 The Bridgeton News -- TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ A soldier from Cherry Hill who was killed in Iraq this week was drawn to service because he admired the values of the military, a family member said.
Capt. Gregory T. Dalessio died Monday in Salman Pak, near Baghdad, of wounds he suffered when his patrol met small arms fire during combat operations. The Department of Defense announced his death Wednesday.
Dalessio, 30, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany. He was serving his second tour Iraq and had been there for about two months when he was killed.
The oldest of eight children, Dalessio joined the Army because "he admired the values that the military brings, such as honor, truth and integrity," his stepfather, Thomas Pagano, said Wednesday night.
After graduating from Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken, Dalessio attended Seton Hall University where he was a member of the ROTC program and earned a bachelor's degree in special education and a master's degree in diplomacy and international relations.
Dalessio is the second Bishop Eustace graduate killed while serving in Iraq. Terrance Allen, a 21-year-old Marine corporal, was killed in September 2007. |
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