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Published on Friday, October 15, 2004
in the Stuart News
PORT ST. LUCIE -- A Marine corporal from Port St. Lucie was killed in Iraq Tuesday, three weeks after surviving an anti-tank mine that blew off the front end of his Humvee and seriously injured a passenger.
As an American flag few in front of their home, Ian T. Zook's parents on Thursday spoke of their son's wit, passions and military experiences.
"He was very proud," said Mark Zook, a Florida Highway Patrol corporal. "He just sent us an e-mail -- we received it on Sunday night -- and it has a photograph of him standing next to the Hummer. ... You could tell he was proud."
Ian Zook, 24, and a 19-year-old Marine private from North Lauderdale died after "enemy action" in Iraq's Al Anbar province, the Department of Defense stated.
Ian earned straight As and was valedictorian at Faith Baptist School, graduating in 1999. Although he wanted to enter the ministry and went to a bible college for a year, the younger Zook decided law enforcement was in his future and enlisted in the Marines in May 2001.
His first duty station was in Kings Bay, Ga., before traveling to Twentynine Palms, Calif., and deploying to Iraq in August.
Mark Zook said he last spoke to his son, an Illinois native, Sunday night and that he said he'd returned from a mission and was OK.
Zook's morale was good, though at times he related incidents that troubled him.
"I believe the first time he helped a wounded fellow solider, carried him to the hospital, his legs were mortally wounded, and when Ian found out that the solider did not survive I think that bothered him quite a bit," Zook said.
Ian Zook was a fire team leader and conducted "support and stability operations," assisting Iraqi forces, keeping the peace and policing, a Twentynine Palms base spokesman said. He was scheduled to return to the United States in late February or early March.
"He had a real quick sense of humor," said Karen Zook, Ian's mother. "He was very caring and a faithful friend."
Ian Zook's passions included helping others.
"He went on several mission trips when he was in high school," Mark Zook said. "He had a love for the Lord and he had traveled to Norway with a group of teen missions out of Merritt Island."
The Zooks came to Florida 20 years ago. Ian's sister, a registered nurse, moved to Illinois after Hurricane Charley.
Ian enjoyed computers, computer games and the ocean.
"His wit was just uncanny, " Zook said, noting his son could pick up comedy routines from television and "go with it."
Mark Zook said his son called Sept. 24 to say that four days earlier he was driving a Humvee when it struck an antitank mine that "literally blew the front of the Humvee off."
"The front seat passenger was seriously wounded, lost a leg. (Ian) sustained some superficial wounds," Zook said.
"We were just thankful he was alive," Karen Zook said. "He was up for the Purple Heart for that."
His awards include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
"He had called up and he had told us that we now have two corporals in the family," Mark Zook said. "He was promoted, which I was very proud of."