Army Private Ambushed In Iraq Memorialized In California Hometown

TORRANCE, CA - JUNE 1: Mother Teresa Anzack, (L) and father Joseph Anzack Sir. (R) hugs a former football teammate of his son, Nick Ekbatani #89 during a funeral service for Cpl. Joseph Anzack, Jr., at South High School where he graduated in 2005 on June 1, 2007 in Torrance, California. Anzack went missing with two other soldiers when their combat team was ambushed on May 12 near Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad, Iraq. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack which killed four other U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter. Two American soldiers remain missing. Earlier this year, his family breathed a sigh of relief after learning that the rumors of his death which prompted South High School students to post a message on the school marquee reading, "In Loving Memory - Joseph Anzack - Class of 2005", turned out to be false. Anzack will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Pfc. Joe Anzack was promoted posthumously to Corporal. (Photo by Gus Ruelas-Pool/Getty Images)