July 5, 2013 (Kearny, NJ) The Rutgers Street Bridge between Belleville and North Arlington NJ has been renamed the Lance Corporal Osbrany Montes de Oca Memorial Bridge in honor of North Arlington resident Osbrany Mones de Oca who died in the service of the United States of America in Afghanistan in February of last year.

Montes de Oca, 20, was a Lance Corpal with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment , 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Portrait of Lance Corporal Osbrany Montes de Oca with Rutgers Street Bridge in Background. Photograph courtesy of NorthJersey.com

Montes de Oca died Feb. 10, 2012 in combat operations in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan was based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Last year, over 1500 mourners packed Montes De Oca's funeral mass at the Queen of Peace church and others lined Ridge Road in North Arlington outside the church and along the route to the North Arlington Cemetary.

North Arlington Mayor Peter Massa stated that “Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca gave his life for this country on a battlefield halfway across the world. It is a fitting tribute to have the bridge renamed in his honor and to stand as an everlasting monument to the sacrifice he made for the United States of America." Osbrany was one of three brothers, one a twin, who are serving in the United States Marine Corp.

Related Story: Staff Sergeant Edward Karolasz.