03-27-2003
In one of the last comments he made to his family, Marine Lance Cpl. David Fribley said he was just doing his job, and whatever happened, he didn’t want to be made out as a hero.
To those who knew him, that was the kind of person Fribley was.
Fribley, 26, Atwood, was one of nine Marines killed Sunday in a rocket-propelled grenade attack near An Nasiriyah when Iraqi troops faked a surrender. Fribley, a 1996 graduate of Warsaw Community High School, was the first Indiana native to die in the conflict. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade from Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Fribley was a “saw man.” A saw man operates a machine gun that fires 1,800 rounds per minute.
The news of Fribley’s death hit hard at WCHS, where he was described as a model student and where he was a standout athlete in football and track and field.
“The first thing that comes to mind about David is his work ethic,” said Ted Huber, former football and track coach at WCHS. “He’s probably the hardest working young man I’ve ever been around. He was undersized but he was good at both sports.”
Fribley, who was coached by his father, Garry Fribley, lettered all four years in track and field, ending his prep career with a ninth-place finish at the state finals his senior year in the shot put.
All four years of his high school track career, Fribley was named MVP for field events. Dave Fulkerson, in his 21st year as WCHS’ athletic director, called it a rare feat for a freshman to garner the award.
“The best way to describe David is that when he was 15 as a freshman, he was about 20 years old maturity-wise,” Fulkerson said. “When he was a senior, he was 18 going on 30. As an athletic director, I never had to worry about David getting in trouble, that’s how mature he was. A lot of that credit goes to his parents, Garry and Linda. All three of their kids were cut from the same cloth.”
Doug Ogle, who coached Fribley on the eighth-grade football team, also remembered him for his maturity.
“I remember David as being a very respectful young man and a very good competitor,” Ogle said. “He was a leader. Even in eighth grade he was an impressive guy. He was the kind of young man that makes coaching so fun. It’s devastating for me to learn of his death.”
Fribley, who lettered for three years in varsity football and was named all-conference as a senior, has a brother, Steven, stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, and a sister, Ann.
WCHS administrator Troy Akers coached against David Fribley in football while Akers was at Wawasee, and then coached Steven Fribley when Akers came to Warsaw. Akers also became close friends with Garry Fribley, who coached the Tiger shot putters and discus throwers for 20 years.
“Even though I didn’t have the privilege of coaching him, I was on the opposing sidelines,” Akers said of David Fribley. “He was a great competitor and had a tremendous work ethic. He maximized his potential as a student athlete. He worked hard in the classroom and had a tremendous ability to throw the shot put and discus. All of his hard work paid off.”
According to WCHS principal Dr. Jennifer Brumfield, at least nine television stations and nearly a dozen newspapers, including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today, contacted or came to the school Tuesday.
The flag in front of the school flew at half staff, and a message mourning his loss ran on the sign along Ind. 15.
“I was telling people David was the kind of young man you’d want your daughter to marry,” Brumfield said. “He was always positive, always wanting to know what he could do to help, and always willing to do whatever needed to be done.”
And when Fribley felt his country needed him, he wasted no time, giving up a new job in Florida and enlisting shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Fribley worked as recreation manager for Shell Point, a retirement community in Fort Meyers.
Prior to leaving for boot camp, Fribley wrote his co-workers a thank-you letter. The following was taken from Fribley’s letter.
“The greatest gift one can give to another is the gift of service. I do not know who said this but I’ve heard this saying before. The following is my gift to you; may I honor you and our fellow countrymen and women. I will earn the privilege to wear Eagle, Globe and Anchor for all those that cannot. With all the strength of my fellow Marines, we shall always provide you with the comforting feeling of safety that you have each day.”