Wayne man killed in Iraq
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 15, 2004 2:00 PM
The family of two men stationed in Iraq has learned that one was killed over the weekend and are now anxiously awaiting his twin brother's return to Goldsboro.
Luis Carrasquillo of Goldsboro is the oldest of four sons born to Isabel Carrasquillo of Goldsboro and retired Air Force Capt. Luis Carrasquillo Sr. of Myrtle Beach. He said his mother was contacted by the military on Sunday and told that Jocelyn, 28, had been killed on Saturday.
Jocelyn Carrasquillo
"He's part of infantry," Carrasquillo said. "He was part of a convoy that hit a land mine."
The convoy was believed to have been headed to northeast Baghdad, Luis said. It was unknown how many others were involved or injured.
Jocelyn, a 1994 graduate of Southern Wayne High School, has been in the National Guard for seven years and had been working and attending school in Wilmington.
Headquartered at Fort Bragg, he was part of the 30th Army Brigade. He was deployed for the first time three weeks ago.
Luis remembered Jocelyn as someone who liked to dance and enjoyed making people laugh.
"He was always smiling," he said.
He said Jocelyn had called their mother for her birthday on March 10.
"He said everything was fine," he said. "He was happy, assured us he was safe.
"He was having a good time, fighting for our country. He was definitely not scared to be there."
Ronald Carrasquillo
Jocelyn shared a March 31 birthday with twin brother Ronnie, a deputy with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Ronnie is in the Army Reserves out of Rocky Mount and was deployed last April. He was due to return home next month, but the family has sought the help of the Red Cross to reunite him with his family.
"The Red Cross and the military is assuring us they'll do everything they can to get him here," Luis said.
He said the family reached Ronnie by phone Sunday night and broke the news to him.
"He's going to take it hard," he said. "They were very close."
Ronnie called the family this morning and said he would be flying out of Iraq today and is expected to arrive in North Carolina on Tuesday.
A fourth brother, Kenneth Luis, lives in Grifton.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete pending the return of Jocelyn's body. Condolences can be sent to the family at 1504 Peachtree St. in Goldsboro.