Don Crass comforts his grandson Brenton Throop, 4, during a memorial service for Marine and Navy personnel killed during a recent eight-month deployment. Crass’ son, Marine Lance Cpl. Layton Crass, was killed June 14, 2008. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
Tonya Rist hugs her husband, Cpl. Jonathan Rist, who lost his legs in a roadside bombing two weeks after his friend Jacob Toves was killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 14, 2008. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
Valerie Mendoza, the widow of Marine Sgt. Matthew Mendoza, hugs Mendoza’s father, Raul, during the memorial service. Matthew Mendoza was killed June 20, 2008. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
Sarom Sim is hugged by her sister Yorn Sim as the two mourn their brother San Sim, a Marine who was killed in Afghanistan on Oct. 22, 2008. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
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Families comfort one another during the playing of taps at the memorial, held at Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
