Died May 11, 2006 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom
 

Assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 11 in a vehicle accident in the Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed were Lance Cpl. Jason K. Burnett, Lance Cpl. David J. Grames Sanchez and 2nd Lt. Michael L. Licalzi.
 
Vahaviolos, from Airmont, N.Y., joined the Marine Corps July 21, 2003 and attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C. He completed Marine Combat Training at the School of Infantry before becoming a tank crewman after graduating from the U.S. Army Armor Center in Fort Knox, Ky. He was assigned to A Company and deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom and fought in Fallujah during Operation Al Fajr.
 
His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Iraqi Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. Vahaviolos was 21.