These Paterson brothers were tight, even in the Army. Then one died in the Iraq War

Alnardo Rivera and his older half-brother Gil Mercado Jr. had been inseparable growing up in Paterson, so it seemed appropriate that after they entered the military. The two ended up in the same unit, stationed about a mile from each other near Baghdad during the start of the Iraq War 20 years ago.

But that seemingly inseparable physical bond was forever shattered on April 13, 2003, when several soldiers walked up to Rivera and one of them said, "I need you to get your stuff and I need your weapon."

"And I was like, 'Why the hell are you taking my weapon away?'' Rivera, now 43, recalled. "And that's when they told me that he had passed away."

Mercado, 25, was stationed in an abandoned building on the outskirts of Baghdad when he died. The cause of death was termed a "non-combat weapon discharge."

Mercado was the first soldier from North Jersey who died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that were launched by the United States after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. It was 20 years ago this week that a United States-led coalition of countries invaded Iraq and ultimately overthrew the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.

More than 6,900 American troops died serving in both countries, including 29 from North Jersey.

Mercado, a cook assigned to the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, was buried in Isabella, Puerto Rico, where he lived for a few years in his youth. He would be promoted posthumously from Army specialist to sergeant. He left behind his widow, Lucy, and no children. He also left behind three sisters: Glory, Gisela and Rosa.

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He would also be honored in Paterson with a memorial monument in Veterans Memorial Park, where the names of two other soldiers are also inscribed: Farid Elazzouzi, who died in June 2007, and Christian Bueno-Galdos, 25, who died in May 2009.

Now some 20 years later, Rivera remembers the brother who made friends easily.

"He was a very funny, outgoing guy. He was very humble. He went out of his way to help others," Rivera said. "If you were down, he would always look for the positive and make you feel better."

Always together

Mercado and Rivera, born three years apart, grew up with their single mom, Graciela, and their sister Glory in Paterson, moving several times.

The brothers were always close. They went to the same school, School 15.

Mercado loved rap music growing up, turning his brother onto the rapper Big Pun and the supergroup Wu-Tang Clan. And Mercado liked being physically fit, taking up martial arts and boxing.

Rivera said his big brother also never lacked girlfriends. "He was a ladies' man," Rivera recalled, laughing. "He had a lot of altercations. The other kids would want to fight with him because they were jealous."

Both brothers had a rebellious streak due to a tough upbringing, Rivera said, which ultimately caused them to be separated when Mercado moved to Puerto Rico to live with his father and attend high school. But the two would be reunited when Rivera and his mother resettled in Puerto Rico a few years later in the same area.

There, Rivera saw his brother's artistic side, recalling one of his creations, a mural of Storm from the X-Men comics.

Rivera lived for a short time in Puerto Rico, then was sent back to the United States to live with his father in Hoboken. He finished high school there and soon after, in 1998, he enlisted in the Army.

Yet again, the brothers would come together. Mercado returned to Paterson in the late 1990s, and in 2000, he too joined the Army. That didn't surprise Rivera, who said they both enlisted for the same reason.

"He joined because at that time, it was a better opportunity," Rivera said. "We joined the military to better our lives. That was the explanation to our parents."

Brothers in arms

Over the next three years, the two continued to find each other, no matter where they were stationed. They first served at Camp Casey in Korea and at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

In Afghanistan, Mercado put his training as a cook to good use to provide for his brother and their colleagues. "He would hook me and my platoon up with extra food. He would have extra food for us laying in my bunk," Rivera said.

Then in Iraq, Rivera served in the same unit as his brother, but a mile away from where his brother was located on the day he died. Mercado's death took years for his younger sibling to deal with.

"I had PTSD because of that. Then, I stayed in the military to keep my mind off of that," Rivera said. "In 2009, I started seeing a mental health provider."

Rivera said he was finally able to come to terms with the loss of his brother in 2016, with the help of therapy. Rivera retired in 2018.

When the 20-year anniversary of his brother's death comes next month, Rivera plans to pay tribute to Mercado as he has the past few years, by visiting the local veteran's cemetery in Killeen, Texas, the military town where he currently resides with his wife and children, and where several of the soldiers Rivera served with are buried. He'll also take a motorcycle ride around town.

Rivera said that despite losing his brother in service, he does not look back in bitterness.

"I would never regret it, especially given the background we came from, a broken family. The military was like our family," Rivera said. "We both knew what we're getting ourselves into."

Those who served

These are the 29 people from North Jersey who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, listed with military branch, hometown and date when they died in service:

• Spc. Jonathan Bautista - Army - Kinnelon - July 2012
• Staff Sgt. Christian Bueno-Galdos - Army - Paterson - May 2009
• Staff Sgt. Jason Butkus - Army - West Milford - August 2007
• Staff Sgt. Frank Carvill - Army National Guard - Carlstadt - June 2004
• Pfc. Min Choi - Army - River Vale - Feb. 2005
• Staff Sgt. Eric Christian - Marines - Ramsey - May 2013
• Staff Sgt. Joseph D'Augustine - Marines - Waldwick - March 2012
• Spc. Farid Elazzouzi - Army - Paterson - June 2007
• Sgt. Matthew Fenton - Marines - Little Ferry - May 2006
• Spc. Ryan Gartner - Army - Dumont - Feb. 2011
• Sgt. First Class Michael Goble - Army - Westwood - Dec. 2019
• Sgt. 1st Class Mihail Golin - Army - Fort Lee - January 2018
• Sgt. Marcos Gorra - Army - North Bergen - February 2010
• Spc. Kyle Griffin - Army - Emerson - May 2003
• Sgt. Eric Hernandez - Army - Waldwick - Dec. 2007
• Sgt. Christopher Hrbek - Marines - Westwood - Jan. 2010
• Sgt. Michael Hullender - Army - Little Falls - April 2007
• Cpl. Michael Jankiewicz - Army - Ramsey - April 2010
• Maj. Thomas Kennedy - Army - West Point, N.Y. (Don Bosco Prep /hockey player) - August 2012
• Pfc. Miguel Marcial - Marines - Secaucus - April 2007
• Staff Sgt. Timothy McGill - Army Nat. Guard - Ramsey - September 2013
• Sgt. Gil Mercado - Army - Paterson - April 2003
• Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca - Marines - North Arlington - February 2012
• Lance Cpl. Brian Parriello - Marines - West Milford - January 2005
• Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo - Army - Lodi - May 2007
• Lance Cpl. Michael Schwarz - Marines - Carlstadt - November 2006
• Capt. Michael Tarlavsky - Army - Passaic - August 2004
• 2nd Lt. Richard Torres - Army - Passaic - October 2003
• 2nd Lt. John T. Wroblewski - Marines - Jefferson - April 2004

Ricardo Kaulessar is a culture reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Region How We Live team. For unlimited access to the most important news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com

Twitter: @ricardokaul