Cpl Joseph E. Fite, USMC, was killed in action on January 9, 2005 in the Anbar province of Iraq. Joseph was born April 25, 1981 in Austin, TX to Marcia Lynn Fite and Olin Cleveland Fite III. He was the eldest son and the middle child of five children. When he was age three, his parents moved to Round Rock, TX where he attended local schools until his graduation from Round Rock High School in 1999. During his years in Round Rock, Joseph played Little League baseball and was in the Boy Scouts. He started playing the trombone in 6th grade and continued through high school and a year at UT in the Longhorn Band. As a member of the RRHS Band he got to travel to Chicago one year and England the next. As a freshman in high school, at age 14, he joined the Junior Marine Corps ROTC. As a member of the ROTC he traveled to the Marine Corps Base at 29 Palms on three summer camps. After graduation from RRHS, Joseph enlisted that summer in the Marine Corps Reserve. In the Fall of 1999 Joseph was accepted to UT and started classes. He joined and was active in the Naval ROTC there, as well as playing in the Longhorn Band and socializing with his fraternity brothers. He was a Capitol Tour Guide during this time, too. After two years, Joseph left UT and went to work full time while still maintaining his status in the Marine Corps Reserve. He went to work as a Valet for Henna Chevrolet, putting in long hours making a living and performing his reserve duties. He was called to active duty in June of 2004 and deployed to Iraq in August of 2004, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Austin, TX. He was a very proud and patriotic young man, a quiet man. Quiet men know how to love those in their care without being demanding or demonstrative. Joseph died an independent free man. He followed his own heart and dreamed his own dreams. He was killed by enemy action on January 9th in Anbar Province while doing his duty of insuring the safety of others during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Go to ToGetherWeServed.com for an outline of his service and decorations. Joseph is survived by his parents and siblings: sisters Jennifer and Sarah, and brothers Thomas and Michael. Funeral services were held on January 17, 2005 at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel with Col. Bill Bischoff officiating. Interment followed at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX, with full military honors. A fellow UT classmate and midshipman for a time, Jason Cole, reported Joseph’s death to us on January 22, 2013. Joseph and Jason both started with the Class of 2003. Jason left the following message to Joseph on the Fallen Heroes Memorial website: "It has been some time since we were together at the University of Texas NROTC, but I still remember you like it was yesterday. You were a stand-up guy and a top notch midshipman. You were a man of few words, but the 'Run to Dallas' was a memorable experience nonetheless. Your family should be proud to have raised such an outstanding young man. Rest in Peace, Marine."

Fite, Joseph, Cpl