DOD announces death of local marine

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Maj. Joseph T. McCloud, 39, of Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.

Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va.

Both Marines died Dec. 3 when the CH-46 helicopter they were in crashed in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

According to a news release, Sticklen was an intelligence specialist who enlisted in the Marine Corps in October 2002. He reported to Hawaii July 2003.

Sticklen's awards include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Korean Defense Service Medal.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.