Brian St. Germain

Thursday, April 06 2006 @ 04:28 AM EDT

www.turnto10.com -- PROVIDENCE -- Three Marines with ties to Southern New England were killed over the weekend in Iraq.

A 22-year-old Marine from Rhode Island and a 27-year-old Marine from southeastern Massachusetts died when the truck in which they were riding rolled over Sunday in a flash flood. A Marine from the Boston area was killed Sunday in an explosion.

Marine Cpl. Brian St. Germain, of West Warwick, and Lance Cpl. Patrick Gallagher, of Fairhaven, died Sunday in the rollover accident in Al Anbar Province. Three other Marines also died in the flash flood.

Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri ordered state flags flown at half-staff until after memorial services for St. Germain are held.

St. Germain was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq, the governor's office said Tuesday.

"Corporal St. Germain, along with every man and woman in America's armed forces, deserves our respect and gratitude for his deep commitment to the nation," Carcieri said in a statement.

St. Germain graduated from West Warwick High School in 2001. He was described as a hardworking honors student who was an all-state hurdler on the school's track and field team.

"His junior year, they had one of the best track teams ever in West Warwick, and he was a star on that," said William Izzi, the high school's guidance department chairman and one of St. Germain's track coaches.

Izzi called St. Germain a "wonderful boy from a wonderful family."

St. Germain was working in the Marine Corps as a heavy equipment mechanic and a martial arts instructor, according to a Web site for car enthusiasts, j-body.org.

On the Web site, he lists his hobbies and interests as "working on my truck, 4-wheeling and shooting stuff." He also said he was involved in a long-term relationship.

St. Germain belonged to the 1st Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was promoted to corporal during his first tour in Iraq, according to the governor's office.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., expressed sympathy for St. Germain's family.

"The country must honor and respect the sacrifice of all our military men and women by committing ourselves to supporting them as they continue to face danger," Reed said in a statement.

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