“It’s What I Got to Do”
By Matthew Dohle
Kyle Wayne Burns
July 16, 1986 – November 11, 2004
Lance Corporal Kyle Wayne Burns. Picture received from "Find a Grave.”
Kyle Wayne Burns was born on July 16, 1986 to parents Jo and Bob Burns. Having been born and raised in Laramie, Wyoming, Kyle quickly became attached to the outdoor life, developing a natural affinity for rock climbing, camping, and fishing. His father taught him how to cast a rod when Kyle was still in diapers.
Being the youngest in the family, Kyle was a daredevil and a go-getter compared to his siblings. Whenever there was a hockey game, he would wait outside in -40 degree weather, shirtless! And, despite his mother frequently yelling at him to not jump off the roof of the garage, he would ignore her and jump off over and over again.[1] His penchant for not playing by the rules and refusing to listen to authority would get him into trouble in by the time he entered high school.[2] The decision, then, to suddenly join the Marine Corps in June of 2002, a month after graduating high school, shocked Kyle’s parents. Nevertheless, Kyle ignored his parent’s objections and reported to the San Diego Marine Recruit Depot for basic training.
After bootcamp, Kyle was assigned to Camp Pendleton in Northern California under Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) assignment. A year later, in the fallout of 9/11, The United States declared war on Iraq, specifically against Saddam Hussein’s regime and their alleged “Weapons of Mass Destruction.” In the same month, Kyle was deployed.
The following year, Kyle would find himself reassigned for his second tour in Iraq. While not excited, he understood his job and what was expected from him, telling his mom, “It’s what I want to do. It’s what I got to do.”[3] He would be assigned to the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division as an infantryman.[4] He took part in the second Battle of Fallujah, a hostile battle during the United States Operation Iraqi Freedom that looked to destroy the Iraqi insurgents who were using the city as a stronghold.[5] Burns made the ultimate decision to draw enemy fire away from the other troops, and ended up being killed from a gunshot wound to the chest.[6]
Footnotes ↓
[1] Matray, Margaret, “Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Burns: Living with No Regrets,” Casper Star-Tribune Online, May 28, 2012. https://trib.com/article_c05393c5-58ad-53ac-9c95-1eb14be4e235.html.
[2] “LCPL Kyle Wayne Burns (1984-2004) - Find a Grave...” FindaGrave.com, Accessed September 18, 2021, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9924848/kyle-wayne-burns.
[3] “LCPL Kyle Wayne Burns (1984-2004) - Find a Grave...” FindaGrave.com, Accessed September 18, 2021, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9924848/kyle-wayne-burns.
[4] TogetherWeServed, Accessed July 19, 2021, https://marines.togetherweserved.com/usmc/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=SBVTimeLine&type=Person&ID=388476.
[5] “Second Battle of Fallujah,” Encyclopedia Britannica online, Accessed September 18, 2021, https://www.britannica.com/event/Second-Battle-of-Fallujah.
[6] Matray, Margaret, “Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Burns: Living with No Regrets,” Casper Star-Tribune Online, May 28, 2012. https://trib.com/article_c05393c5-58ad-53ac-9c95-1eb14be4e235.html.
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