Updated at 2:05 p.m., Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Fallen Marine, family honored today
Advertiser Staff
The family of Marine Major Joseph T. McCloud, who was killed Dec. 3 in Iraq, took part in a ceremony honoring McCloud at 10 this morning.The cermony was held in the Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall.
McCloud, 39, was on a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter that made an emergency water landing in western Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment at Kane'ohe Bay. Also killed that day was Marine Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va., also stationed at Kane'ohe Bay.
McCloud had enlisted in the Corps in 1990 and was commissioned in 1992. He was the operations officer for the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines.
McCloud's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, Kuwait Liberation Medal and four Southwest Asia Service Medals.
The Sea Knight helicopter Sticklen and McCloud were on made an emergency landing on Lake Qadisiyah after experiencing a malfunction. As the helicopter touched down on the lake as a precautionary measure, the crew chiefs and passengers exited out the back, the military said.
The pilots had enough power to "surf-glide" across the water and up a boat ramp onto shore, an official said.
The military said four of the evacuated personnel drowned.
