Marine Corps Reserve Lance Corporal Branden Paul Ramey, 22, Belvidere, Illinois (attached to Marine Corps Reserve, Madison, Wisconsin), died on Monday, November 8, 2004, in Lutifiya, Babil Province (south of Fallujah and Baghdad), Iraq. He was one of two Marines killed while fighting enemy forces. Lance Corporal Ramey was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Madison, Wisconsin.
The Web site legacy.com using information from the Fresno Bee out of California, mentioned that Belvidere, Illinois, was Branden Ramey's home town. He was born on October 6, 1982 in Rockford, Illinois. Branden graduated from Belvidere High School in 2001.
The Web site iraq.pigstye.net using information from the Rockford Register Star notes that while in high school, Branden Ramey had been homecoming king, and participated in football, baseball, and wrestling. After high school he joined the semiprofessional Belvidere Rush football team. Ramey also was close to earning his associate's degree from Rock Valley College in Rockford when his unit was deployed. He had been in Iraq only six weeks when he was killed.
The Web site wisn.com notes Lance Corporal Ramey was one of two members of Company Golf, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, killed in the battle. Lance Corporal Shane O'Donnell of DeForest, Wisconsin was also killed. Their unit consisted of 175 Marines.
At the time of his death Marine Lance Corporal Branden Ramey was survived by his parents Randy and Sandy Ramey, and Pamela and Eddie Trevino; his fiance Stacey Lee; brothers Nicholas Ramey, Bryce Trevino, and Brent Trevino; sister, Melissa Ramey; grandparents Gordon and Betty Ramey, Paul and Joyce Lightner, Richard and Janice Gritzmacher, Concepcion Trevino, Arnold and Diane Vance, and Kathleen and Cecil Herzing; and, great-grandparents Lela Unglesbee, and Dorothy Fordsmand. Lance Corporal Ramey was laid to rest at Belvidere Cemetery, Belvidere, Illinois.
Information for this short biography about Marine Corps Lance Corporal Branden Paul Ramey was pieced together from the following sources: legacy.com, Fresno Bee, "Branden Ramey," November 17, 2004; iraq.pigstye.com, Rockford Register Star, "Branden Ramey," November 10 2004; wisn.com, "2 Wisconsin-Based Marines Die In Iraq," November 9, 2004; Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs "Fallen Heroes Page"; and, CNN.com "War Casualties Page."
Note: This "Wisconsin Military Casualties Afghanistan Iraq Compilation" Daily Dadio blog Category is under construction. Go to the Cooldadiomedia Web site and the Wisconsin War Casualties Page for a list of names noted by date of death. ( If readers know of other military service persons with Wisconsin connections that are not on the Web site comprehensive list of fatal casualties, or notice errors, please email Bob Keith at keithrg13@cooldadiomedia.com ).
