CORONADO, Calif. - A 34-year-old Navy sailor based out of Coronado was killed in Iraq this week, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed Friday.
Jason C. Finan, a Chief Petty Officer assigned to an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit, died Oct. 20 in Northern Iraq from wounds sustained in an improvised explosive device blast, the DOD said.
Finan is from Anaheim, Calif., and was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq.
"The entire Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) family offers our deepest condolences and sympathies to the family and loved ones of the Sailor we lost," said Rear Adm. Brian Brakke, commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command/NECC Pacific.
Many of Finan's neighbors were shocked and deeply saddened after hearing the news of his death.
Neighbor Steve Tschakert told 10News, "He was a really nice guy; always waved, said 'hi,' chat here and there. I saw him at the Padres game … great guy, very nice."
Tschakert's mother Adriana added, "Yeah, it is shocking. He was a really nice person. I thought he was involved with the teams because I knew he was military but didn't talk about what he did. But he was always waving; had a little boy he'd play with. My younger son just graduated from the fire academy and he encouraged him … I'm really shocked right now."
