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Two Michigan GIs killed in Iraq war
The Detroit News
Monday, October 23, 2006
By Mark Hicks
Deaths in what is turning out to be one of the
deadliest months for U.S. soldiers in Iraq have hit
home for two Michigan families.
Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth, 20, of Chelsea
and Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian, 22, of Lathrup
Village died Saturday while conducting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Both were assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine
Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Manoukian, born Aug. 31, 1984, in Westland, attended
Southfield Christian School and Shrine High School in
Royal Oak.
He later transferred to Kimball High School in Royal
Oak, where he graduated in 2003.
An avid snowboarder and hockey player, Manoukian often
drew and sketched, which led him to pursue a designing
career.
After taking art classes at Oakland University, he
joined the Marines in June 2004.
Training at Parris Island, S.C., and later at the
Marines base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., Manoukian
enjoyed "doing something to be proud of," said his
mother, Mary Manoukian Calhoun. "He had the need to
challenge himself. ~E He liked being part of a
brotherhood."
In March 2005 he was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, where
he served as a radio operator.
Manoukian returned home that October and quickly
resumed practicing on his prized Pearl drum set --"one
of many loves in his life," his mother said.
On July 8, Manoukian married his longtime girlfriend,
Danielle, at the National Shrine of the Little Flower
Catholic Church in Royal Oak.
The couple met eight years earlier at a friend's
Halloween party.
During their courtship, Manoukian often penned poems
for Danielle, and surprised her with love notes on her
car windshield.
"He was full of surprises," Danielle Manoukian said.
"He was amazing."
He returned to Iraq last month for his second
deployment.
Besides his wife and mother, survivors include his
stepfather, Gary Calhoun, and a stepson, Nico Mullen.
He was preceded in death by his father, Isaac, and
grandmother, Lillian Vasi.
Services are pending.
Relatives of Collinsworth could not be reached for
comment.
So far this month, 87 American service members have
been killed in Iraq, putting October on pace to be the
deadliest month for U.S. troops since the siege of
Fallujah in November 2004.
The latest Michigan deaths puts the state casualty
total near 100, according to the Web site
icasualties.org, which tracks military deaths in Iraq.
You can reach Mark Hicks at (313) 222-2300 or
[email protected].
http://www.detnews.com/app s/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061023/UPDATE/610230439
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
The Detroit News
Monday, October 23, 2006
By Mark Hicks
Deaths in what is turning out to be one of the
deadliest months for U.S. soldiers in Iraq have hit
home for two Michigan families.
Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth, 20, of Chelsea
and Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian, 22, of Lathrup
Village died Saturday while conducting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.
Both were assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine
Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Manoukian, born Aug. 31, 1984, in Westland, attended
Southfield Christian School and Shrine High School in
Royal Oak.
He later transferred to Kimball High School in Royal
Oak, where he graduated in 2003.
An avid snowboarder and hockey player, Manoukian often
drew and sketched, which led him to pursue a designing
career.
After taking art classes at Oakland University, he
joined the Marines in June 2004.
Training at Parris Island, S.C., and later at the
Marines base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., Manoukian
enjoyed "doing something to be proud of," said his
mother, Mary Manoukian Calhoun. "He had the need to
challenge himself. ~E He liked being part of a
brotherhood."
In March 2005 he was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, where
he served as a radio operator.
Manoukian returned home that October and quickly
resumed practicing on his prized Pearl drum set --"one
of many loves in his life," his mother said.
On July 8, Manoukian married his longtime girlfriend,
Danielle, at the National Shrine of the Little Flower
Catholic Church in Royal Oak.
The couple met eight years earlier at a friend's
Halloween party.
During their courtship, Manoukian often penned poems
for Danielle, and surprised her with love notes on her
car windshield.
"He was full of surprises," Danielle Manoukian said.
"He was amazing."
He returned to Iraq last month for his second
deployment.
Besides his wife and mother, survivors include his
stepfather, Gary Calhoun, and a stepson, Nico Mullen.
He was preceded in death by his father, Isaac, and
grandmother, Lillian Vasi.
Services are pending.
Relatives of Collinsworth could not be reached for
comment.
So far this month, 87 American service members have
been killed in Iraq, putting October on pace to be the
deadliest month for U.S. troops since the siege of
Fallujah in November 2004.
The latest Michigan deaths puts the state casualty
total near 100, according to the Web site
icasualties.org, which tracks military deaths in Iraq.
You can reach Mark Hicks at (313) 222-2300 or
[email protected].
http://www.detnews.com/app s/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061023/UPDATE/610230439
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress