Lance Cpl. Tyler O. Griffin
 
Lance Cpl. Tyler O. Griffin, 19, of Voluntown, Conn. Griffin was assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Even though Tyler Griffin was five years older than his neighbor Michael Delamater, he always had time for his younger friend, showing him a thing or two with the soccer ball."I'm so sad to see him go," Delamater said Sunday. "He always talked about being a Marine."
The 19-year-old Griffin, who joined the Marines in 2008, was killed last week in Afghanistan. He was 19 years old.
Griffin graduated from Griswold High School in 2008 and was a member of the school's football team.Tyler was such an inspiration," said John Delamater Jr., Michael's father. " It's really sad. He was a good kid, from a really good family."Delamater Jr. said they always knew when Griffin was home on leave because the house would be flying a Marine Corps flag."They were very, very proud of him," Delamater Jr. said.Bill Martin, who lives next door to the Wildings, said Griffin's father died about five years ago. His mother has since remarried.He said Griffin had a reputation for being a "good kid" in the neighborhood.Martin recalled Griffin would go running around the neighborhood to prepare for basic training."We'd see him out there on Route 49," Martin said. "He'd always wave."