‘I miss him a lot’

Editor’s note: There have been 4,081 American military deaths in Iraq since the beginning of the war in 2003. For Memorial Day, the Daily Pilot wanted to honor those who have given their lives in defense of their country by telling two soldiers’ stories, through the words of the family and friends who knew them.

Lance Cpl. DANIEL J. SANTEE

Feb. 14, 1986 to April 14, 2007

Daniel Santee and his father Burt would make sure to leave their Mission Viejo home, climb on a surfboard and ride the waves together at least once a week.

Burt was a Costa Mesa police officer and about 15 other officers would usually join them for the daytrip and afterward, the group would go to a local taco shop to wind down.

“He was my youngest son, but he was my best friend,” Burt Santee said.

Burt misses those days and his son. Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Santee died April 14, 2007 while manning a Humvee turret, guarding his fellow Marines in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. He was 21.

“He was a good boy,” Burt Santee said. “He wanted to serve his country and do what I did, but he didn’t make it.”

Born on Valentine’s Day in 1986, Santee was beloved by friends and neighbors, his father said.

The blond hair, blue-eyed young man had been an intern for the Costa Mesa Fire Department and his father said he joined the Marines to be apart of the Military Police so when he came back, he could be a police officer like his father.

Burt, now retired after 32 years of service, remembers his son as someone who saw the best in everyone.

“Everybody loved him at work,” Burt said. “He was a really helpful kind of person, would do anything for anybody.”

Burt wanted to express his thanks to both Costa Mesa and Mission Viejo for its continued support, as well as the Marines for its help during the family’s difficult time.

“I am proud of Danny and proud of what he did,” Burt said. “I miss him a lot.”

Daniel Santee is survived by his father Burt, his mother Catherine, his brother Nathan, 25, and his sister Laura, 23. He is buried at Pacific View Memorial in Corona del Mar.

Staff Sgt. JOSEPH P. BELLAVIA

Sept. 9, 1975 to Oct. 16, 2003

Staff Sgt. Joseph Bellavia was all about doing his job and doing it well, and his fellow soldiers appreciated that, especially since his job was to take care of them.

“He was always making sure we got what we needed,” said Sgt. Erik Christensen, a veteran who served under Bellavia in the 101st Airborne and is now a student at UCI. “He was a really good leader and a good guy.”

Christensen remembers the tall, slender, physically fit Bellavia with his “high and tight” haircut as a tough, hard leader that always seemed to have a smile on his face. He had a wife of three years, so his family, as well as the soldiers around him, were his top priorities.

“He was definitely unique to the situation because he did have such a good sense of humor, but also made sure the job got done,” Christensen said. “He had a way of being stern, but always with a smile on his face, too.”

Bellavia, born in Wakefield, Mass., was killed while negotiating with Iraqis who were out past curfew in Karbala when the Iraqis opened fire. He was 28.

Christensen served with Bellavia for nearly two years. Christensen credits him with helping Christensen get into Air Assault school, which is no easy feat.

“We all felt disbelief when he died,” Christensen said. “We had known him for so long and he had always been around. It is hard to believe they are gone.”

After years of marching, Christensen said one can tell how a person holds themselves just from looking at them from the back. Months after his death, Christensen still sometimes saw the way Bellavia carried himself in others.

“After he died, I thought I saw him walking the street,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t him, but I always had to go and look because there is always that silly hope.”

Bellavia, is survived by his wife, Christine, and his two brothers Jonathan and Chris.

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at [email protected].