Joseph A. Blanco

Monday, April 17 2006 @ 01:52 AM EDT

www.pe.com -- The joyful laugh of Joseph Anthony Blanco could often be heard throughout his Banning home.
That laugher is what his father, Jose Blanco, says he will miss the most.

Cpl. Joseph Anthony Blanco, 25, of Bloomington, was killed in a firefight in Taji, Iraq, along with two other soldiers Tuesday, said Maj. John Clearwater of the Nation Training Center at Fort Irwin.

Cpl. Blanco's stay in the U.S. Army was extended in March, the month he was due to get out after three years of service. He was serving his second tour in Iraq, helping to train the Iraqi army, his father said.

Jose Blanco said his son enlisted to get help paying for school because he wanted to study either art or computers, in case a career in law enforcement didn't work out.

"He would always say that if he could help the community he would do it because he wanted to keep everyone safe and wanted to use his martial arts training to stop criminals instead of having to use a gun," Blanco said.

During both tours, Cpl. Blanco would teach fellow soldiers how to defend themselves using Hap Ki Do, in which he had obtained the rank of black belt.

Jose Blanco said his family, including his wife and three children, are preparing themselves emotionally for the return of Cpl Blanco's body.

"Children are supposed to bury the old and in this case the opposite is happening and that is what has me full of pain," Jose Blanco said.

"I feel bad for the condition in which he died, but we as a family must give each other strength because the worst is yet to come."
He added that the family's 7-year-old neighbor took his son's death hard as well. The younger Blanco always made time to play cars with the neighbor in the back yard.

"My son had the soul of a child, he was always so happy and full of life," Jose Blanco said.

6 comments

http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/BlancoJosephA