Valparaiso Marine Killed in Afghanistan

A 24-year-old Marine with ties to Indiana and Michigan was killed in an explosion last week after spending nearly four months in Afghanistan during his first tour of duty.

Daane Adam DeBoer was killed by the explosion of an improvised explosive device on Friday while on foot patrol in Afghanistan, according to a statement from his father.

DeBoer was born in Valparaiso, Ind. and attended Immanuel Lutheran School through sixth grade. He then moved to the Grand Rapids, Mich. area.

DeBoer enjoyed extreme sports, including skiing and jumping the slopes of the mighty mountains in Colorado or walking the entire 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail with his cousin which raised several thousand dollars for the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Fund, the statement said.

DeBoer joined the Marines in the the spring of 2009 and graduated boot camp on June 16, 2009, the statement said. He died during his first tour of duty in Afghanistan and was first deployed in early March 2010.

He had already reached the rank of Corporal at the time of his death, the statement said.