This site is dedicated to the memory of Nicholas G. Xiarhos

KIA 7.23.2009
Afghanistan

To view the slideshow, simply click on the 'start' button and the show will automatically run.  To manually move through the photos, you can use the arrow buttons on the left and right of the 'start' button to navigate through the photos.  In addition, you can select which picture you wish to view. Simply stop the slide show and use the drop down menu to select your desired picture
Photos of Nick
A Note From Nick's Dad:

Nicholas George Xiarhos was born on February 12, 1988 in Hyannis. He was our first child. He leaves behind a grieving but proud family – my wife Lisa and his siblings Alexander, age 20, and twin sisters, Elizabeth and Ashlynne, age 15.

Nicholas attended Yarmouth schools and played baseball, soccer, and football. In 2005 he completed the Mass State Police Junior Trooper Academy and in June of 2006, he graduated from Dennis Yarmouth Regional High School were he was selected as a Student Ambassador and played varsity football and baseball with the DY Dolphins.

His family, friends, teachers, and coaches remember him as a kind hearted, selfless person who went out of his way to help others. He was affectionately nicknamed The Mayor of DY due to outgoing personality, popularity, and ability to get along with everyone. In his senior year, his classmates presented him with the special Does Most for Others Award. Nick enjoyed all kinds of music—especially hard rock—playing video games, driving in his black Jeep Wrangler, and spending time with his family and wide range of friends.

Nicholas had an enduring passion about serving our great country. He dreamed about someday becoming a United States Marine – a dream that became even more important after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Nick enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17. Because he was underage, my wife and I had to sign our names to the enlistment papers.

I will never forget that moment…

Nine days after graduating from high school…Nick left our beautiful Cape Cod and went off to spend the hot summer at Marine Corps Boot Camp at Marine Corps Base Parris Island, South Carolina.

Throughout the summer of 2006 Nick served a squad leader of Second Battalion Fox Company Platoon 2078. There were no phone calls or emails. Our only contact was the old fashioned hand written letters that we couldn’t wait to write and receive.

After 13 weeks, my family flew down to Parris Island and watched him and 555 of his new brothers earn the title of Unites States Marine.

I remember it was a beautiful and majestic fall day - Friday, September 22, 2006.

Nicholas became a 0351 Infantry Assaultman. He was a grunt… a “ground pounder” specially trained to carry a shoulder fired multiple rocket launcher known as a SMAW.

I often told him that maybe he should try to do another job in the Marine Corps that might be safer and he always said “Dad…I want to be a Marine and I want to fight for our freedom and want to someday tell my grandchildren that, in a time of war…I did what my President asked me to do”

Nick entered his first deployment to Iraq’s dangerous Anbar province as a member of the historic 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment (1/9) known as The Walking Dead. The Walking Dead got their name from having suffered more casualties than any other unit during the Vietnam War. Despite their great losses, they never gave up and they continued to fight and serve.

Members of 1/9 have a special bond and a tremendous pride. I was impressed that Nick was going to carry on that tradition.

Nick and his brothers in 1/9 were responsible for all security missions in the dangerous battlespace area of Ramadi, Iraq. Ramadi is a city of over 600,000. It has been divided into districts that are protected by Police Transition Teams who live with and work directly with Iraqi Police Officers.

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