War on Terror claims Caldwell County Marine

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

The War on Terror claimed a third victim from Caldwell County this week.
According to a statement released by the Department of Defense on Thursday, Lance Corporal Cody R. Stanley, USMC, 21, died on Oct. 28 while supporting combat operations in the Helmand province of Afghanistan.

Stanley was on a dismounted patro

l when he was killed, according to a prepared statement given by 2nd Lt. Joshua Benson, a spokesman for Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Stanley, a former student of the of the Lockhart ISD, but a graduate of Smithville High, enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly after his graduation from high school in 2006.

He was a rifleman and served with the Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. The unit is based at the Marine Air-Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, Calif. The unit was deployed to the Middle East in stages, in late September and early October. It was Lance Cpl. Stanley”s second deployment to the Middle East – he served in Iraq from February – September 2008.

In September, the Lance Corporal spent time at his family”s Rosanky ranch during his pre-deployment leave, before journeying to Afghanistan.

During his military career, Stanley earned several honors, including the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a Sea Service Deployment ribbon.

The family of Lance Cpl. Stanley announced Tuesday that funeral services for the Marine will be held on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009, at 10 a.m. at the Smithville Baptist Church in Smithville, Texas.

However, the family will receive friends from 4 – 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, at McCurdy Funeral Home, 105 E. Pecan St., Lockhart, Texas.

He is survived by his parents, Bob and Wendi Stanley; his brother, Cade; grandparents Anne Stanley and David and Kitty Braley; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.