Military Families Say A Final Farewell -- Marine Killed In Gulf War Laid To Rest In Oregon

CUTLINE: AP: THE FLAG THAT HAD COVERED MARINE CAPT. JIM THORP'S CASKET WAS GIVEN TO HIS MOTHER DOROTHY DURING A GRAVESIDE SERVICE FOR HIM IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, KY. THORP'S HELICOPTER CRASHED THIS MONTH IN SAUDI ARABIA.

ROSEBURG, Ore. - A Marine Corps honor guard fired a 21-gun salute as about 300 people gathered in the rain yesterday for the funeral of one of the Northwest's first native sons to die fighting in the Persian Gulf.

Lance Cpl. Michael Linderman Jr., 19, was killed Jan. 29 during fighting with Iraqi troops in Saudi Arabia.

The government has said it appears a missile fired from a U.S. warplane slammed into a light armored vehicle, killing Linderman and six other Marines.

Michael Linderman Sr., a Navy chief petty officer stationed in Lansing, Mich., has said he hoped his son's death would serve to build support for President Bush's efforts to drive Iraq out of Kuwait and for the men and women fighting in the Gulf War.

Linderman said he wanted his eldest son to be remembered as a ``fine young man.'' The Lindermans' other children are Brendan, 15, and Brianne, 7.

``He was a great son. He was a wonderful individual. And a brave young Marine,'' Linderman said.

A career Navy enlisted man with almost 20 years' service, Linderman said he initially was troubled by reports his son was probably a victim of misdirected allied fire.

``But after I got to think about it, Mike was killed in action,'' Linderman said. ``He was fighting when he was killed.

``Nothing official said he was killed by friendly fire. Either way, it doesn't matter. It shouldn't matter to anybody. He was doing his job. That is what he hired on to do. Mike would have done nothing less.''

At the conclusion of the service, Cpl. Joe Sciannameo presented the folded flag from Linderman's gray and chrome casket to the widow, Christina Linderman. He gave another flag to Linderman's mother, Danese Linderman. Sciannameo accompanied the body home from Saudi Arabia.

Eight Marine pallbearers in dress blue uniforms from the 6th Bridge Company, a reserve unit based in Eugene, carried the casket from a hearse.

Seven other Marines fired a series of three rifle volleys and a trumpeter played Taps. Then the pallbearers folded the flag.

Though he moved around the country because of his father's Navy career, Linderman always considered Roseburg his home.

Born in Roseburg, he often spent time on his grandparents' nearby sheep ranch.

Linderman joined the Marines after his 1989 graduation from Central Kitsap High School at Silverdale, Wash. After boot camp, he married his high-school sweetheart and they settled in Twentyine Palms, Calif.