‘Greater love hath
no man than this,
that a man lay down
his life for his friends.’
John 15:13

James Patrick (J.P.) Blecksmith was born at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California on September 26, 1980 to parents Pamela and Edward Blecksmith. He attended Valentine School in San Marino, California through 2nd grade, before moving with his family to Seattle, Washington in 1989. J.P. spent 4th grade through 6th grade at Epiphany School in Seattle. In 1993, the family returned to Southern California and J.P. was enrolled at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada as a 7th grader. He graduated in 1999.

During his time in high school, J.P. excelled in both the classroom and on the athletic field. He lettered four years in track, three years in football and two years in soccer. As the quarterback of the Flintridge Prep football team, J.P. was named First Team all-CIF as both a junior and a senior.  He was voted the Prep League’s Most Valuable Player in 1998, he was voted First Team all-San Gabriel Valley and in addition, he was named to three national All-American teams as a blue chip athlete.  In track, J.P. competed at CIF finals, in nine events and was all-CIF in his sophomore, junior and senior years. He was voted the Prep League’s Most Valuable Track Athlete in 1999. In high school, J.P.’s civic duties included serving as 10th grade class president, becoming a member of the National Honor Society and being selected to serve as a peer counselor during his senior year. His involvement in community service outside of school led him to spend two-weeks in Costa Rica during the summer before his senior year with Peace Works International (PWI) working on several service projects within impoverished villages.

He received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and entered the Academy in June, 1999. He participated in the varsity football program during his four years and lettered as a senior wide receiver. He graduated May, 2003 and accepted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. After taking leave to tour Europe, he completed The Basic School (TBS) and Infantry Officer’s Course (IOC) at Quantico, Virginia. In April, 2004 J.P. was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment of the First Marine Division and commanded the 3rd Platoon of India Company. After training with his platoon for four months, the Battalion deployed to Iraq on September 10, 2004.

On September 26, 2004, J.P. celebrated his 24th birthday in Iraq. He had two goals in going to Iraq:

1. He wanted to be a good leader of his Marines in combat.
2. He wanted to bring all of his men home safely.

J.P. achieved both of those goals as he was the only one killed in his platoon. In correspondence home, J.P. mentioned his optimism about the future of Iraq and his excitement at the prospect of helping to bring freedom to that country. He truly loved his friends and left many of them behind from Flintridge Prep, the Naval Academy, the Marine Corps and the community. He touched many lives. J.P. predeceased his mother, Pamela Blecksmith (d. January 11, 2008) and is immediately survived by his father Ed, his sister Christina and his brother Alex.

JP was awarded the Purple Heart, and in a ceremony at Camp Pendleton on April 20, 2005, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with a Combat 'V' presented to his family in front of Third Platoon.