Kip A. Poremba memorial located inside the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Poremba Court, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Support_Facility_Anacostia" class="extiw" title="w:Naval Support Facility Anacostia">Naval Support Facility Anacostia</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C." class="extiw" title="w:Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a><br><p>The writing says:<br>
Lance Corporal Kip Anders Poremba was born in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmel,_California" class="extiw" title="w:Carmel, California">Carmel</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" class="extiw" title="w:California">California</a> on October 20, 1969.  He attended schools in Foster City and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego" class="extiw" title="w:San Diego">San Diego</a>, California prior to moving to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Springfield,_Virginia" class="extiw" title="w:West Springfield, Virginia">West Springfield</a>, Virginia in 1978.  In West Springfield he attended Cardinal Forest Elementary School, Washington Irving Intermediate, and West Springfield High School from which he graduated in 1987.  Prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve, Lance Corporal Poremba had achieved Life Scout in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouts_of_America" class="extiw" title="w:Boy Scouts of America">Boy Scouts of America</a>.  He entered the Marine Corps Reserve on November 25, 1986.  After Basic Training at MCRD Parris Island, he was assigned to Ration Company, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Supply_Battalion" class="extiw" title="w:4th Supply Battalion">4th Supply Battalion</a>, 4th Fleet Service Support Company, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Marine_Division_(United_States)" class="extiw" title="w:4th Marine Division (United States)">4th Marine Division</a>.  While a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve, he attended classes at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Virginia_Community_College" class="extiw" title="w:Northern Virginia Community College">Northern Virginia Community College</a>, entered the Platoon Leaders Class program and had hopes of going to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_University" class="extiw" title="w:George Mason University">George Mason University</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_Candidates_School_(United_States_Marine_Corps)" class="extiw" title="w:Officer Candidates School (United States Marine Corps)">Officer Candidate School</a> at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Base_Quantico" class="extiw" title="w:Marine Corps Base Quantico">Quantico</a>.  LCpl Poremba was activated on January 3, 1991 in support of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War" class="extiw" title="w:Gulf War">Operation Desert Shield</a>.  Upon activation, LCpl Poremba was assigned to Supply Company, 2nd Supply Battalion, 1st Fleet Service Support Group Deployed.  On March 16, 1991, while in support of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War" class="extiw" title="w:Gulf War">Operation Desert Storm</a>, LCpl was mortally injured in the vicinity of Manifah Bay, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia" class="extiw" title="w:Saudi Arabia">Kingdom of Saudi Arabia</a>, during a combat service support transport mission in direct support of the Marine Corps security forces located in central <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwait" class="extiw" title="w:Kuwait">Kuwait</a>.  LCpl Poremba personal awards and commendatory correspondence consisted of a Meritorious Mast, Letter of Appreciation, Commanding General’s Certificate of Commendation, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defense_Service_Medal" class="extiw" title="w:National Defense Service Medal">National Defense Service Medal</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Asia_Service_Medal" class="extiw" title="w:Southwest Asia Service Medal">Southwest Asia Service Medal</a> with one star and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Service_Ribbon" class="extiw" title="w:Sea Service Ribbon">Sea Service Deployment Ribbon</a>.  LCpl Poremba’s dedication to duty, loyalty, and personal sacrifice brought great credit to himself and exemplified the highest standards of the United States Marine Corps.<br></p>
"I have grown to look upon Marines as something sacred.  I have laughed with them and cried with them; cursed them and prayed for them; shivered and sweltered with them; suffered with them; fought with them, and held them in my arms while they died.  I have buried them.  And all the time, I have loved them."  H.G. Duncan, major USMC (Retired).
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:FieldMarine" title="User:FieldMarine">Leonard J. DeFrancisci</a>
CC BY-SA 3.0
<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>