But there was another side to Petty Officer 3rd Class House, one that revealed itself when his grandfather became critically ill in 1999.

"Standing by my side at my father's bedside, John held my dad's hand and told me ... 'This is what I want to do in the service, help others,' " said Larry House, the Hawai'i sailor's father.

It was as a Navy corpsman that House served with, took care of, and died alongside 26 Kane'ohe Bay Marines in the Jan. 26 crash of a CH-53E helicopter in Iraq.

Barker, who commands Naval Health Clinic Hawai'i, said House, 28, was a "very committed, very diligent, very competent, conscientious corpsman."

"He loved the Navy, and he loved the Marines," Barker said. "He was in that aircraft with his Marines, and they all went down together. That's where the corpsmen are, they are right there on the front lines with the troops."

In a letter home, the corpsman had written about the Marines: "I know all of them, even in the dark, by their mannerisms. It's my job to take care of them and keep them safe."

House was remembered yesterday at a service at Pearl Harbor Memorial Chapel. Among those in attendance were his parents, sister and brother, his wife, Melanie, and more than 400 people, mostly sailors, who lined both sides of the chapel and filled the back vestibule. A bagpiper played "Amazing Grace." The service also included the playing of taps.

The corpsman never got to meet his son, who was born on Christmas Eve and given the middle name Cash, after the country star.

Larry House read a statement by Melanie House in which she said, "This has been an extremely difficult time for our family and the outpouring of support and condolences has been greatly appreciated. I am proud of the job my husband did. He was always hard working and dedicated to serving his country."

She also said John was a "wonderful husband. I know he loved our son James. Although the two never had the chance to meet, I know John will be with James every day of his life."

House was the second Pearl Harbor sailor killed in Iraq. He was the first to be memorialized from the helicopter crash, which has deeply affected Hawai'i and families across the Mainland. Thirty Marines and House were killed in the crash.

"I guess everybody was in shock," said Donna Wada, who works in the shipyard health clinic. "I didn't know him myself, but people who did, like corpsmen, were really shocked."

"There's a lot of sacrifice. Everybody who knew him really liked him," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Ferdinand Buquing, 30, a corpsman like House. "He just wanted to see his kid, and really had just a couple of weeks to go (in Iraq)."

Buquing, who grew up in Kalihi Valley, is expected to head to Afghanistan in May with the Marines. The 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, out of Kane'ohe Bay, is expected to follow up the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, of about 1,000 Hawai'i Marines in Afghanistan.

"I just want to make HM3 House and his family proud that we're keeping up with the tradition of (Navy) corpsmen and Marines," Buquing said. The Marines don't have medics or corpsmen in their ranks.

Officials also said there's a small chance that 2/3 will be assigned to Iraq, instead. It was the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, of about 1,000 Marines that went through the helicopter crash in Iraq. The Hawai'i Marines took part in heavy fighting in Fallujah in November and are expected to leave the country soon.

Elizabeth House, John's sister, said the military side of her brother was noble, strong and courageous. Inside was a place he let few in.

"I can't begin to express the impact my brother had on my life," she said. His parents live in Simi Valley, Calif., and the Navy said House will be buried there.

Barker said his command has about 350 corpsmen. Thirty-eight are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, and 16 more will be leaving in the next month and a half, he said. One injured corpsman is at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., undergoing rehabilitation after an amputation.