By Chris Guy
The Baltimore Sun (Maryland)
Copyright 2007 The Baltimore Sun
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
FEDERALSBURG, Md. — A sailor from this small Eastern Shore town was one of seven people killed Wednesday when the Marine transport helicopter they were aboard crashed in Iraq, the sailor’s family said today.
Military officials gave no cause for the crash of the CH-46 Sea Knight near Fallujah in Anbar province, about 20 miles from Baghdad.
Ruiz was a three-year veteran who had followed his parents into the Navy, his mother said, enlisting soon after he graduated from Col. Richardson High School in rural Caroline County.
“I just talked to him on the phone a few nights ago,” said Lisa Ruiz, who retired after serving 20 years as a Navy information technician. “I knew as soon as there was a knock at the door that it was bad news.”
Ruiz was a member of the 2nd Marine Battalion, based at Camp Legeune, S.C., where he met his girlfriend, who is also a Navy paramedic, his mother said.
Lisa Ruiz works for the local post office and her husband, Manuel Sr., now works for a tree service.
In addition to his parents, Ruiz is survived by two younger brothers, 13 and 15, his mother said.