The Santa Barbara Independent April 22, 2004
DAY BY DAY: Death by Death
Chronology of U.S. Military Fatalities Since 'Mission Accomplished'
April is the cruelest month, and the past 22 days
have by far been the bloodiest since the United States went to war in
Iraq. One hundred and four soldiers have been killed this month, and May
1 will mark the one-year anniversary since “Mission Accomplished.”
President Bush touched down a year ago on the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham
Lincoln wearing an army flight suit, postured like a prizefighter, and
gave the world a big thumbs up. Major combat in Iraq, he declared, was
finished. Since that day, 636 American soldiers have died, bringing the
death toll to 705 and counting. Seven hundred and five sons and daughters.
Maybe that doesn’t sound like such a big number, not when you consider
that nearly 60,000 soldiers were lost in Vietnam. But to gain a little
perspective, consider that the 2004 graduating class at Santa Barbara
High is projected to be 525 students. If that entire senior class had
perished over the last year — killed by self-inflicted gunshot wounds,
friendly fire, blown up by crude homemade bombs, shot by insurgents, burned
to death in helicopter crashes, drowned, succumbed to heat exhaustion,
and crushed when their million-dollar Humvees rolled over on them —
we would still need to sacrifice more than 100 kids to match the body
count in Iraq.
In this age of 24-hour news coverage and worldwide Internet access, information
about the American casualties — numbers and circumstances —
have been surprisingly hard to come by. And maybe that makes it easier
to bear. Out of sight, out of mind. The bodies of the dead, after all,
are unloaded under cover of darkness in the middle of nowhere. Their funerals
are certainly not televised, and President Bush has yet to attend one
of them. But a few weeks ago, we saw the following article in the Village
Voice — a list of the military casualties suffered in Iraq between
May 1, 2003 and March 19, 2004, exhaustively researched and compiled by
Ward Harkavy. Reading the list is like entering a long dark tunnel, one
that has no apparent end in sight, and we at The Independent were so moved
by Harkavy’s piece that we felt compelled to reprint it here. These
are our dead.
— Christopher Baer
MAY2003
1 President George W. Bush, aboard the U.S.S.
Abraham Lincoln, declares, “Major combat operations in Iraq have
ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.”
A private first class is killed when a riverbank collapses and his parked tank falls into the Euphrates River. [Jesse A. Givens, 34, Springfield, MO]
3A sergeant is killed when he falls off a ladder and his M-4 rifle accidentally discharges. [Sean C. Reynolds, 25, East Lansing, MI]
4A private first class is killed by a
non-combat weapons discharge in Kuwait. [Jason L. Diebler, 20,
Coeburn, VA]
8A private first class is killed by a sniper while directing traffic on a Baghdad bridge. [Marlin T. Rockhold, 23, Hamilton, OH]
9Two chief warrant officers and a corporal are killed when their Black Hawk air medical helicopter snags a power line and crashes into the Tigris River while on a rescue mission. [Brian K. Van Dusen, 39, Columbus, OH; Hans N. Gukeisen, 31, Lead, SD; Richard P. Carl, 26, King Hill, ID]
A lance corporal is killed in Kuwait when a heavy LVS transport vehicle slams into his pickup. [Cedric E. Bruns, 22, Vancouver, WA]
10A lance corporal is killed in Kuwait when his Humvee
hits a parked trailer.
[Matthew R. Smith, 20,
Anderson, IN]
13 A lance corporal and a private first class are killed when ordnance they are handling explodes. [Jakub Henryk Kowalik, 21, Schaumburg, IL; Jose Franci Gonzalez Rodriguez, 19, Norwalk, CA]
13 A lance corporal is killed when a munitions bunker
in which he’s working catches fire and explodes. [Nicholas Brian
Kleiboeker, 19, Irvington, IL]
A staff sergeant is killed when his convoy is ambushed. [Patrick Lee Griffin
Jr., 31, Elgin, SC]
14 A specialist is killed while driving a five-ton truck when he swerves into the median to avoid an Iraqi civilian vehicle and his truck overturns. [David T. Nutt, 32, Blackshear, GA]
16 A master sergeant is killed when ordnance he’s examining explodes. [William L. Payne, 46, Otsego, MI]
18 A specialist is fatally shot in the chest by another
soldier cleaning his gun. [Rashid Sahib, 22, Brooklyn, NY]
A corporal is killed when a large transport truck in which he’s
riding rolls over. [Douglas Jose Marenco-Reyes, 28, Chino, CA]
19 A lieutenant colonel is killed when a tractor-trailer jackknifes on
a road and collides with his Humvee. [Dominic R. Baragona, 42, Niles,
OH]
A captain, a first lieutenant, a lance corporal, and a staff sergeant
are killed when their CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crashes into a canal
shortly after takeoff. [Andrew David La Mont, 31, Eureka, CA; Timothy
Louis Ryan, 30, Aurora, IL; Jason William Moore, 21, San Marcos, CA; Aaron
Dean White, 27, Shawnee, OK] A sergeant drowns trying to rescue them.
[Kirk Allen Straseskie, 23, Beaver Dam, WI]
A staff sergeant is fatally injured when he orders his troops to fire
a grenade at the door of a suspected arms market and a piece of shrapnel
flies under his helmet and lodges in his head. He dies June 18. [William
T. Latham, 29, Kingman, AZ]
21 A specialist is killed when his vehicle rolls over en route to a civilian call. [Nathaniel A. Caldwell, 27, Omaha, NE]
25 A private is killed in an explosion while providing security at an Iraqi ammo dump. [David Evans Jr., 18, Buffalo, NY]
26 A major is killed by gunmen when his convoy is ambushed.
[Mathew E. Schram, 36, Brookfield, WI]
A staff sergeant and a private are killed when a heavy-equipment transporter
crosses a road median and strikes their Humvee.
[Brett J. Petriken, 30, Flint MI; Kenneth A. Nalley, 19, Hamburg, IA]
A private first class is killed when his vehicle is blown up by a bomb
in the road. [Jeremiah D. Smith, 25, Odessa, MO]
A sergeant is fatally injured on his way back to the U.S. when his Humvee
rolls over on the road to Kuwait. [Jonathan W. Lambert, 28, Booneville,
MS]
A sergeant who had written to his father complaining of the heat drowns
after jumping into a seven-foot-deep body of water. [Keman L. Mitchell,
24,
Hilliard, FL]
27 A sergeant and a staff sergeant are shot to death on checkpoint guard duty by the occupants of a vehicle. [Thomas F. Broomhead, 34, Fort Myers, FL; Michael B. Quinn, 37, Tampa, FL]
28 A specialist is killed when his convoy is ambushed.
[Jose Amancio Perez III, 22, San Diego, TX]
A staff sergeant dies of a heart attack. [Kenneth R. Bradley, 39, Utica,
MS]
30Three specialists are killed during a storm when a civilian vehicle dodges a pothole, causing two Humvees in their convoy to swerve and their truck to turn sharply and roll over. [Zachariah W. Long, 20, Milton, PA; Kyle A. Griffin, 20, Emerson, NJ; Michael T. Gleason, 25, Warren, PA]
JUNE2003
3A sergeant is killed by gunfire and grenades in a checkpoint ambush.
[Atanasio Haro Marin Jr., 27,
Baldwin Park, CA]
5A private first class is killed by a rocket-propelled grenade in a midnight
ambush at a checkpoint. [Branden F. Oberleitner, 20, Worthington, OH]
6A sergeant on an escort mission is killed when his
vehicle hits a curb and rolls over. [Travis L. Burkhardt, 26,
Edina, MO]
A petty officer third class dies of a heart attack. [David Sisung, 21,
Phoenix, AZ]
A petty officer third class is killed when ordnance is accidentally detonated
in a construction area. [Doyle W. Bollinger Jr., 21,
Poteau, OK]
7A private is shot to death when his military-police station is hit by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. [Jesse M. Halling, 19, Indianapolis, IN]
8A sergeant at a checkpoint is shot to death after two men get out of a vehicle, request a medic for what they call a “sick friend,” and suddenly open fire. [Michael E. Dooley, 23, Pulaski, VA]
10A private first class is killed when a rocket-propelled grenade launched from a nearby house hits a bus in which he’s resting off duty. [Gavin L. Neighbor, 20, Somerset, OH]
1@A specialist drowns while swimming in a lake in a palace compound. [John K. Klinesmith Jr., 25, Stockbridge, GA]
13 A staff sergeant is killed when his M-113 armored personnel carrier throws a track and rolls over. [Andrew R. Pokorny, 30, Naperville, IL]
15 A private first class is killed by a “non-combat weapons discharge.” [Ryan R. Cox, 19, Derby, KS]
16 A private is shot to death by a sniper. [Shawn Pahnke,
25,
Shelbyville, IN]
A specialist dies of a “self-inflicted” Tylenol overdose.
[Joseph D. Suell, 24, Lufkin, TX]
17 A sergeant dies of pneumonia. [Michael L. Tosto,
24, Apex, NC]
A private is killed by a grenade thrown over a wall while he’s on
guard duty. [Robert L. Frantz, 19,
San Antonio, TX]
18 A private first class is shot to death while guarding a propane distribution center. [Michael R. Deuel, 21, Nemo, SD]
19A specialist is killed when a rocket-propelled grenade hits an ambulance in which his crew is transporting a wounded soldier. [Paul T. Nakamura, 21, Santa Fe Springs, CA]
2@A specialist is killed by small-arms fire during an ambush. [Orenthial J. Smith, 21, Allendale, SC]
24 A specialist dies of “non-combat-related causes.” [Cedric L. Lennon, 32, West Blocton, AL]
25 A specialist is killed when his Humvee is blown up in an ambush. [Andrew Chris, 25, Florence, AL]
A lance corporal is killed when his armored vehicle rolls over. [Gregory E. MacDonald, 29, Washington, DC]
26 A specialist is shot to death while investigating
a car theft. [Richard P. Orengo, 32, Toa Alta, PR]
A specialist dies in Kuwait of breathing difficulties. [Cory A. Hubbell,
20, Urbana, IL]
A sergeant is fatally injured when his vehicle is hit by a bomb blast.
[Timothy M. Conneway, 22, Enterprise, AL]
A navy corpsman assigned to the marines dies from a “non-hostile”
gunshot wound. [Joshua McIntosh, 22, Kingman, AZ]
27 A corporal in a convoy is killed when a rocket-propelled grenade strikes his vehicle. [Tomas Sotelo Jr., 20, Houston, TX]
28 A sergeant first class and a private first class are found dead, three days into an intensive search after they had last been seen traveling in a Humvee near a dangerous checkpoint. [Gladimir Philippe, 37, Linden, NJ; Kevin Ott, 27, Orient, OH]
JULY2003
1A sergeant is killed in a traffic accident. [Christopher D. Coffin,
51, Kennebunk, ME]
2A corporal is killed in an explosion during a mine-clearing operation.
[Travis J. Bradach-Nall, 21,
Portland, OR]
3A private first class dies from a self-inflicted gunshot
wound after calling home, reportedly shooting himself in front of other
soldiers waiting to use the telephone. [Corey L. Small, 20, East Berlin,
PA]
A private first class is shot to death on patrol. [Edward J. Herrgott,
20, Shakopee, MN]
6A sergeant is shot and killed while raiding a house.
[David B. Parson, 30, Kannapolis, NC]
A specialist is shot to death by an unidentified gunman while guarding
high-ranking officials on the Baghdad University campus. [Jeffrey M. Wershow,
22, Gainesville, FL]
7A specialist is killed on patrol by a roadside bomb.
[Chad L. Keith, 21, Batesville, IN]
A staff sergeant dies from a non-combat gunshot wound. [Barry Sanford
Sr., 46, Aurora, CO]
8A sergeant first class dies of a heart attack while
eating with his unit in Kuwait. [Craig A. Boling, 38, Elkhart, IN]
A private dies after collapsing from a heat stroke in mid June. [Robert
L. McKinley, 23, Kokomo, IN]
9A sergeant first class is killed in a grenade attack
while traveling in a convoy. [Dan H. Gabrielson, 39, Spooner, WI]
A sergeant is killed by a non-combat gunshot wound to the stomach. [Melissa
Valles, 26,
Eagle Pass, TX]
A sergeant is killed by a sniper. [Roger D. Rowe, 54, Bon Aqua, TN]
A lance corporal is killed in a vehicle accident in Kuwait. [Jason Andrew
Tetrault, 20, Moreno Valley, CA]
11 A specialist is killed by a “non-hostile” firearms discharge. [Christian C. Schulz, 20, Colleyville, TX]
12 A specialist dies of pneumonia after falling ill the previous month. [Joshua M. Neusche, 20, Montreal, MO]
13 A captain is killed in a non-combat vehicle accident.
[Paul J. Cassidy, 36, Laingsburg, MI]
A sergeant manning a traffic point is crushed to death by a speeding dump
truck after he pushes another soldier out of its path. [Jaror C. Puello-Coronado,
36, Pocono Summit, PA]
14 A sergeant is killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack. [Michael T. Crockett, 27, Soperton, GA]
15 A lance corporal falls 60 feet to his death while standing guard on a palace roof. [Cory Ryan Geurin, 18, Santee, CA]
16 A specialist is killed when a passing truck explodes. [Ramon Reyes Torres, 29, Caguas, PR]
17 A petty officer third class Navy medic is accidentally
shot in the face and killed while marines he is assigned to are cleaning
and putting away their weapons. [David J. Moreno, 26, Gering, NE]
A sergeant dies from non-combat injuries. [Mason Douglas Whetstone, 30,
Anchorage, AK]
18 A specialist is killed when the vehicle he’s driving is blown up. [Joel L. Bertoldie, 20, Independence, MO]
19A second lieutenant is killed when his unit is hit by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire while providing security at a municipal building. [Jonathan D. Rozier, 25, Katy, TX]
20Two sergeants are killed when their vehicle on patrol
is ambushed by rocket-propelled grenades. [Jason D. Jordan, 24, Elba,
AL; Justin W. Garvey, 23, Townsend, MA]
A sergeant first class is killed when his vehicle rolls over. [Christopher
R. Willoughby, 29, Phenix City, AL]
A master sergeant dies of a brain aneurysm in Doha, Qatar. [David A. Scott,
51, Union, OH]
21 A corporal is killed when his convoy is hit by a homemade bomb. [Mark A. Bibby, 25, Watha, NC]
22 A specialist is killed when his Heavy Expanded Mobility
Tactical Truck is hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. [Jon P. Fettig, 30,
Dickinson, ND]
23 A specialist is killed when hisconvoy is attacked
by rocket-propelled grenades.[Brett T. Christian, 27, North Royalton,
OH]
A captain is killed when his convoy hits a bomb. [Joshua T. Byers, 29,
Fountain, CO]
24 A private first class, a corporal,
and a staff sergeant are killed when their convoy is ambushed. [Raheen
Tyson Heighter, 22, Bay Shore, NY; Evan Asa Ashcraft, 24, West Hills,
CA; Hector R. Perez, 40, Corpus Christi, TX]
A sergeant is killed while changing a tire when a Humvee falls on his
head. [Juan M. Serrano, 31, Manati, PR]
26 A specialist, a private first class, and a sergeant
are killed when a grenade is thrown from the window of an Iraqi civilian
hospital they’re guarding. [Jonathan P. Barnes, 21, Coweta, OK;
Wilfredo Perez Jr., 24, Norwalk, CT; Daniel K. Methvin, 22, Belton, TX]
A private first class is killed when his convoy is attacked by rocket-propelled
grenades. [John Marshall Cheatham, 19, Camden, AR]
27 A sergeant is killed on patrol by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. [Heath A. McMillin, 29, Canandaigua, NY]
28 A specialist is killed when his convoy is hit by
a homemade bomb. [William J. Maher III, 35, Yardley, PA]
A sergeant is killed when his vehicle goes off a road and rolls over.
[Nathaniel Hart Jr., 29, Valdosta, GA]
30A first lieutenant is killed by hostile fire. [Leif E. Nott, 24, Cheyenne, WY]
31 A private is killed when his vehicle is hit by a
bomb. [Michael J. Deutsch, 21, Dubuque, IA]
A specialist is shot in the head and killed by a stray bullet fired during
a local Iraqi celebration. [James I. Lambert III, 22, Kenbridge, VA]
AUG.2003
1A specialist is killed on patrol when his vehicle is hit by a rocket-propelled
grenade. [Justin W. Hebert, 20, Arlington, WA]
5A staff sergeant dies of a heart attack while on a
mission in Kuwait. [David L. Loyd, 44, Jackson, TN]
A specialist is killed when he falls from the top of a building while
on guard duty. [Farao K. Letufuga, 20, Pago Pago, American Samoa]
A specialist is killed when he jumps out of a Humvee to fix a flat tire,
and another vehicle spins out and hits him. [Ronald D. Allen Jr., 22,
Mitchell, IN]
6A specialist dies of pneumonia and leukemia. [Zeferino
E. Colunga, 20, Bellville, TX]
A staff sergeant and a private are shot to death in an ambush. [Brian
R. Hellerman, 35, Freeport, MN; Kyle C. Gilbert, 20, Brattleboro, VT]
A sergeant dies of a heat-related seizure. [Leonard D. Simmons, 33,
New Bern, NC]
7A private first class who had survived being accidentally
shot in the chest by a machine gun while riding in a truck in May, shoots
himself in the head with a confiscated revolver after loading it with
one bullet and reportedly joking about playing Russian roulette. [Duane
E. Longstreth, 19, Tacoma, WA]
8A private dies from the heat. [Matthew D. Bush, 20, East Alton, IL]
A private first class suffers a fatal heat stroke while driving a truck.
[David M. Kirchhoff, 31, Anamosa, IA]
A private first class is killed when the Humvee on which he’s a
gunner flips over in the desert while chasing a suspicious vehicle near
a military fuel convoy. [Brandon Ramsey, 21, Calumet City, IL]
9A sergeant dies from the heat. [Floyd G. Knighten Jr.,
55, Olla, LA]
A specialist dies in his sleep, possibly from heat stress. [Levi B. Kinchen,
21, Tickfaw, LA]
10A staff sergeant is killed when a suspicious package dropped off at police headquarters explodes while he’s inspecting it. [David S. Perry, 36, Bakersfield, CA]
11 A specialist medic suffers a fatal stroke. [Craig
S. Ivory, 26,
Port Matilda, PA]
12 A staff sergeant dies in his sleep from fluid buildup
in his lungs. [Richard S. Eaton Jr., 37, Guilford, CT]
A private first class is killed when he’s thrown from a vehicle
after the driver swerves to avoid an Iraqi motorist. [Daniel R. Parker,
18, Lake Elsinore, CA]
A private first class is killed when a bomb hits his convoy. [Timothy
R. Brown Jr., 21, Conway, PA]
A sergeant is killed when his vehicle in a convoy hits a homemade bomb.
[Taft V. Williams, 29, New Orleans, LA]
13 A sergeant is killed when his armored personnel carrier is blown up by an anti-tank mine. [Steven W. White, 29, Fruitvale, TX]
18 A specialist is killed when his vehicle runs over a homemade bomb. [Eric R. Hull, 23, Uniontown, PA]
20A specialist is killed in a traffic accident. [Kenneth
W. Harris Jr., 23, Charlotte, TN]
A staff sergeant is killed when a homemade bomb explodes near his vehicle.
[Bobby C. Franklin, 38,
Mineral Bluff, GA]
21 A lieutenant is shot to death while sitting in an
SUV during a traffic jam, and the gunman escapes into a crowded market.
[Kylan A. Jones-Huffman, 31, Aptos, CA]
A private first class dies of smoke inhalation after a bullet ricochets
during a training exercise and ignites
a fire at an indoor shooting range. [Michael Scott Adams, 20, Spartanburg,
SC]
23 A cook specialist is killed by a
“non-hostile” gunshot wound.
[Stephen M. Scott, 21, Lawton, OK]
A private first class drowns after jumping into the Euphrates River to
take a swim. [Vorn J. Mack, 19, Orangeburg, SC]
25 A private first class is killed by a gunshot wound to the chest in a non-combat incident. [Pablo Manzano, 19, Heber, CA]
26 A specialist is killed when a homemade bomb hits his convoy vehicle.
[Darryl T. Dent, 21,
Washington, DC]
27 A specialist is killed when a homemade bomb hits
his vehicle in Fallujah. [Rafael L. Navea, 34, Pittsburgh, PA]
A sergeant is killed when a homemade bomb hits his vehicle in Hallia.
[Gregory A. Belanger, 24, Narragansett, RI]
A lieutenant colonel dies of a heart attack. [Anthony L. Sherman, 43,
Pottstown, PA]
29A staff sergeant is killed when his convoy is hit
by a rocket-propelled grenade. [Mark A. Lawton, 41,
Hayden, CO]
30A sergeant is killed when the vehicle he’s driving
hits an embankment and rolls into a canal. [Sean K. Cataudella, 28, Tucson,
AZ]
A specialist is fatally injured when a civilian vehicle accidentally hits
his truck. [Jarrett B. Thompson, 27, Dover, DE]
SEPT.2003
1A staff sergeant and a sergeant are killed when their vehicle is hit
by a homemade bomb. [Joseph Camara, 40, New Bedford, MA; Charles T. Caldwell,
38, North Providence, RI]
A staff sergeant is killed in Kuwait when he is hit by a truck while changing
a tire on his vehicle. [Cameron B. Sarno, 43, Waipahu, HI]
2A private first class is killed when a helicopter in which he’s riding flips and crashes on takeoff. [Christopher A. Sisson, 20, Oak Park, IL]
4A sergeant is killed in a motor vehicle accident in Qatar. [Bruce E. Brown, 32, Coatopa, AL]
9A specialist is killed when the fuel truck he’s driving is ambushed and he is shot in the neck. [Ryan G. Carlock, 25, Macomb, IL]
10A staff sergeant is killed when a homemade bomb explodes while he is trying to disarm it. [Joseph E. Robsky Jr, 31, Elizaville, NY]]
11 A sergeant is killed while changing a tire on a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck when the tire explodes. [Henry Ybarra III, 32, Austin, TX]
12 A master sergeant and sergeant first class are killed during a raid on enemy forces. [Kevin N. Morehead, 33, Little Rock, AR; William M. Bennett, 35, Seymour, TN]
14 A sergeant is killed on patrol when two homemade bombs hit his vehicle. [Trevor A. Blumberg, 22, Canton, MI]
15 A staff sergeant is killed on patrol when his vehicle
is hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. [Kevin C. Kimmerly, 31, North Creek,
NY]
A specialist is killed by a non-combat gunshot wound to the head. [Alyssa
R. Peterson, 27, Flagstaff, AZ]
18 A sergeant and two specialists are killed in an ambush. [Anthony O.
Thompson, 26, Orangeburg, SC; Richard Arriaga, 20, Ganado, TX; James C.
Wright, 27, Morgan, TX]
A captain is electrocuted when he reaches above his Bradley Fighting Vehicle
and grabs low-lying power lines. [Brian R. Faunce, 28, Philadelphia, PA]
20A staff sergeant is killed on security patrol when
a homemade bomb hits his vehicle. [Frederick L. Miller Jr., 27, Hagerstown,
IN]
A specialist and a sergeant are killed in a mortar attack. [Lunsford B.
Brown II, 27, Creedmore, NC; David T. Friedrich, 26, Hammond, NY]
22 A specialist is accidentally shot to death by another soldier in a non-combat incident. [Paul J. Sturino, 21, Rice Lake, WI]
24 A specialist is killed when a five-ton truck hits a Humvee in which he is riding. [Michael Andrade, 28, Bristol, RI]
25 A sergeant first class is killed when he’s
hit by a forklift in Kuwait. [Robert E. Rooney, 43, Nashua, NH]
A specialist is killed on patrol when a homemade bomb explodes. [Kyle
G. Thomas, 23, Topeka, KS]
A captain is killed while searching a building when another captain opens
a box that explodes. [Robert L. Lucero, 34, Casper, WY]
29A staff sergeant is killed when a homemade bomb explodes
as his vehicle passes by. [Christopher E. Cutchall, 30, McConnellsburg,
PA]
A sergeant drowns when his Humvee crashes into a canal and he’s
swept away by the current. [Darrin K. Potter, 24, Louisville, KY] Another
sergeant drowns trying to rescue him. [Andrew Joseph Baddick, 26, Jim
Thorpe, PA]
30A specialist is killed by friendly fire. [Dustin K. McGaugh, 20, Derby, KS]
OCT.2003
1A sergeant major is killed when his convoy is hit by a homemade bomb
and rocket-propelled grenades in Samarra. [James D. Blankenbecler, 40,
Alexandria, VA]
A private first class is killed when her convoy is hit by a homemade bomb
and rocket-propelled grenades near Tikrit. [Analaura Esparza Gutierrez,
21, Houston, TX]
A specialist is shot to death on patrol. [Simeon Hunte, 23, Essex, NJ]
A specialist medic dies of cancer. [Tamarra J. Ramos, 24, Quakertown,
PA]
3A private first class chokes on a piece of candy and drowns in a swimming pool during rec time. [Charles M. Sims, 18, Miami, FL]
4A specialist is killed when a rocket-propelled grenade hits his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. [James H. Pirtle, 27, La Mesa, NM]
6A specialist is killed when his vehicle is blown up
and overturns. [Spencer T. Karol, 20, Woodruff, AZ]
A second lieutenant and a private first class are killed when their convoy
is hit by a homemade bomb. [Richard Torres, 25, Clarksville, TN; Kerry
D. Scott, 21, Mount Vernon, WA]
9A specialist is killed when his convoy is attacked
by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. [Joseph C. Norquist,
26, San Antonio, TX]
A staff sergeant and a private are killed in an ambush. [Christopher W.
Swisher, 26, Lincoln, NE; Sean A. Silva, 23, Roseville, CA]
12 A specialist is killed when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle hits an anti-tank mine. [James E. Powell, 26, Radcliff, KY]
13 A private first class is killed when his convoy is
hit by a homemade bomb and small-arms fire. [Stephen E. Wyatt, 19, Kilgore,
TX]
A specialist is killed when his unit is hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
[Donald L. Wheeler, 22,
Concord, MI]
A specialist and a private first class are killed when an Iraqi garbage
truck swerves out of control, rolls over, and lands atop their Humvee.
[Douglas J. Weismantle, 28, Pittsburgh, PA; Jose Casanova, 23, El Monte,
CA]
A private drowns in a recreational swimming hole set up for troops in
the Euphrates River. [Benjamin L. Freeman, 19, Valdosta, GA]
16 A lieutenant colonel, a staff sergeant, and a corporal are shot to death by gunmen who are guarding the headquarters of a Shiite cleric. [Kim S. Orlando, 43, Nashville, TN; Joseph P. Bellavia, 28, Wakefield, MA; Sean R. Grilley, 24, San Bernardino, CA]
17 A specialist is killed when his vehicle runs over
a homemade bomb. [Michael L. Williams, 46,
Buffalo, NY]
18 A first lieutenant and a private first class are killed in an ambush. [David R. Bernstein, 24, Phoenixville, PA; John D. Hart, 20, Bedford, MA]
20A staff sergeant is killed when his vehicle hits a homemade bomb and is fired upon. [Paul J. Johnson, 29, Calumet, MI]
21 A private first class is killed when a helicopter tire he’s changing explodes. [Paul J. Bueche, 19, Daphne, AL]
22 A private dies shortly before a scheduled return
to the U.S. for medical treatment of intestinal and stomach problems.
[Jason M. Ward, 25, Tulsa, OK]
A specialist dies from non-combat injuries. [John P. Johnson, 24,
Houston, TX]
23 A captain is killed when his convoy is hit by a homemade bomb. [John R. Teal, 31, Mechanicsville, VA]
24 A sergeant is killed in a gun battle while guarding
a grain-storage facility. [Michael S. Hancock, 29, Yreka, CA]
Two specialists are killed by a mortar attack. [Artimus D. Brassfield,
22, Flint, MI; Jose L. Mora, 26, Bell Gardens, CA]
26 A private first class dies from a non-combat gunshot wound. [Steven
Acosta, 19, Calexico, CA]
A lieutenant colonel is killed by a rocket-propelled-grenade attack on
a hotel. [Charles H. Buehring, 40, Fayetteville, NC]
A private is killed when his vehicle is hit by a homemade bomb. [Joseph
R. Guerrera, 20, Dunn, NC]
A staff sergeant is killed on patrol when his vehicle is hit by a homemade
bomb. [Jamie L. Huggins, 26, Hume, MO]
A private first class is killed during a mortar attack at the Abu Ghraib
police station. [Rachel K. Bosveld, 19, Waupun, WI]
27 A sergeant is killed during a bombing of the Al Bayra
police station. [Aubrey D. Bell, 33, Tuskegee, AL]
A private is killed when a vehicle blows up at the Al Khadra police station.
[Jonathan I. Falaniko, 20, Pago Pago, American Samoa]
28 A sergeant and a specialist are killed when their
tank is blown up and hurtles down a 30-foot embankment. [Michael Paul
Barrera, 26, Von Ormy, TX; Isaac Campoy, 21, Douglas, AZ]
A private dies from a non-combat gunshot wound after surviving a shrapnel
attack in August. [Algernon Adams, 36, Aiken, SC]
31 A second lieutenant is killed on patrol by a homemade
bomb. [Todd J. Bryant, 23, Riverside, CA]
A sergeant falls into a hole while running to keep up with friends in
Baghdad and suffers a blood clot in her brain that causes a stroke, and
she dies of complications nine days later. [Linda C. Jimenez, 39,
Brooklyn, NY]
NOV.2003
1A first lieutenant and a specialist are killed when their Humvee is blown
up in Mosul. [Joshua C. Hurley, 24, Clifton Forge, VA; Maurice J. Johnson,
21, Levittown, PA]
A second lieutenant is killed when his Humvee is blown up in Baghdad.
[Benjamin J. Colgan, 30, Kent, WA]
2Five sergeants, four specialists, three staff sergeants,
two privates first class, a first lieutenant, and a chief warrant officer
are killed when their Chinook helicopter, carrying them home on leave,
is shot down and crashes. [Sergeants: Paul F. Fisher, 39, Cedar Rapids,
IA; Keelan L. Moss, 23, Houston, TX; Ross A. Pennanen, 36, Shawnee, OK;
Ernest G. Bucklew, 33, Enon Valley, PA; Joel Perez, 25, Rio Grande, PR.
Specialists: Frances M. Vega, 20, Fort Buchanan, PR; Darius T. Jennings,
22, Cordova, SC; Steven D. Conover, 21, Wilmington, OH; Brian H. Penisten,
28, Fort Wayne, IN. Staff sergeants: Paul A. Velazquez, 29, San Diego,
CA; Joe N. Wilson, 30, Crystal Springs, MS; Daniel A. Bader, 28, Colorado
Springs, CO. Privates first class: Anthony D. Dagostino, 20, Waterbury,
CT; Karina S. Lau, 20, Livingston CA. First Lieutenant Brian D. Slavenas,
30, Genoa, IL. Chief Warrant Officer Bruce A. Smith, 41, West Liberty,
IA]
3A private first class is killed on patrol when his vehicle hits a landmine.
[Rayshawn S. Johnson, 20, Brooklyn, NY]
4A sergeant is killed when a bomb explodes near his
truck. [Francisco Martinez, 28, Humacao, PR]
A specialist dies from a “non-hostile” gunshot wound to the
head at a checkpoint. [Robert T. Benson, 20, Spokane, WA]
5A sergeant first class is killed on patrol by rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. [Jose A. Rivera, 34, Bayamon, PR]
6A specialist is killed when his convoy is hit by a
homemade bomb. [James R. Wolf, 21, Scottsbluff, NE]
A specialist is killed when his vehicle hits a land mine. [James A. Chance
III, 25, Kokomo, MS]
7Two chief warrant officers, a staff sergeant, a sergeant,
a captain, and a command sergeant major are killed when their Black Hawk
helicopter is shot down by unknown enemy ordnance. [Chief warrant officers:
Sharon T. Swartworth, 43, Alexandria, VA; Kyran E. Kennedy, 43, Boston,
MA. Staff Sergeant Paul M. Neff II, 30, Fort Mill, SC. Sergeant Scott
C. Rose, 30, Fayetteville, NC. Captain Benedict J. Smith, 29, Monroe City,
MO. Command Sergeant Major Cornell W. Gilmore I, 45, Baltimore, MD]
A staff sergeant is killed by rocket-propelled grenades while guarding
a bank. [Morgan D. Kennon, 23, Memphis, TN]
8Two staff sergeants are killed when their Bradley Fighting
Vehicle hits a homemade bomb. [Mark D. Vasquez, 35, Port Huron MI; Gary
L. Collins, 32, Hardin, TX]
A private is killed when the Humvee he’s driving runs over a homemade
bomb. [Kurt R. Frosheiser, 22, Des Moines, IA]
A sergeant is fatally wounded when a homemade bomb hits his vehicle, after
which he’s flown to the United States, where he dies December 2.
[Ryan C. Young, 21, Corona, CA]
9A sergeant is killed when his convoy vehicle is hit by small-arms fire. [Nicholas A. Tomko, 24, Pittsburgh, PA]
11 A specialist is killed when a homemade bomb explodes
on a road. [Marlon P. Jackson, 25,
Jersey City, NJ]
A specialist is killed on patrol when his Bradley vehicle hits and explodes
two homemade bombs. [Genaro Acosta, 26, Fair Oaks, CA]
12 A specialist is killed on patrol by a homemade bomb.
[Robert A. Wise, 21, Tallahassee, FL]
A staff sergeant dies from a “non-hostile” gunshot wound while
on guard duty in Kuwait. [Nathan J. Bailey, 46, Nashville, TN]
13 A sergeant and a private first class are killed by
a homemade bomb while sitting next to each other on a bus. [Joseph Minucci
II, 23, Richeyville, PA; Jacob S. Fletcher, 28,
Bay Shore, NY]
14 A specialist is killed when his convoy hits a homemade bomb. [Irving
Medina, 22,
Middletown, NY]
A private is fatally burned when, while he’s operating an armored
earth mover to build a berm around a bunker containing confiscated ammunition,
the bunker explodes and he’s engulfed by flames, after which he’s
flown to Germany where his arms are amputated, and then to San Antonio,
Texas, where, five days later, his family makes the decision to take him
off life support and he dies the next evening. [Scott M. Tyrrell, 21,
Sterling, IL]
15 Five specialists, four privates first class, four
sergeants, two chief warrant officers, a captain, and a second lieutenant
are killed when two Black Hawk helicopters collide and crash. [Specialists:
Jeremiah J. DiGiovanni, 21, Pricedale, MS; Ryan T. Baker, 24, Brown Mills,
NJ; William D. Dusenbery, 30, Fairview Heights, IL; Eugene A. Uhl III,
21, Amherst, WI; John R. Sullivan, 26, Countryside, IL. Privates first
class: Damian L. Heidelberg, 21, Batesville,
MS; Richard W. Hafer, 21, Cross Lanes, WV; Joey D. Whitener, 19, Nebo,
NC; Sheldon R. Hawk Eagle, 21, Grand Forks, ND. Sergeants: Michael D.
Acklin II, 25, Louisville, KY; Warren S. Hansen, 36, Clintonville, WI;
Kelly Bolor, 37, Whittier, CA; John W. Russell, 26, Portland, TX. Chief
warrant officers: Erik C. Kesterson, 29, Independence, OR; Scott A. Saboe,
33, Willow Lake, SD. Captain Pierre E. Piche, 29, Starksboro, VT. Second
Lieutenant Jeremy L. Wolfe, 27, Menomonie, WI]
A sergeant is killed on patrol when his Humvee is blown up by a homemade
bomb. [Timothy L. Hayslett, 26, Newville, PA]
17 A captain is killed while checking community center
supplies when another soldier’s rifle accidentally goes off and
hits him in the head.
[James A. Shull, 32, Kirkland, WA]
A chief warrant officer is killed when his vehicle runs over a homemade
bomb. [Alexander S. Coulter, 35,
Bristol, TN]
A captain is killed by a “non-hostile” gunshot. [Nathan S.
Dalley, 27, Kaysville, UT]
A staff sergeant is killed in an ambush. [Dale A. Panchot, 26, Northome,
MN]
20A captain is killed when his tank rolls over a homemade
bomb. [George A. Wood, 33, Marcy, NY]
A specialist is killed when his convoy vehicle is hit by a homemade bomb.
[Joseph L. Lister, 22, Pleasanton, KS]
21 A corporal drowns when his Humvee flips into a canal during a chase and he’s trapped inside. [Gary B. Coleman, 24, Pikeville, KY]
22 A private first class and a specialist are killed when a tank accidentally crushes their vehicle during a night mission. [Damian S. Bushart, 22, Waterford, MI; Robert D. Roberts, 21, Winter Park, FL]
23 A command sergeant major and a specialist die of
gunshot wounds to
the head after their car is stopped by another vehicle and they’re
pulled from their vehicle, shot, and their possessions looted. [Jerry
L. Wilson, 45, Thomson, GA; Rel A. Ravago IV, 21, Glendale, CA]
A staff sergeant is killed when a truck he’s driving is blown up
by a remote-controlled roadside bomb. [Eddie E. Menyweather, 35,
Los Angeles, CA]
A corporal drowns when his vehicle overturns and plunges into a river.
[Darrell L. Smith, 28, Otwell, IN]
A chief warrant officer is killed when the vehicle in which he’s
a passenger is accidentally struck head-on by a civilian tanker truck.
[Christopher G. Nason, 39, Los Angeles, CA]
26 A specialist dies from an accidental non-combat gunshot
to the chest. [David J. Goldberg, 20, Layton, UT]
27 A specialist dies in his barracks from a gunshot wound to the head
from his rifle. [Thomas Sweet II, 23, Bismarck, ND]
28 A sergeant is killed by a mortar attack. [Ariel Rico,
25, El Paso, TX]
29A specialist and a staff sergeant are killed when their convoy is ambushed.
[Aaron J. Sissel, 22, Tipton, IA; Stephen A. Bertolino, 40,
El Cajon, CA]
DEC.2003
1A sergeant is killed when his patrol is ambushed. [Uday Singh, 21, Lake
Forest, IL]
2A specialist is killed when his vehicle is hit by a
homemade bomb. [Raphael S. Davis, 24, Tutwiler, MS]
A chief warrant officer dies from a non-combat injury in Kuwait. [Clarence
E. Boone, 50, Fort Worth, TX]
5A specialist is killed on a convoy when a homemade bomb explodes. [Arron R. Clark, 20, Chico, CA]
7A private first class is killed when he drives his Humvee over a homemade bomb detonated by remote control. [Ray J. Hutchinson, 20, League City, TX]
8A private first class is shot to death guarding a gas
station. [Jason G. Wright, 19, Luzerne, MI]
A staff sergeant and a specialist are killed when an embankment collapses
and their $2 million Stryker combat vehicle flips upside down into a canal.
They can’t escape because the rear hatch door was accidentally left
padlocked. [Steven H. Bridges, 33, Tracy, CA; Joseph M. Blickenstaff,
23, Corvallis, OR]
A specialist is killed when his Stryker vehicle, 250 meters from the one
carrying two fellow soldiers who died, flips into a canal. [Christopher
J. Rivera Wesley, 26, Portland, OR]
10A staff sergeant drowns on river patrol when he falls overboard into the Tigris. A specialist drowns when he dives in to try to rescue the sergeant. [Aaron T. Reese, 31, Reynoldsburg, OH; Todd M. Bates, 20, Bellaire, OH]
A staff sergeant is killed when his convoy vehicle is
hit by a homemade bomb. [Richard A. Burdick, 24, National City, CA]
A private first class is killed guarding a gas station. [Jerrick M. Petty,
25, Idaho Falls, ID]
11 A specialist is killed when his camp is hit by a homemade bomb. [Marshall L. Edgerton, 27, Rocky Face, GA]
12 A private first class is killed by a “non-hostile”
gunshot wound. [Jeffrey F. Braun, 19, Stafford Springs, CT]
A sergeant is killed when his convoy is hit by a homemade bomb. [Jarrod
W. Black, 26, Peru, IN]
14 A specialist dies when he’s thrown out of his
vehicle after it hits a bump. [Rian C. Ferguson, 22, Taylors, SC]
A staff sergeant is killed when she tries to defuse a homemade bomb and
it explodes. [Kimberly A. Voelz, 27, Carlisle, PA]
15 A private first class dies from non-combat injuries at Baghdad International
Airport. [Kenneth C. Souslin, 21, Mansfield, OH]
16 A specialist is killed when he loses control of his truck in an oil-soaked area and it rolls over. [Nathan W. Nakis, 19, Sedro-Woolley, OR]
17 A specialist is killed when his patrol is ambushed. [Christopher J. Holland, 26, Brunswick, GA]
18 A sergeant dies of a heart attack during physical training in Baghdad. [Glenn R. Allison, 24, Pittsfield, MA]
19A private first class is killed when his vehicle is
hit by a homemade bomb. [Charles E. Bush Jr., 43,
Buffalo, NY]
22 A first lieutenant and a private are killed when a homemade bomb hits their convoy. [Edward M. Saltz, 27, Bigfork, MT; Stuart W. Moore, 21, Livingston, TX]
24 A command sergeant major is killed when his convoy
vehicle hits a homemade bomb. [Eric F. Cooke, 43, Scottsdale, AZ]
A major, a captain, and a sergeant are killed when their vehicle hits
a homemade bomb. [Christopher J. Splinter, 43, Platteville, WI; Christopher
F. Soelzer, 26, Sturgis, SD; Benjamin W. Biskie, 27, Vermilion, OH]
A sergeant is electrocuted while running a communication wire. [Michael
E. Yashinski, 24, Monument, CO]
25 Two staff sergeants are killed by a mortar attack
on their living quarters.
[Thomas W. Christensen, 42, Atlantic Mine, MI; Stephen C. Hattamer, 43,
Gwinn, MI]
26 A specialist is killed when his convoy vehicle hits
a homemade bomb. [Charles G. Haight, 23, Jacksonville, AL]
A specialist is killed off duty when his Humvee overturns and he’s
crushed to death. [Michael G. Mihalakis, 18, Milpitas, CA]
A staff sergeant is killed when he tries to disarm a homemade bomb and
it explodes. [Michael J. Sutter, 28, Tinley Park, IL]
28 A private is killed when a homemade bomb hits his
vehicle.
[Rey D. Cuervo, 24, Laguna Vista, TX]
A sergeant dies from inhaling fumes while minesweeping for a haz-mat team.
[Curt E. Jordan Jr., 25,
Green Acres, WA]
A captain dies when a homemade bomb hits his vehicle. [Ernesto M. Blanco,
28, San Antonio, TX]
30A specialist is shot to death when a rifle accidentally goes off. [Justin W. Pollard, 21, Foothill Ranch, CA]
JAN.2004
1A sergeant dies when his vehicle goes out of control and rolls over.
[Dennis A. Corral, 33, Kearney, NE]
2Two specialists are killed when their convoy is hit
by a homemade bomb and then raked by machine-gun and small-arms fire.
[Solomon C. Bangayan, 24, Jay, VT; Marc S. Seiden, 26, Brigantine, NJ]
A helicopter pilot captain is killed when her Kiowa is shot down by ground
fire and crashes. [Kimberly N. Hampton, 27, Easley, SC]
A captain is killed in his command post by a mortar attack. [Eric T. Paliwoda,
28, Goodyear, AZ]
5A specialist is burned to death when the fuel truck he’s driving is blown up by a homemade bomb. [Luke P. Frist, 20, West Lafayette, IN]
7A private first class is killed when a mortar round hits his living quarters. [Jesse D. Mizener, 24, Auburn, CA]
8Three specialists, three chief warrant officers, a staff sergeant, a sergeant, and a sergeant first class are killed when their Black Hawk helicopter is shot down. [Specialists: Michael A. Diraimondo, 22, Simi Valley, CA; Nathaniel H. Johnson, 22, Augusta, GA; Christopher A. Golby, 26, Johnstown, PA. Chief warrant officers: Philip A. Johnson Jr., 31, Mobile, AL; Ian D. Manuel, 23, Jacksonville, FL; Aaron A. Weaver, 32, Inverness, FL. Staff Sergeant Craig Davis, 37, Opelousas, LA; Sergeant Jeffrey C. Walker, 33, Havre de Grace, MD; Sergeant First Class Gregory B. Hicks, 35, Duff, TN]
12 A staff sergeant is killed when he’s hit by a homemade bomb. [Ricky L. Crockett, 38, Broxton, GA]
14 A sergeant is killed when she’s hit by a vehicle at an airfield. [Keicia M. Hines, 27, Citrus Heights, CA]
16 A master sergeant is fatally injured when a homemade
bomb hits his vehicle. [Kelly L. Hornbeck, 36, Fort Worth, TX]
A staff sergeant is accidentally shot to death while searching a bunker.
[Roland L. Castro, 26, San Antonio, TX]
17 A specialist, a private first class, and a sergeant
are killed during a surveillance sweep for homemade bombs when their Bradley
Fighting Vehicle hits one. [Larry E. Polley Jr., 20, Center, TX; Cody
J. Orr, 21, Ruskin, FL; Edmond L. Randle, 26, Miami, FL]
21 A specialist and a private first class are killed by a mortar attack.
[Gabriel T. Palacios, 22, Lynn, MA; James D. Parker, 20, Bryan, TX]
23 A private first class is shot to death while guarding
a gas station. [Luis A. Moreno, 19, Bronx, NY]
Two chief warrant officers are killed when their Kiowa helicopter crashes
on the way back from a mission. [Michael T. Blaise, 29, Macon, MO; Brian
D. Hazelgrove, 29, Fort Rucker, AL]
24 A private first class is killed when a rocket-propelled
grenade hits his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. [Ervin Dervishi, 21, Fort Worth,
TX]
Two specialists and a sergeant are killed by a car bomb. [Jason K. Chappell,
22, Hemet, CA; William R. Sturges Jr., 24, Spring Church, PA; Randy S.
Rosenberg, 23, Berlin, NH]
A sergeant and a staff sergeant are killed when their convoy is hit by
a homemade bomb. [Keith L. Smette, 25, Makoti, ND; Kenneth W. Hendrickson,
41, Bismarck, ND]
25 A staff sergeant drowns when his watercraft capsizes in the Tigris River, and a first lieutenant and a chief warrant officer are killed when their Kiowa helicopter crashes into the Tigris while they’re searching for the sergeant’s capsized boat. [Christopher Bunda, 29, Bremerton, WA; Adam G. Mooney, 28, Cambridge, MD; Patrick D. Dorff, 32, Minneapolis, MN]
27 A captain, a sergeant first class, a staff sergeant,
and a sergeant are killed when a roadside bomb explodes next to their
convoy. [Matthew J. August, 28, North Kingstown, RI; James T. Hoffman,
41, Whitesburg, KY; Sean G. Landrus, 31, Thompson, OH; Travis A. Moothart,
23, Brownsville, OR]
A second lieutenant, a staff sergeant, and a sergeant are killed when
a roadside bomb explodes near their convoy. [Luke S. James, 24, Hooker,
OK; Lester O. Kinney II, 27, Zanesville, OH; Cory R. Mracek, 26, Hay Springs,
NE]
31 A sergeant, a corporal, and a private first class are killed when their vehicle is hit by a homemade bomb. [Eliu A. Miersandoval, 27, San Clemente, CA; Juan C. Cabral Banuelos, 25, Emporia, KS; Holly J. McGeogh, 19, Taylor, MI]
FEB.2004
1A staff sergeant is killed in his sleeping quarters by a mortar attack.
[Roger C. Turner Jr., 37, Parkersburg, WV]
A private first class is killed when his vehicle slides off the road in
bad weather and flips over. [Armando Soriano, 20, Houston, TX]
3A second lieutenant is blown up while trying to disarm a home made bomb along a supply route. [Seth J. Dvorin, 24, East Brunswick, NJ]
5A specialist is killed by a mortar round at an airport
checkpoint. [Joshua L. Knowles, 23, Sheffield, IA]
A master sergeant is fatally injured in a vehicle accident in Qatar and
dies five days later.[Jude C. Mariano, 39, Vallejo, CA]
8A staff sergeant is killed by a homemade bomb. [Richard P. Ramey, 27, Canton, OH]
9Two sergeants are killed when a collection of unexploded ordnance, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortar rounds explodes while being moved to a demolition site. [Thomas D. Robbins, 27, Schenectady, NY; Elijah Tai Wah Wong, 42, Mesa, AZ]
11 A sergeant and a private first class are killed on patrol by a homemade bomb. [Patrick S. Tainsh, 33, Oceanside, CA; William C. Ramirez, 19, Portland, OR]
12 A specialist is killed when his unit is attacked by small-arms fire, a rocket-propelled grenade, and a homemade bomb. [Eric U. Ramirez, 31, San Diego, CA]
13 A private is killed when a bridge collapses and his Humvee falls into a water-filled ditch. [Bryan N. Spry, 19, Chestertown, MD]
16 A private first class is killed when a homemade bomb
hits her convoy in Baqoubah. [Nichole M. Frye, 19, Lena, WI]
A specialist is killed when a homemade bomb hits his convoy near Mosul.
[Michael M. Merila, 23, Sierra Vista, AZ]
A specialist is killed when when his Humvee hits a roadside bomb in Baghdad.
[Christopher Taylor, 25, Daphne, AL]
19A second lieutenant and a specialist are killed by small-arms fire and a homemade bomb. [Jeffrey C. Graham, 24, Elizabethtown, KY; Roger G. Ling, 20, Douglaston, NY]
20A sergeant first class is killed on his way to Kuwait for a flight home when he’s hit by a tow truck while he’s on the side of a road repairing a truck that broke down. [Henry A. Bacon, 45, Wagram, NC]
25 Two chief warrant officers are killed when their
Kiowa helicopter hits an electrical cable, catches fire, and crashes into
the Euphrates River.
[Stephen M. Wells, 29, Egremont, MA; Matthew C. Laskowski, 32, Phoenix,
AZ]
MAR.2004
2A specialist is killed when a homemade bomb hits his convoy. [Michael
R. Woodliff, 22, Port Charlotte, FL]
5A petty officer second class is killed when he’s rear-ended by a civilian vehicle in an automobile accident in Kuwait. [Michael J. Gray, 32, Richmond, VA]
7A surgical nurse captain dies of a heart attack. [Gussie
M. Jones, 41, El Paso, TX]
A private first class is found dead of a gunshot wound in a chapel at
Camp Victory in Kuwait. [Matthew G. Milczark, 18, Kettle River, MN]
9A specialist dies from a “non-hostile”
gunshot wound. [Edward W. Brabazon, 20, Philadelphia, PA]
A sergeant first class is killed by a homemade bomb. [Richard S. Gottfried,
42, Lake Ozark, MO]
10A private first class is killed when a homemade bomb hits his convoy. [Bert E. Hoyer, 23, Ellsworth, WI]
11 A specialist and a staff sergeant are killed when
their vehicle is hit by a homemade bomb. [Christopher K. Hill, 26, Ventura,
CA; Joe L. Dunigan Jr., 37, Belton, TX]
A private first class is fatally injured when a Humvee carrying seven
soldiers plunges into a canal. [Ernest Harold Sutphin, 21, Parkersburg,
WV]
13 A captain and a specialist are killed when their
patrol is hit by a homemade roadside bomb. [John F. Kurth, 31, Columbus,
WI; Jason C. Ford, 21, Bowie, MD]
A specialist is killed on the main supply route when a home made bomb
hits his vehicle. [Jocelyn L. Carrasquillo, 28, Wrightsville Beach, NC]
A sergeant first class, a sergeant, and a private first class are killed
when a homemade bomb hits their vehicle. [Clint D. Ferrin, 31, Picayune,
MS; Daniel J. Londono, 22, Boston, MA; Joel K. Brattain, 21, Santa Ana,
CA]
15 A sergeant dies of a heart attack while training with his unit. [William J. Normandy, 42, East Barre, VT]
16 A first lieutenant, standing in the turret of a tank
in a convoy heading back to Kuwait for redeployment, is killed when a
passing vehicle hits his tank and the barrel of the tank’s .50-caliber
weapon swings around and hits him from behind.
[Michael R. Adams, 24, Seattle, WA]
A master sergeant dies from non-combat injuries. [Thomas R. Thigpen Sr.,
52, Augusta, GA]
17 A specialist is killed when his Bradley Fighting
Vehicle goes over an embankment and flips into a river. [Tracy L. Laramore,
30, Okaloosa, FL]
A sergeant is killed by a mortar attack in Baghdad. [Ivory L. Phipps,
44, Chicago, IL]
18 A corporal is killed by a mortar attack at Al Asad
Air Base. [Andrew D. Brownfield, 24, Summit, OH]
Two privates first class are killed in a battle in Al Qaim. [Brandon Smith,
20, Washington, AR; Ricky Morris Jr., 20, Lubbock, TX]
A specialist is killed when his vehicle, cut off by a civilian vehicle,
swerves into oncoming traffic and flips over. [Doron Chan, 20, Highland,
NY]
19A corporal dies “due to enemy action near
Hit, Iraq.” [David M. Vicente, 25, Methuen, MA]
Previously published by the Village Voice, March 24, 2004. Reprinted here
with the author’s permission.
This list was based on information available to
the Village Voice as of March 22. Ranks do not necessarily take account
of posthumous promotions, and many of the deaths are still
being investigated or their circumstances are in dispute.
