Family, comrades mourn local Marine major killed in Iraq

Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec was a Marine's Marine.

Surrounded by tough guys, the 34-year-old from Winchester on the Severn stood out for his battlefield bravery. He charged the enemy as shrapnel pierced him and bullets whizzed by. Afterward, he'd make no apologies for defending his country.

"He was the consummate warrior, but he was not heartless," said former Marine Capt. Tom Ripley of Annapolis, who served with Maj. Zembiec for about a year.

A 1995 Naval Academy graduate, Maj. Zembiec died Thursday during combat operations in Iraq. He leaves behind a wife and a 1-year-old daughter.

"It's been a real loss for the...