Photo By Cpl. Grant Schirmer | U.S. Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, follow Lance...... read more read more
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The Marines of 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division gathered on the morning of September 15, 2025, at the base of First Sergeant’s Hill on Camp Pendleton, California, with two wooden crosses they would be adding to the summit of the hill to honor the lives of Lance Cpl. Marcelino M. Gamino and Lance Cpl. Albert A. Aguilera.
Gamino and Aguilera were both combat engineers with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, assigned to Task Force Sapper when they lost their lives in the line of duty on April 15, 2025. These crosses, placed early in the morning, joined hundreds of other memorials commemorating the lives of fallen Marines.
“Moving these crosses to the top of the hill is to honor the Marines who came before us and give the Marines who are still here some closure,” said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Jonathan Decker, a first sergeant with 1st CEB. “A lot of these Marines were not on the mission or present, this is the time for them to get closure.”
Gamino and Aguilera were both from California, native to Fresno and Riverside respectively. Aguilera was 22 years old at the time of his passing and Gamino was 28. The two Marines left a lasting impact on the Marines they served with, making an impression with the way they motivated others and brought the Marines of 1st CEB together, said Decker.
In addition to the Marines of 1st CEB, the Gamino and Aguilera families joined in the hike up 1st Sergeant’s hill. This hike allowed the two families to stand alongside their Marines’ brothers and sisters in arms through the heartfelt and arduous hike.
The Marines and Aguilera’s father took turns carrying the crosses up the steep slope. Despite the difficulty, Aguilera’s father carried his section to the summit with the words of encouragement and assistance of the Marines around him.
As the Marines and families reached the summit, U.S. Navy Lt. Philip Botts, a chaplain with 1st CEB blessed the grounds. “We stand upon this height now, made holy by remembrance and love. We consecrate these crosses as memorials,” said Botts. “As these crosses stand firm in the earth, let their witness be steadfast among us. Declaring to all that pass by, that these Marines lived with honor, served with valor and are remembered with love.”
The Marines and families gathered in silence to pay their respects to the memorials they had built: two crosses with metal plate engravings, naming who the crosses stood for, placed by the Marines who served alongside Gamino and Aguilera.
Aguilera’s father spoke the final words to the Marines once the ceremony had ended saying, “I know he made you happy, made you laugh. I’ve lost a big part of my life with Albert gone, my only kid. Thank you for everything. Please, don’t forget them.”
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2025 20:37 |
| Story ID: | 548564 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 181 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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