Marine's Widow in Immigration Limbo

Marine's Widow in Immigration Limbo
By KRISTIN M. HALL, AP


MARYVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 17) — Hotaru Ferschke just wants to raise her 8-month-old son in his grandparents' Tennessee home, surrounded by photos and memories of the father he'll never meet: a Marine who died in combat a month after marrying her from thousands of miles away.

Sgt. Michael Ferschke was killed in Iraq in 2008, leaving his widow and infant son, both Japanese citizens, in immigration limbo: A 1950s legal standard meant to curb marriage fraud means U.S. authorities do not recognize the marriage, even though the military does.
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Marine Widow in Immigration Limbo

Iraq Casualty from Clearwater Florida

April 16, 2008
Not yet a citizen, Clearwater soldier dies in Iraq
Arturo Huerta-Cruz, 23, the soldier killed in Iraq Monday, moved to the United States from Mexico as a child and dreamed of being an architect.

His family moved from Hidalgo, Mexico, to Clearwater when he was 7 and he attended Sandy Lane Elementary.

Huerta-Cruz was a resident alien, not an American citizen. He took some architecture classes at St. Petersburg College, but decided to join the military because he wanted the experience.

The 10th Mountain Division soldier was a chemical operations specialist who enlisted in the Army in May 2006, after which he was stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y. In November 2007, he deployed to Iraq and served in the Kirkuk area of northern Iraq.

He received the Purple Heart, Army Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

--Stephanie Garry and Jose Cardenas, Times Staff Writer http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/04/clearwater-sold.html



Latest Coalition Fatalities

DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Arturo Huerta-Cruz, 23, of Clearwater, Fla., died April 14 in Tuz, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 10th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

04/16/08 MNF: Marines attacked by IED
Two Multi-National Force – West Marines were killed in action April 14 when their vehicle was attacked by an enemy force with an improvised explosive device in al Anbar Province.




04/16/08 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Sgt. Joseph A. Richard III, 27, of Lafayette, La., died April 14 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion...

04/15/08 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (2 0f 2)
Cpl. Richard J. Nelson, 23, of Racine, Wis...died April 14 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were both assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division..

04/15/08 DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (1 0f 2)
Cpl. Richard J. Nelson, 23, of Racine, Wis...died April 14 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were both assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division..

04/14/08 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. William E. Allmon, 25, of Ardmore, Okla., died April 12 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team...

04/14/08 MNF: MND-B Soldier attacked by IED
A Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldier was killed from wounds sustained when an IED struck the vehicle the Soldier was riding in while conducting a combat patrol in northeastern Baghdad at approximately 4:45 p.m. April 14.

04/14/08 MNF: Coalition force soldier attacked by IED
A Coalition force soldier was killed in an improvised explosive device attack in the Salah ad Din Province April 14. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending next of kin notification and release by the Department of Defense.
http://icasualties.org/oif/