Pat Klokow
| Date and Place of Birth: | June 23, 1976 in Santa Clara, CA |
| Date and Place of Death: | August 23, 2005 San Diego, CA |
| Baseball Experience: | College |
| Position: | Catcher |
| Rank: | Captain |
| Military Unit: | 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment US Marine Corps |
| Area Served: | Kuwait, Iraq, United States |
Patrick M. Klokaw was born on June 23, 1976 in Santa Clara,
California. He attended Homestead High School in Cupertino, where he
earned an "Ironman" award from the baseball team for catching every
single practice and game. He then attended the US Naval Academy at
Annapolis, Maryland, where he was the baseball team's catcher. During
his senior year (1999) as the team's captain he hit just .199 during the
regular season, but went on a tear during the Patriot League Tournament,
hitting .500 to lead the Midshipmen to the tournament championship. the
young catcher drove in six runs off six hits with two doubles and a
triple, and was named the tournament's most valuable player.
"The MVP was a surprise and a nice honor," said Klokow, "but it doesn't
compare to winning the championship."
"People don't realize how valuable Pat is," said Navy coach Bob
MacDonald. "His defense was outstanding all tournament, and he had a
great two days at the plate as well."
Klokow finished the year with a .204 average, scoring 16 runs with 17
RBIs.
Klokow, an artillery officer with the 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine
Regiment, served in Kuwait from January 2003 to March 2003, and was then
deployed in Iraq until July 2003.
From September 2003, Captain Klokow was stationed at the Marine Corps
Recruit Depot in San Diego, where he served as the commanding officer of
the Instructional Training Company.
On August 23, 2005, Klokow was cycling to the Recruit Depot when he was
struck and killed by a vehicle on Kearny Villa Road near the southbound
state Route 163 on-ramp. The driver did not stop. Klokow was then hit by
at least one other vehicle, whose driver also did stop. It was later
determined that 58-year-old Jose Luis Cifuentes had been driving the
vehicle that caused the fatal collision.
Klokow was survived by his wife, Captain Anne Klokow - a helicopter
pilot - who was serving with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit at
Miramar Marine Corps Air Station at the time of her husband's tragic
death.
On September 2, 2005, a memorial service was held at McDougall Hall at
the Recruit Depot, where Pat Klokow's peers eulogized him as nothing
less than a hero
Paying respect to his fallen leader, Staff Sergeant Philip J.
Kulczewski, an IT Company instructor, said, "If there was one person I
wanted to be like, it was him. It was hard to walk away from him
unmotivated or without a sense of pride. He was always there to set the
example and help you help yourself."
Captain Vincent Guida, Klokow's friend and IT Company executive officer,
commented on the eulogies: "From the descriptions, you'd think Pat could
walk on water. I'd never seen Pat walk on the waters of the swim tank
pool, but if anyone could have, it would have been him.
"We've all been touched and influenced by this man. I knew him well, but
I wish I knew him better. I spent countless hours with him, but I wish I
could have spent more."
On September 11, 2005, members of the San Diego County Bicycle
Coalition, the Triathlon Club of San Diego and friends of Patrick Klokow
held a Ride of Silence in San Diego.
Patrick Klokow is buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery.
Sources:
Sunnyvale Sun June 30, 1999
San Diego Union-Tribune August 24, 2005
Sunnyvale Sun September 14, 2005
www.marines.mil
www.deadlyroads.com
Date Added February 24, 2013
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