Marines Sgt. Frank R. Zaehringer, III

Sgt. Frank R. Zaehringer III, 23 of Reno Nevada, died while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan

October 14, 2010 at 10:06am

Sgt. Frank R. Zaehringer III, 23 of Reno Nevada, died while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Marine Corps announced late Tuesday. The Pentagon said he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday Sgt. Frank R. Zaehringer III, died early Monday while on a combat operation in the Helmand province.

The son of Sharon and Frank Zaehringer Jr., the Marine graduated from Wooster High School in 2005 and joined the Marines in 2007.

His mother, Sharon Zaehringer, said her son joined the Marines in 2007 “to help those who could not help themselves.” He left for Afghanistan in August on his second tour of duty.

Claudia Zaehringer of Reno said Tuesday that her nephew was fatally wounded while on foot patrol after an improvised explosive device went off.

Claudia Zaehringer said her nephew had wanted to become a Marine since he was a teenager.

“Nobody could talk him out of it,” she said. “He would run around with a backpack filled with rocks just to get in shape for boot camp.”

The Marine had served in Iraq in 2009 and left in July for his first tour of duty in Afghanistan, his aunt said.

“It was a seven-month tour so he was due to come back in February,” she said. “He already had re-upped for four more years [while] in Afghanistan.”

Frank Zaehringer III is survived by his wife, Cassie; his parents; and his sister, Nicole. His parents were traveling to Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Tuesday to retrieve his remains.