SPC Frances M. Vega a.k.a. That Girl Benitez (June 1983-November 2, 2003) in San Francisco, California, was the first female soldier of Puerto Rican descent to die in a combat zone. 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... City nickname: The City by the Bay Official website: http://www. ...

SPC. Frances M. Vega (1983-2003) Bronze Star Medal

Frances M. Vega was born into a military family. Her father was a member of the U.S. Army and was stationed in California where Frances was born. After her father retired from the army the family moved and settled in Puerto Rico where she continued her education at Antilles High School and graduated in 2000. Download high resolution version (1000x1161, 11 KB)I, Wguynes, am the artist of this graphic. ... Image File history File links Francis_M._Vega. ... Source: http://www. ... Bronze Star (from [1]) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Influenced by her military background and by the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks she enlisted in the Army. Here she met her future husband and was married. Vega was assigned to the 151st Adjutant General Postal Detachment 3 at Fort Hood, Texas. Fort Hood is a census-designated place and US Army post located outside of Killeen Texas. ... ...

She was deployed to Iraq in what is known as the War on Terrorism. On November 2, 2003, a ground-to-air missile was fired by insurgents in Al Fallujah and it hit the U.S. transport helicopter (Chinook) which Vega was in. She was one of 16 soldiers who lost their lives in the crash that followed. For the album by NOFX, see War on Errorism. ... The Bell 206 of Canadian Helicopters Robinson Helicopter Company (USA) R44, a four seat development of the R22 A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors (propellers). ...

SPC Frances M. Vega was buried in the National Cemetery in Bayamon, Puerto Rico with full military honors and was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal for bravery and a Purple Heart Medal. Bayam n (not to be confused with Bayamo, Cuba) is a city in northern Puerto Rico. ... The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ... The Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded in the name of the President of the United States to those who have been wounded or killed while serving in, or with, the U.S. military after April 5, 1917. ...

The post office on Camp Victory North, located in Baghdad, Iraq, was renamed the Frances M. Vega Army Post Office in a dedication ceremony in 2005. Her name along with the others who have perished in Afghanistan and Iraq, will be engraved in "El Monumento de la Recordacion" (Monument of Rememberance), dedicated to Puerto Rico's fallen soldiers and situated in front of the Capitol Building in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans - Military