State Marine Dies In Iraq
Waterbury Man Remembered For Positive Attitude

DAVE ALTIMARI And SHAWN R. BEALS
Hartford Courant Staff Writers

June 1, 2008

WATERBURY — - A former Wilby High School student who talked about going into the Marines all through high school died in his first tour of duty in Iraq.

The military notified 21-year-old Christian Cotner's family on Friday that he had died. Details about how he died have not been released, and the military has not publicly announced his death.

Cotner is the 42nd person with ties to Connecticut to die in either Afghanistan or Iraq.

The news of his death came the same day U.S. officials announced that the number of military deaths had plunged in May to the lowest monthly level in more than four years. U.S. officials said 21 American service members were killed in May, one more than the lowest monthly figure for the war set in February 2004.

When reached by phone Saturday at their Waterbury home, Cotner's parents said they could not talk about their son's death yet. Funeral services are pending.

A Crescent Street neighbor, Ned Kurtz, remembered him as a nice young man who liked being a Marine.

"He was a very nice kid," Kurtz said. "He was polite and helpful. I can't say enough about him. He had a positive attitude about the Marine Corps."

Read More about this Fallen CT Hero here.

Labels: CT Heroes, Fallen Heroes, USMC