Bryan P. Bertrand

The U.S. Marines fit nicely into the life of Bryan Bertrand. He loved physical challenges: football, basketball, anything to get his heart pounding and the sweat dripping off his face. The Marines just took it a step further, dropping him off in a rugged country to help fly planes.

So, no one was surprised when Bertrand volunteered for a second tour of duty in Pakistan. In a letter to his family, Bertrand wrote that he didn't want to "sit on the bench." Marine Lance Cpl. Bertrand, 23, died Jan. 9, 2002, in a military plane crash in Pakistan along with six other Marines. He was a football star at Marshfield High School, and part of what drew Bertrand to the Marines was the teamwork, the same as football, said Christian Lorenz, a friend and former football teammate. "In the thick and the thin, he was always there right beside you," Lorenz said.

To those who didn't know him, Bertrand is now a hero. But a Coos Bay Cub Scout group already knew that. The November before his death, they honored Bertrand as their hero and sent him drawings and letters, telling him, among other things, that they hoped he came back safely.

Remembrances

None currently submitted.

Leave your own remembrance (all fields are required) 

Editor's Note: The Oregonian wanted to offer an opportunity for those who knew the service member or those who wanted to comment on their sacrifice to add to this tribute. As this is a memorial site, we will review all comments for appropriateness before publication.

Name:  

E-mail:  

Remembrance: