Eliu A Miersandoval

Sgt. Eliu Miersandoval was known as a friendly young man who relished soccer and the saxophone and was eager to join the Army. He saw the military as a way to expand his horizons and travel, and enlisted after high school. "He was just awesome, always had his head on straight," said his cousin, Soledad McMillen, who played in the high school marching band with Miersandoval in San Clemente, Calif. Miersandoval, 27, was among three soldiers killed Jan. 31 when an improvised explosive device hit their vehicle near Kirkuk, Iraq. Stationed at Fort Hood, Texas,he is survived by his wife, Amanda, and year-old son, Adrian. Born in Durango, Mexico, Miersandoval could be counted on to come to McMillen's defense. She remembers a time when he stood up for her when she was...