SPECIAL TO THE DAILY RECORD Involved with Marines Helping Marines are, from left, Lou Stavely of the Maryland Department of the Marine Corps League; Tony Oszmianski of Slattery Detachment; Peter Gallo, commandant of Slattery Detachment; Gunnery Sgt. Mario Monaco; Marine Sgt. Chris Rios of Bethesda Naval Hospital's liaison office; Dan Danzi of Slattery Detachment and Joe Piazza of Lakeland Detachment. Pictured are some of those involved with Marines Helping Marines, which aids ailing comrades by bringing them supplies, visiting with them and arranging for letters, phone calls and e-mails. If you go The "Rock Out"fundraising concert, for ages 16 and older, will be held on Feb. 3 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Student Center, Anacon Hall, at Monmouth University in West Long Branch. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door or in advance by calling Donna Mancini at WMCX radio at (732) 571-3482. The bands that are scheduled to perform are Raposo, Hyjinx, No Fold, Hudson, Racing Kites and Above the Ambulance.

Concert in his honor will benefit comrades

BY NAVID IQBAL
DAILY RECORD
Relatives and friends of the 23-year-old from Hanover who was killed at a checkpoint in Iraq in October always knew he loved the Marines. He wanted to enlist right after high school. He waited until getting to Monmouth University.

Besides joining, serving and dying with the Marine Corps, Christopher Benedict Cosgrove III made other lasting gestures for an organization dear to him.

One of them was working with a group called Marines Helping Marines.

On Feb. 3, Monmouth University's college radio station, WMCX, will host a fundraiser in honor of Cosgrove. Money will be donated to a program that Cosgrove worked with and has helped injured troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq since 2003.

Art Bowie, Cosgrove's stepfather, who also has military experience, said Cosgrove had been working with the organization since its inception. He would volunteer with the program, which was an effort launched by the Marine Corps League.

Group officials said the program began when the head of the Maryland Marine Corps League received an e-mail about an injured Marine staying at the Walter Reed Army Hospital at Bethesda Naval Hospital.

"He asked if there were any Marine Corps League members in the area who could look in on this Marine and let him know that we were there for him," according to the Marine Corps League Web site.

"It immediately became clear exactly what we could do to support our Marines."

Pete Gallo, commandant of the New Jersey Marine Corps League Slattery Detachment, based in Hanover, worked closely with Cosgrove. Cosgrove had taken trips as part of the Marines Helping Marines program to assist ailing comrades at Bethesda. He was named the junior vice commandant of the Hanover league.

A solemn reunion happened some time after Cosgrove's death, when Art Bowie and Charlene, Cosgrove's mother, visited the hospital with Gallo.

Marines Helping Marines supports injured troops by providing phone cards, special pants for amputees, electric razors, sweatpants and other items. The program also arranges baseball games and barbecues and organizes weekly parties for hospital staff members and visiting families.

Bowie described the tribute by Monmouth University as touching.

"I think it's great," he said.

Bowie said his family is "doing as well as can be expected."

"We're dealing with it," he said.

Cosgrove was killed when suicide car bombers hit a checkpoint that he was manning while serving with the 25th Marines in Iraq. His funeral attracted hundreds of area residents.

Part of the money from Monmouth University's "Rock Out" concert fundraiser will go to Soldiers' Angels, which supports troops stationed overseas with backpacks filled with personal items, and by arranging visits, phone calls, e-mails and letters.