Oscar Vargas-Medina

This album is dedicated to Oscar Vargas-Medina, a Clemente graduate who lost his life while serving his country in Iraq. Special thanks to his wife, Beate, who provided these photographs and the commentaries that accompany them.

Oscar Vargas-Medina was part of his junior ROTC unit for four years while at Clemente.

He also enjoyed sports. He was a swimmer at Clemente, and his former swimming coach, Mr. Paul Rojas, remembers Oscar as being very mature. Rojas says Oscar had vision and a sense of accomplishment. "I know he followed his dream and this is what he wanted to do," said Paul Rojas.

Even as a student at Chicago's Clemente High School Oscar Vargas-Medina stood out. His teachers and club advisors like Barbara Martin say he was responsible, motivated, and determined to be successful. "He was always involved and responsible and of course this is true of his military career and, therefore, you know, he's a hero in my book and to all of us at Clemente and in Chicago," Martin said.

"He had a heart of gold and never quit. He saw the goals we set up as a team and he did whatever he could do to help achieve those goals," Rojas said.

Oscar was on the sectional championship swim team. Mr. Rojas ranks Oscar among the best. "Top Five. He's one of those kids that I think of all the time, especially since he has died serving his country." Rojas said.

Oscar was killed in May 2002, when Shiite militiamen attacked his military convoy near the southern city of Al Amarah.

"He was one of the hardest working people I ever knew and he loved this country. He loved his job. He loved what he did. He overall was just one of those people that, you know, you looked to for inspiration because he always did everything with such motivation and energy," Vargas-Medina's brother told ABC7 News by phone from Florida.

Oscar will be remembered by his family and those who knew him in Chicago. "He was there doing his duty and he's a hero," Barbara Martin said.

Oscar was 32-years-old and his job in the army was to repair