PORTLAND, Ore. — Gov. Ted Kulongoski called a young Tualatin man “the best Oregon has to give” at a graveside service for the 22-year-old Kaneohe Marine who died following severe injuries suffered in Afghanistan.

The governor joined relatives and friends Monday to bury Cpl. Matthew Lembke, who died July 10 at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. He lost both legs in June. Lembke was buried at Willamette National Cemetery.
He was a sniper serving his third combat tour when an IED exploded during a late-night foot patrol. He underwent several surgeries and held on for 18 days. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
A crowd of 800 filled the Catholic Church of the Resurrection in Tualatin for a funeral Mass. The Rev. Paul Peri said Lembke had a quiet faith and a spirit of self-sacrifice.
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Information from: The Oregonian, www.oregonlive.com