The Iraq Page: Donte J. Whitworth

DoD News -- Marine Cpl. Donte J. Whitworth, 21, of Noblesville, Ind.; assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.; died Feb. 28 in Anbar province, Iraq, in a non-hostile vehicle accident.

Donte Jamal Whitworth, a 21-year-old Marine corporal and 2005 graduate of Noblesville High School, died Saturday in a traffic accident near Al Taquddum Air Base, about 50 miles west of Baghdad, his family said . The timing of Whitworth's death was particularly cruel: He was to come home later this month and had sent ahead his duffle bag; it arrived Friday and remains unopened. "I'll go through it later, when I'm ready," said his mother, Carla Plowden, who retired after 20 years with the Marines shortly before her son enlisted. The large and tightly knit family had planned several get-togethers during Whitworth's leave.

Instead, they'll plan his funeral. "Donte will be arriving Friday from Dover (Air Force Base)," his mother said, "and he'll be buried at a cemetery in Noblesville." .Whitworth, who joined the Marines right out of high school, commanded supply convoys hauling a variety of goods between U.S. military bases in Iraq, his mother said. He was long familiar with heavy equipment, having grown up on a farm outside Noblesville. The farm, since sold to developers, was owned by Whitworth's grandfather, Bob Williams, who recalled driving a tractor with his 3-year-old grandson on his lap.

"He was very much country: driving tractors, mowing fields, keeping the place clean and neat," Williams said. After Whitworth got his driver's license, his grandfather bought him a used Saturn, a garden-variety car that Whitworth soon customized: big sound system, rims, "he even painted the interior," his mother said. "He did all the work himself." Whitworth, who had a year left in his contract with the Marines, was leaning toward re-enlisting for another four years. "He talked about becoming a drill instructor," his mother said. Standing 6 feet, 2 inches, Whitworth could intimidate physically, but that was not his natural style, she said. "He could turn that on and off," she said, but when he was being himself, "he was a more kindly person." Whitworth lavished attention on his three pre-adolescent nephews, and they adored him for it.

Associated Press -- The timing of Cpl. Donte J. Whitworth’s death was particularly cruel: He was to come home soon and had sent ahead his duffel bag.

“I’ll go through it later, when I’m ready,” said his mother, Carla Plowden, who retired after 20 years with the Marines shortly before her son enlisted.

Whitworth, 21, of Noblesville, Ind., died Feb. 28 after a vehicle accident near Al Taquddum Air Base. He was a 2005 high school graduate and was assigned to Yuma, Ariz.

Whitworth commanded supply convoys hauling a variety of goods between U.S. military bases in Iraq. He was long familiar with heavy equipment, having grown up on a farm outside Noblesville.

Whitworth lavished attention on his three pre-adolescent nephews, and they adored him for it. He could be the contrarian, too.

“If I was for the Colts, he’d be for the next team,” said Bob Williams, his grandfather. “If I’d be for the Democrat, he’d be for the Republican. He liked to argue. I’m sure he didn’t really feel that way, but he just liked to argue and make you take time to figure out what you were thinking and why.”

He also is survived by his father, Daniel Whitworth and stepfather, Kerry McGee.

Donte J. Whitworth

Friday, March 06 2009 @ 03:27 AM EST