ORLANDO, Fla. — A Marine who refused to return to the United States after he was wounded in combat in Iraq in April has been killed in action, his father and military officials confirmed Friday.
Sgt. Kenneth Conde Jr., 23, of Orlando, died Thursday while fighting in Anbar province, Iraq, the Department of Defense said in a statement.
“He had to be the best at anything he did,” said his father, Kenneth Conde Sr., a former Marine himself. “He wouldn’t back down from any challenge. Once he focused on something, there was nothing to sideline him.”
One thing that did sideline Conde Jr., but not for long, was a bullet that went into his left shoulder and...