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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 1:19 p.m., Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Kaneohe Marine dies in non-hostile incident in Iraq

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

2006 photo of Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer II

Photo courtesy of The Daily Independent

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

A carry team at Dover Air Force Base, Del., picks up a transfer case containing the remains of U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer of Los Angeles, Saturday, April 18, 2009. Spencer died in Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

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A Kaneohe Marine died last week in Iraq as a result of a non-hostile incident, the Department of Defense announced today.

The military said Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer II, 20, of Ridgecrest, Calif., died April 16 in Anbar province.

Spencer was a rifleman assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay.

No details have been released. The incident is under investigation.

The Marine base in Kaneohe said Spencer joined the Corps in June 2006 and reported to Hawaii January 2007. He deployed to Iraq earlier this month after a tour from August 2007 to February 2008.

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

The Bakersfield Californian reported that Spencer was a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet at Burroughs High School in Ridgecrest, located in California's Kern County.

He graduated from Burroughs in 2006, the Californian reported, just before joining the Marines.