In Remembrance: Capt Jonathan Grassbaugh

As his mom tells it, Grassbaugh was a senior at Johns Hopkins University when he fell for Jenna, a freshman.

He was helping her move into the dorms.

PG(10): Pretty close to after the time he helped her move in to her dorm, he told us he met the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with. He knew she was the one.

BE: Jon Grassbaugh was a battalion commander in the university's Reserve Officer Training Corps, R-O-T-C .

Jenna Grassbaugh tells the story a bit differently.

She had just joined R-O-T-C.

To her, the commander was intimidating.

After the dorm move, her first private conversation with Grassbaugh was at the post office.

Although against the rules, she wore her hat inside.

JG (24 secs): I hadn't figured out what to do with my hair to not mess it up every time I cap on and off and on and off.

And so, I was like, 'well no one will see me.' And then I saw him. And I was like 'Oh crap.' So I took it off. I dressed him properly, like 'hello sir, how you doing,' sort of thing. He had a little talk with me. And you know, I thought again like, 'hmm. He was a nice guy.'

BE: But then she joined the co-ed military fraternity on campus which Grassbaugh also belonged to.

Pledging was the worst.

Jenna G (11 secs): It was a miserable, miserable, two months of my life. That's the reason I got to know him better...didn't like him that much, because he played the part of the mean active real well.

BE: But she survived, and on spring break, they went out together for pizza and a movie.

Jenna G (6 secs): I was just kinda of overwhelmed by the fact that he was actually, in reality, he very very nice guy.

BE: And that's how Grassbaugh was known, as a thoughtful, nice guy.

The story goes that he even had pizza flown in to Iraq this past Thanksgiving to as a holiday treat for his combat troops.

PG (2 secs): He was a neat kid. You would have liked him.

BE:...his mother Patti Grassbaugh tells me.

His family says he was tough and smart.

He accomplished much in his short life, graduating from Phillips Exeter, Johns Hopkins University and Army Ranger School.

But one of the things he was most proud of was beating his brother Jason's SAT score.

Jason G (30): He would say, 'I got my SAT's back.' And I said, 'How did you do?' 'Well, I think I got an 800. Invariably it would come up, 'I think I did just a litter better than you.' He knew that I knew that. It put a smile on his face, but It put a smile on my face. How could you not be proud a guy who got a perfect score on their SAT's and was going to Hopkins.

In ROTC, Grassbaugh won the national two-man duet drill team competition.

And when he got into the army, Grassbaugh received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal

He loved electronics. And, his wife says…

Jenna G (35 secs): He loved maps he loved maps. He once told me, 'When I go to a new place, I like to get out a map and follow along so I can see where little Jon is on the big map. He got mad at me because I hate maps. I'm not a good navigator. I tell him too late where to turn. And he was like “sheez.” (laugh). He could figure it out where in two seconds.

BE: Their married life was short. 10 Months. But even though they were together for years, much of that time was spent apart.

For a birthday gift, Grassbaugh gave Jenna a web camera.

They used it a lot while he was stationed in Korea in 2004.

Jenna G (23 secs): At night and in the mornings I would be there in my room just waiting for him to come on and come say hi to me. we would talk. Sometimes, we wouldn't even talk the whole time. We would just have the camera on with each other. It was being together without being able to touch.

BE: They got married last summer on a rainy day on Cape Cod.

And soon after, Grassbaugh left for Iraq.

Jenna G (20 secs) We got a wedding video. He made fun of me at the time for wanting it. He said that's a lot of money. Do we really need that? But then in the end he loved it. He was so proud of it and showed it off to people. He'd email me and 'I love you so much.' And you know, It was beautiful.

BE: They planned to buy a house and start a family.

Jenna G (15 secs): Every time I saw a baby recently, I wanted to stop and look and do the oo and aahh thing. It wasn't so much I wanted a baby, it was just I just wanted his children because I thought he would be such a good dad.

BE: After services in Hamstead, Jon is to be buried at Arlington Cemetery Thursday.

For NHPR News, I'm Brian Early