Hundreds attend Brockton service for soldier killed in Iraq

By Brian Ballou, Globe Staff

Army Capt. Andrew Palermo Jr. is being remembered today in Brockton for his smile, his dedication, and his qualities as a leader.

Palermo, a Brockton native who was killed in Iraq last month, was honored at a memorial service at St. Patrick's Church that was attended by 400 people.

Col. Robert Tripp, director of the ROTC program at Brockton High, said he had watched Palermo, 26, grow into a leader.

Palermo "had a real sense of duty and loyalty to his country," Tripp recalled.

Palermo, a 2003 graduate of Bridgewater State College, was on his second tour of duty when the Humvee he was traveling in went over an improvised explosive device.

Two of his fellow solders also perished in the April 6 incident.

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