MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, U.S. Border Patrol agents, and family members came together to honor the lives of Lance Cpl. Marcelino M. Gamino and Lance Cpl. Albert A. Aguilera, filling up the seats of the chapel at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, May 22.
Gamino and Aguilera were Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, assigned to Task Force Sapper when they lost their lives in the line of duty. The memorial service, held by 1st CEB, began with a prayer from the battalion chaplain before moving into remarks by the commanding officer.
“Both Marines left behind a legacy, they were both men of great character,” said Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, the commanding officer of 1st CEB and Task Force Sapper. “Gamino and Aguilera will continue to be remembered by their kindness and dependability, forever impacting the Marines they served with and indirectly influencing the next generation - as the Marines advance in their careers and lead with the same character as Gamino and Aguilera.”
The memorial service commemorated the lives of the fallen Marines, giving their families insight to the brotherhood and the impact their loved ones had on those they served with. Fellow Marines delivered heartfelt reflections that painted a vivid picture of who these young men were.
In just over two years since joining the Marine Corps, Aguilera rose to the rank of lance corporal, a reflection of his dedication and commitment to the Corps. Aguilera, known to his close friends as “Aggie,” was remembered as a Marine who supported those around him.
“Aggie had a way of making the worst days survivable and the best days unforgiving,” said Lance Cpl. Samuel Lule, a combat engineer with 1st CEB. “He didn't just carry his own weight, he carried the people around him too, with quiet strength.”
As Marines continued to share stories, a single photo of Aguilera and of Gamino were displayed side by side at the front of the chapel. Aguilera, a 22-year-old native of Riverside, California, was remembered for his kindness and sense of humor.
“He was the type of guy to go out of his way to make sure you were having the best day possible,” said Lance Cpl. Marc Hankins, a combat engineer with 1st CEB, of Aguilera. “Whether it was dragging you out of the barracks on a Friday night, cracking jokes in the field on week one, he was always there by your side - making the best of any situation.”
The 28-year-old Gamino was a resident of both Sanger and Fresno, California. An alumnus of California State University, Fresno, Gamino graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology before enlisting in the Marines. Those he worked with simply knew him as “Mark.”
“One thing that really stood out about Mark is that he was an outstanding man, always so humble and hardworking,” said Cpl. Carlos Avila, a combat engineer with 1st CEB. “Even when we were having a bad day, he was somehow always finding something to say that made us all smile.”
What stood out most to the Marines who worked closely with Gamino was his profound ability to motivate others.
“Mark was the type of man that always motivated everyone around him to better themselves, whether it be things that he felt like they were struggling in, or things that he believed you could truly be better at… an amazing people's person,” said Lance Cpl. Collin Hook, a combat engineer with 1st CEB. “People listened to him not because they feared him, but because they respected him.”
As “Taps” echoed through the chapel, service members stood at attention while all other attendees stood in reverent silence. All took a moment to remember the two Marines whose lives ended far too soon, but whose legacies will continue in the hearts and actions of the Marines they left behind.
“Their impact on this task force and battalion will not fade,” said Barrion. “The memory of their laughter, their professionalism, and their commitment to the mission lives on in every Marine who had the privilege to serve beside them. Fair winds and following seas... ‘Til Valhalla.”