Lyndon A Marcus Jr

When Pfc. Lyndon A. Marcus Jr. fell in love with singing and musical theater, he wanted to share his passion. He starred in a high school production of "Fame," and even recorded a song to be distributed in local independent record stores. "He had a smile that would make you melt," said his sister, Keil Marcus. "He was real talented and wasn't afraid to be himself and express himself." The 21-year-old from Long Beach, Calif., died May 3 when his vehicle flipped over in a canal in Balad, Iraq. He was stationed in Vilseck, Germany. He was an "energetic, talented kid ... a performer in every sense," said his high school drama teacher, Robert Browning. In a letter received just hours after the soldier's family learned of his...