Sergeant Michael Edward Bitz was born on February 14, 1972 in North Dakota. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on January 10, 1995 and upon completion of recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, he attended and gradualted from the Assault Amphibian Basic Course, Camp Pendleton, California. In his first tour of duty, he was assinged to Headquarters and Service Company and then Company E, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division from 1995-1999. Sgt. Bitz served as a recruiter in Arkansas from 1999-2000 and was subsequently reassigned to Company C, 2d Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2d Marine Division on July 1, 2000. He participated in one deployment with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2001 while asinged to Company C and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM while assigned to Company A from January 10 to March 23, 2003. Sergeant Bitz was killed in action while involved in combat operations in An Nasiriyah, Iraq on March 23, 2003.

His decorations include the Silver Star, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal (with bronze star in lieu of second award), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment ribbon (with bronze star in lieu of second award).

Visit the Guest Book for Sgt. Bitz at:
http://legacy.com/GB/GuestbookView.aspx