Kaneohe Marine drowns in Iraq

The Pentagon says the corporal was in a truck that overturned during a flash flood

Kaneohe Bay Marine Cpl. Andres Aguilar was one of six men who drowned Sunday when their 7-ton truck overturned during a flash flood in Iraq.

The 21-year-old became the third Hawaii-related Iraqi war casualty this year. He had already served in a combat tour in Afghanistan last year.

The Pentagon said that Aguilar, of Victoria, Texas, was riding in a heavy-duty truck when it rolled over near Al Asad. The military, in a statement, said the truck was on a "combat logistics convoy" near Asad Air Base.

Four of the Marines were from Camp Pendleton, Calif. The other Marine was based at Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Aguilar was a communications technician with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, which arrived in Iraq last month for a seven-month tour. The unit was home from Afghanistan for only seven months before it was sent to Iraq.

Since mid-March the battalion has conducted stabilization, security and counterterror missions in Al Anbar province.

Aguilar joined the Marine Corps in June 2002 and reported to Kaneohe Bay in March 2003. His awards include the Good Conduct Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and two Sea Service Deployment ribbons.

Aguilar was the 47th Marine with island ties to have died in Iraq since the war began on March 19, 2003. The death toll in Iraq also includes 27 soldiers, two sailors and one civilian with Hawaii ties.

The Marine unit, nicknamed America's Battalion, returned from Afghanistan in June. In Afghanistan the battalion served in the country's central and eastern regions and undertook mostly security and counterterrorism operations. Two Marines were killed in action.

Fifteen 25th Infantry Division soldiers have died in Afghanistan, as well as 10 Marines and six sailors.