares every time I see a white jeep

"Thinking of Sean on this day and always. RIP."
Sophia Shikoff of Kenosha, WI

"January 29, 2009
To the family of Lance Cpl. Sean P. Maher:
Sean gave the ultimate sacrifice and will be held in the hearts of Americans forever. I cannot and will not let our fallen heroes be forgotten. My deepest sympathy to you. "Some gave all."
Peggy Childers
"Don't Let The Memory Of Them Drift Away"
www.IraqWarHeroes.org"
Peggy Childers of Carson City, NV

"MY NAME IS ANGEL REYES, I KNEW SEAN FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THERE ISNT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT I DONT THINK OF HIM. I HONOR WHAT HE HAS DONE AND PRAY FOR HIS FAMILY. BOD BLESS"
ANGEL REYES of KENOSHA, WI

"To the family of Sean Maher,
Please know that thousands of Americans that never had the privilege of meeting this hero appreciate his bravery, and feel deeply for your loss. I noticed the fluttering ribbon with Sean's name on it at the Collegiate Marble Church in New York City this afternoon. I stopped and said a prayer for his family, and thanked Sean for his ultimate sacrifice. On 9/11 I watched from in front of this church on 5th Avenue as the first plane went overhead, eventually banked up and into the WTC. The bravery of the lost souls in that tragedy has been surpassed with the fine young men and women that unselfishly put their lives on the line for all the rest of us. Sean is what makes America great, and I'm sorry for the intense pain his family must live with forever. I will never forget what Sean has given for me."
Pat of ny / ny

"To the Family of Lance Corporal Sean Maher

My name is Sergeant Christopher Giroux. I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps with Sean and was privilaged to have known him. He was a great person with a kind heart. He was one I would've been proud to serve next to. I would like to thank you for bringing up such a proud man that would at one point in time give his life for his beliefs and his country. His actions are the result of why we live so freely to this day and will continue doing so. I am sorry for this tragic outcome and I send my condolences.

To Sean I miss you brother, keep pushing"
Christopher Giroux of San Diego, Ca

"To my friends the Mahers
I've known Danny since freshman yr of high school and he is one of my best friends and thus through him knew his little brother whom he was so proud of and bragged about all the time.
I know that words can't stop the pain and i know that it's hard but know that he did a great thing and that more then anything He loved you all with a whole heart!
From the Wrights(Kara,Bryce, and Adrian)"
Kara of Fort Lewis,Washington

"To the Maher family, my prayers and blessings go out to you during this hard time. I've known Sean since 8th grade, and you had raised an amazing boy. God Bless."
Layla Judah of Chicago

"We will always remember your Sean."
Gust Gustafson Family of Gurnee, Illinois

"I miss you Sean. God Bless the Maher's!"
Chris Kaz of Chicago, IL

"We knew Danny, and remember how hard he took it when his little brother joined the Marines. Our deepest sympathies to your family. From one military family, to another."
Some friends of Wherever the military takes us

"Sean-
I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for all you have done for this country. Your courage and determination for standing up for what you believe in is unmatched. It was an honor to have met you. You have taught me a great deal and again, I can only thank you and wish you and your family the very best. Take care and God bless."
Noah of Gurnee, IL

"Dear Sean,
I want to take this moment to thank you for your services. I never got the chance to thank you in person, seeing as how I never thought you would be gone so soon. I never really thought you would actually leave us as early as you did. It was something that never crossed my mind because I always thought I would see you again, but I sincerely appreciated everything you did for our country. You were a great teammate, brother, son, service man, and overall person. You will always be missed, and forever remembered."
Garren Zerfass of Gurnee, IL

"My name is Cameron Schilling and I have started “Portrait of a Soldier” which donates a portrait sketch of every Illinois soldier who has fallen in Iraq or Afghanistan. All 122 sketches will be on display for a Memorial Day Presentation in Chicago, Illinois on May 26-31 at the James R. Thompson Center in downtown Chicago. After the ceremony the sketches will be given to the immediate families of the Illinois soldiers. I would invite any friends or family members to come and honor these men and women from Illinois who have given their lives to our country. For more information please contact OperationHomeFront.org at 866-417-8889 which is an organization headed by the Lt. Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois who is in charge of the Memorial Day Presentation. Thank You.

Please check out www.portraitofasoldier.org
To contact Cameron email cameronschilling84@hotmail.com
To contact Operation Home Front call 866-417-8889"
Cameron Schilling of Charleston, Illinois

"Dear Sean,

Thank you so much for protecting our country. I remember this day exactly one year ago and how sad it was to see Maggi and Lucas in school. They were devastated by your death and I know they think of you every day. I see them wearing T-shirts bearing your name and picture frequently and I know they wear your "dog tags" everyday. You had such a great impact on their lives and I know they miss you dearly.

To the Maher, Tyska, and Ruske Families,
Words cannot express the deep sense of sorrow I feel for all of you. If there is anything I can ever do to help, I'll be here."
Nathalie of Wilmette, IL

"""As a veteren of K Co 3/3 and a very short stint (2 Months with G Co)(1986-1990)MCAS K-Bay it saddens me to hear of the loss of my brother Marine but I know he left us bravley fighting to keep my family safe from the evils of the world keeping with the highest traditions of the Corps. I'm now to old to reenlist but if I could I would."""
Lcpl. Robert Blaylock of Lakeside CA, USA

"My name is Cameron Schilling. I am a college student from central Illinois. I am the first generation of my family not to serve his country. I am extremely grateful for the sacrifice you and your loved one has given for the United States. I am disappointed by the way the news media has covered this war and the deaths of our youth. The media as stopped listing the names of the soldiers killed in Iraq and people only talk about the soldiers when we reach a specific milestone in deaths. If you just started watching the news today you would not even know there is a war going on. Partisan politics have replaced coverage of our young generation who have traveled to a foreign land in the name of the United States. Whether you believe the war in Iraq is wrong, right, justified or not everyone should pay even just a little more attention to what these young men and women are sacrificing. This is what I would like to do. I want to do my part in honoring these soldiers and their memories. Along with being a college student I am also a budding artist. I draw pencil portraits of local people in my community. I want to offer a pencil portrait sketch to the immediate family of every Illinois soldier killed in Iraq. Please contact me at cameronschilling84@hotmail.com."
Cameron Schilling of Illinois

"To the Maher Family, I wish to extend my deepest condolences on your loss, what a fine young son you raised. Sean is a true American Hero who will always be remembered and honored. May God Bless all of you."
Mary Ghaney of Brooklyn, New York

"Dearest family members and friends,
My name is Jessa. I met Sean while he spent his time over here in California for SOI. This was when I discovered what an amazing person he was. The two of us grew very close, as he and Brandan Doherty would spend weekends with myself and my family. I developed strong feelings for Sean and he and I started to date. I'm so thankful that, even though it was only a short time, I had the pleasure of falling for this wonderful man. The day he graduated SOI I met his wonderful grandparents. I gave him my last affections and watched with tears in my eyes as he got on the bus and headed to the airport. We talked for hours on the phone after that and had made plans to see each other during summer. When he went to Iraq I prayed for him to come back. I'm sorry that this tragedy has fallen upon you. He always spoke so highly of his family and friends. I wish nothing but the best for you all and, although I know it is not easy, I hope that he helps all of us through this.
God Bless."
Jessa Ross of Mission Viejo, California

"To the Family of LCpl. Sean Maher:

My friends and I have constructed a memorial to the service men and women from Wisconsin and Illinois who have died in Iraq which includes, as of 7/12/05, 112 crosses and Stars of David. We would like your permission to put Sean's name on one of them.
We have called our display "Arlington Midwest" and it is located in Wisconsin Dells, WI.
It is our expression of mourning for the indescribable loss you have suffered for our country.

If you would like us to do this, please email me at ArlingtonMidwest@yahoo.com.

We invite you to visit Arlington Midwest. I can send you directions and some pictures by email.

"As long as we live, they too will live;
for they are now a part of us,
as we remember them."
Marty Preston of Wisconsin Dells, WI

"To the Family of Sean Maher:

On this Memorial Day I am especially thinking of Sean and his sacrifce. It was a great sacrifice also for you, his family. No words can take away your pain but Sean was a wonderful young man who will be remembered with love and prayers by many of us for the rest of our lives. He will remain forever young, strong and brave in our memories. God bless you and keep you."
Michele LaPierre-Livingston of Lindenhurst, IL

"My name is Jo. My baby brother Pfc. Landon Giles was killed in Iraq on Feb. 26. I just wanted to say that I thank you for giving your hero to the world. Our hearts go out to you. I know how difficult this is, but I hope you know Sean and his family and friends remain in the prayers of so many, including myself. I saw a picture of Sean on another website that I also visit with Landon's picuture. He was such a handsome young man, you have a lot to be proud of. I hope joyful memories will envelope you and you can learn to laugh again. I know I will, that's what they would've wanted after all. Please feel free to email me celestialhoney2004@yahoo.com. I will continue to pray and support you in my thoughts and spirit."
Jo Giles of Bakersfield, CA

"A young man who I grew to love as a son, has made the supreme sacrifice for our freedoms. He was a man who always gave of himself for everyone - anytime they needed it. A man who touched your soul in his presence – It was this peace which now always so many to remember him as the true hero to his family, friends and total strangers. As his neighbor he has truly touched my life and given me the peace to carry on but never will I forget this special individual who will remain in my heart forever."
Rich Williams of Grayslake, IL

"I wear Sean's picture on a ribbon to remember him and the others who answered the final roll call. I won't forget."
Phoenix Lundstrom of Honolulu, HI

"Sean will be missed by all who knew and loved him. He is thought of every day."
Joyce Campbell of Grayslake, IL

"Sean, I do believe that you would take the shirt off of your back for anyone. You were an amazing person and you were respected by many and always will be. The Lord I guess needs you right now and has a plan for you. God bless you and your family Sean. You will always be in our prayers."
Amber of Zion, IL USA

"To the family and friends of Sean P. Maher,
Please remember that your handsome loved one is in my heart forever. I'll never forget him for he is a True American Hero. My thoughts and prayers go out to you. "Rest in Peace, now that you are Home Sean""
Christine B. of somewhere,USA

"To the family and friends of Lance Corporal Sean P. Maher,

Those we hold most dear, never truly leave us. May you find comfort in love's everlasting connection.

In the Support section of this web site you will find links to many groups that support you at this crucial time. The Marine Comfort Quilt group would be honored to send a quilt to the next of kin. There are many, loving and caring Americans from all over the United States that will never forget the sacrifice that your loved one has made for our Freedom. Please use our link and register so we can send you our "Love Stitched Together."

Proud Marine Mom and Proud Member of Marine Comfort Quilts"
Sandra Moudy of Placentia, Ca USA

"My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Sean Maher. I lost my son on January 26, 2005 in Iraq. Those that have laid down their lives are the true heroes. May God bless you and comfort you during this time."
Helen Gilbert (mother of Richard A Gilbert, Jr) of Dayton, Ohio

"We Will NEVER FORGET !"
Please KNOW so many people share your sadness, and we are remembering your family in your loss and your deep grief. Your HERO, Sean, will be remembered by name. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. God Bless you ALWAYS. Pat & Sandi Breckenridge from Montana "

"Thank you Sean Maher, you will not be forgotten. Your bravery goes beyond words. I want to express my deepest gratitude for your sacrifice. To the family and friends, my prayers and deep condolences in your loss. May God strengthen you from knowing that fellow Americans and people around the world care about you and grieve with you in your loss. God bless you all. A very appreciative fellow American,"
Leo Titus of Grayslake, Illinios

"To the family and friends of Lance Cpl. Sean Maher:
May God's grace be with you during your time of grief. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and we feel your loss and share in your sorrow. Bless Sean for the sacrifice he has made to make a better life for the rest of us."
The Ford Family of Wells, Nevada

"To the family and friends of Lance Cpl. Sean Maher:
I am saddened by the loss of your loved one. He will always be remembered as a hero for fighting for freedom. I hope that this website will be a source of comfort and encouragement for you during this difficult time, and in the future as you recall the memories of Sean, who continues to live on in your heart."
Tim Rivera of Powder Springs, Georgia

Honor them by remembering... Freedom - is their gift to us But his soul goes marching on