Marine Cpl. Gooden was assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Gooden was killed in action during a firefight in central Iraq. The last time Bernard saw his mother was on Christmas, when she cooked his favorite Jamaican food. They sat on the floor and talked about his dream to become a lawyer. He had been stationed overseas for a few months. The straight-A student had been excited to go, but once there he wrote letters that described the experience as "horrible." She sent him a care package of cheese, crackers and other goodies that Bernard was craving. A few days before her son was killed, Thompkins received a thank-you letter from him that was "the best letter that anybody could ever have," she said through her tears. He joined the Marines in 2001 as a way to finish his education, hoping to pursue corporate law. His mother says this about the firefight that took Bernard's life, "He fought for 6 1/2 hours; he put up a good fight."
Marine Cpl. Gooden was assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Gooden was killed in action during a firefight in central Iraq. The last time Bernard saw his mother was on Christmas, when she cooked his favorite Jamaican food. They sat on the floor and talked about his dream to become a lawyer. He had been stationed overseas for a few months. The straight-A student had been excited to go, but once there he wrote letters that described the experience as "horrible." She sent him a care package of cheese, crackers and other goodies that Bernard was craving. A few days before her son was killed, Thompkins received a thank-you letter from him that was "the best letter that anybody could ever have," she said through her tears. He joined the Marines in 2001 as a way to finish his education, hoping to pursue corporate law. His mother says this about the firefight that took Bernard's life, "He fought for 6 1/2 hours; he put up a good fight."
Bio by: Brenda N
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