Marine killed
in Iraq laid to rest

Aaron Pickering: Based in Kaneohe, he died in the fight for Fallujah

MARION, Ill. » A Kaneohe-based Marine who was killed last week as American forces fought to capture the Iraqi city of Fallujah from insurgents was buried yesterday near his southern Illinois hometown.

As rain fell, six Marines ushered Lance Cpl. Aaron Pickering's casket to its burial site at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion.

Pickering, of Harrisburg, died Nov. 10 in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar. He had been assigned to Kaneohe's 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Pickering joined the Marines after graduating from Harrisburg High School in 2002, his stepmother, Teresa Pickering, has said.

His family learned of his death on Veterans Day.

In high school, Pickering played on the golf team and loved to hunt and fish, his stepmother said.

He was one of six Marines from Illinois, all assigned to different units, to die last week in Iraq. Five were part of the U.S. offensive launched on Fallujah.

Since they arrived in Iraq last month, 12 Kaneohe Marines from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, have been killed.