Joel Perez

Joel Perez

Army Sgt. Joel Perez, 25, of Río Grande, PR Unit: assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Still, Oklahoma on November 2, 2003 died in an attack on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Fallujah, Iraq on route home for R&R. The incident is under investigation
(Joel Perez Mangual)

Rest In Peace

He has been awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart posthumously.
He also received the Army Achievement Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon,
and Basic Marksman Qualification Badge.

Funeral service held for N.J. soldier killed in Iraq

Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. — Some 150 mourners attended a Nov. 10 funeral Mass for a soldier killed in Iraq while heading home on leave.

The casket of Sgt. Joel Perez was carried into the Cathedral Basilica of Sacred Heart past police and military honor guards. Monsignor William J. Reilly conducted the service in Spanish and English.

Perez spent some of his school years in Newark before returning to his native Puerto Rico. His wife, Milagros Perez, 18-month-old daughter, Jaileen, and mother, Luisa M. Mangual, live in the city.

Perez, 25, was among 16 soldiers killed when an Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter was downed Nov. 2 near Fallujah, Iraq.

Flags over state buildings flew at half-staff on Friday in his memory on order of Gov. James E. McGreevey.

Perez was assigned to the Army’s 2nd Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, out of Fort Sill, Okla. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart posthumously.

Perez is the eighth serviceman from New Jersey to die in Iraq, McGreevey spokeswoman Ellen Mellody said.

Perez was born in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. He attended Barringer High School in Newark and then graduated from high school in Puerto Rico. He enlisted in the Army in 1998, and was deployed to Iraq in May.

He also is survived by his by his father, Edwin Perez of Puerto Rico; and by his brothers, Elvin, Michael and Leo.

The following story expresses this soldiers thoughts about the war.

Bay City Tribune

Major combat operations may have ceased in Iraq, but by no means are our soldiers serving in that country out of harm's way.

Nearly every day comes news that American service personnel in Iraq have been attacked, with some being wounded and killed.

That frightening fact has a Blessing family particularly worried, as they have a loved one that is apparently right in the thick of things in and around Baghdad.

Specialist Joel Perez, a member of the Third Brigade with the U.S. Army's First Armored Division recently wrote his family, expressing his love for them and telling a little about what he is facing in Iraq.

Maggie Lara, Perez's sister, made copies of the letters available to the Bay City Tribune.

I just want people to know that this war is not over,? Lara said.

It's still really dangerous over there for our soldiers, as you can see by what my brother says in his letters.?

In a letter Perez sent to his mother Cornelia and postmarked May 23, the soldier writes, ?I?m doing good ? still fighting ? this time with the Iraqi people, not their soldiers.

The soldiers are already dead. We killed them. Now it's the people. The people want us out of Iraq because we already got rid of Saddam and they're saying, ?Why are you still here? We can handle our own country, so get out or we will get you out, dead or alive.

They're nice to your face and then when you turn your back they try to shoot you. I get shot at everyday, but you know me. Nothing's going to stop me from coming home.?

Perez writes that his unit is living in a building in downtown Baghdad, which he says is a city about the size of Houston.

In the second letter to his mother, postmarked May 29, Perez wrote that the battles with Iraqis continued, including occasional ?fire fights? with the enemy.

He goes on to describe life in Baghdad.

It's like 115 degrees here. The war with Iraq is over, but there are two threats left ? the Iraqi people because they want us out, and Al Queda are hiding everywhere here trying to kill us.?

Perez expresses love to and longing for his family.

I've been thinking a lot and I am so lucky to have a loving family, a wonderful son and a beautiful wife! I miss everyone and hope I get to go home soon.?

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