Corporal Francisco Gomez

Corporal Francisco (Frank) Gomez CD, was born on 23 January 1962. He enrolled in Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry on 16 July 1984. He then served with 3 PPCLI for one year before moving to 2 PPCLI where he served one year in Germany with them. He then stayed with the Second Battalion until August 1990 when he joined 2 Commando and served proudly until 1995.

He then went back to the Second Battalion and stayed until 11 July 2005 when he was posted to E Company Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians). Throughout Cpl Gomez’ career he deployed on five tours of duty.

His first tour was to Cyprus in 1990. He then did a tour in Somalia with the airborne in 1993. Cpl Gomez did two tours in Bosnia, the first of which was in 1997 and then again in 2000. Cpl Gomez then served as an ambulance driver on Operation Archer in Afghanistan.

Cpl Gomez will always be remembered as a quiet but confident soldier. He never said much unless he had something important to say, or a joke that just had to be told. On the rare occasion that he did speak up everyone, including his commanders, would stop and listen.

He was a very experienced and knowledgeable soldier who was always willing to lend a hand to those who needed it. Cpl Francisco Gomez was killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan on 22 July 2006. Cpl Gomez loved his chosen life as a soldier, a paratrooper, and was a proud Patricia.