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Marine Sgt. Luis Mercado Jr. is the most popular man in his platoon when a package arrives in Iraq from his mom in Orange County. Surrounded by many soldiers, he distributes supplies of socks, drinks and food. Two large boxes of potato chips "disappear in 10 seconds, as if [the soldiers] have never eaten chips before," says Mercado.

Luz Mercado sends out the care packages daily to boost the soldiers' morale. Sponsoring her son's platoon has become her mission since their deployment to Iraq. "We have a mini Sam's Club in our garage," Luis Mercado Sr. says. "All you need is a shopping cart to go down the aisles...Things we take for granted, they appreciate a great deal. At 7:30 a.m., it is already 137 degrees there, so drinks are very important."

Luz operated as a one-person charity for months; now she is affiliated with the non-profit organization Support Our Heroes. "it was getting costly, about $30 to $40, to send the packages," says Luis Sr. The couple have been overwhelmed by the public's response to recent publicity, which sparked donations from families and organizations. "One child sent a letter with a check for $5. He said it was all he could do now, but when he gets older he wants to be a Marine," says Luis Sr..

Luz says the soldiers are doing more for her than she can for them. "Whether we believe in the war or not, they're giving us their lives."

October 20, 2004

Despite danger, Marine writes that morale is up

By Alice Kenny
Times Herald-Record
akenny@th-record.com

While news accounts describe bombing and bloodshed in Iraq, rising death counts and Army reservists disobeying orders, Sgt. Luis Mercado, who grew up in New Windsor, wrote the Times Herald-Record, letting us know that although he and his troops are beset by danger, they're fighting back and maintaining morale. Mercado has been corresponding with the Record by e-mail since August.

Mercado, 21, a Marine sergeant, is responsible for the lives of the more than 60 men he commands. He's served on the front lines in the war in Iraq since he arrived there in August.

Mercado graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 2001. On his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the Marines. His mother, Luz Mercado, has begun a one-woman operation collecting and mailing supplies to the troops.

In the sergeant's September e-mail, he wrote about staying in Iraq while the men he commands took a short break in Germany, preparing for the Marines' next initiative.

Last week, U.S, and Iraqi forces seized the city of Samarra from insurgents. Marines are now conducting raids inside Fallujah, a bastion of Sunni violence.