Far Northwest Side School To Honor Fallen Marine

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Students at St. Patrick High School on the city's Far Northwest Side are honoring a fallen U.S. Marine Monday morning, after he was killed in combat in Afghanistan.

As WBBM Newsradio's John Waelti reports, Lance Cpl. Nickolas Daniels, 25, of 2300 block of 74th Court in Elmwood Park, was only a few weeks into active duty in Afghanistan when he was killed during combat operations on Nov. 5.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's John Waelti reports

Daniels was a 2004 graduate of St. Patrick, where he excelled in football and made All-Conference his senior year.

He worked several jobs in Elmwood Park and coached football at his high school alma mater, but decided to join the Marine Corps because he believed it would help him reach his goal of becoming a police officer.

So Daniels left home Sept. 4 for his first deployment as a combat engineer. He worked in an explosive disposal unit, a member of the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division.

On Monday morning, a memorial service is being held at 11 a.m. Afterward, the procession will head past the high school at 5900 W. Belmont Ave., where students are planning to stand outside, holding flags in Daniels' honor.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

In:
• Elmwood Park