Cpl Palmer died at Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, on May 6, 2006, from wounds received while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq, on May 1st.

"He has been a bright spot in everybody's life."

Montine Willin is talking about her nephew, Marine Corporal Cory Palmer. The 21-year-old died May 1st in Iraq. Willin and other family say he died doing what he believed in.

 "He was just like a little Marine when he was eight, nine, 10 years old. He and his brothers would make these homemade rafts out of milk jugs."

As a real Marine, Palmer was accomplished.

"He went to sniper school, dive school, jump school, amphibious reconnaissance school."

 Willin says Palmer was always an avid sportsman, hunter and explorer.

"He had just gotten a cast off his arm. He climbed a tree that day and fell out and broke his leg."

But they say Palmer had a soft side. He mentored friends and hand-made gifts for family. But no matter how much he accomplished, he never wanted anyone to make a fuss over him.

Aunt Alison Venebles hopes he won't mind just this once.

"He was very humble and that's one reason I want everyone to know what a wonderful, strong, courageous man he was," Venebles said.

Corporal Palmer would have been 22 on Wednesday, May 10th. Funeral services for Palmer are tentatively planned for May 21st.

In response to Senator John Kerry's remarks on 31 OCT 2006, belittling our military, Cory's mother wrote a very poignant letter.  Read the letter HERE.