Lcpl Jonathan Etterling died in service to his country when the CH53E helicopter he was in crashed on January 26, 2005, on what has been called the deadliest day of the war in Iraq. Johnathan was deployed to Iraq and ultimately his Battalion was attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) where he battled insurgents in Fallujah for 5 months. He and the expeditionary unit were being transported west to assist with the elections held the last week of January when the CH53E crashed in AI Rutbah.

Jonathan was proud to be a Marine and proud to serve his country. Jonathan paid the ultimate price for freedom of other; he gave his life.