News4Jax News (Florida)
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Two former Marines in St. Augustine are honoring a local officer who died in Iraq this week.
Capt. Patrick Rapicault, with the 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, was killed this week in Fallujah. His parents live in St. Augustine.
Now, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is paying tribute to Rapicault.
Though Rapicault’s parents and sister are still in mourning, they were grateful for the efforts of the sheriff’s office.
In the family´s front yard, American and Marine flags were raised in an emotional ceremony. The police officers in attendance were all former Marines who decided to dedicate a monument to the fallen officer.
Local and state representatives were also on hand.
The men who came up with the idea, brothers Tom and Mike Quintieri, both served in the Marines.
“We had two parents that lived in St. Augustine when we were deployed overseas with the Marines -- and it hit me what these parents are going through,” said Mike Quintieri.