Tributes to California’s war dead

On this Memorial Day, the Los Angeles Times pays tribute to the California service members who have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq by publishing a selection of com­ments posted over the last year by those who knew and loved them. Hundreds more can be read on The Times’ database, California’s War Dead.

 These memories speak of friendship and loss in a simple and heartfelt way — and remind us of the great sac­ri­fices made in service to this country.

 More than 6,000 members of the American military have died since the conflict in Afghanistan began in late 2001. Among them are 643 Californians and an additional 447 men and women who were assigned to bases in this state.

 Read more here: Tributes to California’s war dead