Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Spc. Jeremiah P. McCleery, Spc. Jake R. Velloza

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died from wounds sustained after they were shot by enemy forces in Mosul, Iraq on May 2. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Killed were:

Spc. Jeremiah P. McCleery, 24, of Portola, Calif.; and

Spc. Jake R. Velloza, 22, of Inverness, Calif.

Sgt. James D. Pirtle, Spec. Ryan C. King

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers, and one soldier as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN). The action occurred May 1 near the village of Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan, where all three were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Killed were:

Sgt. James D. Pirtle, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; and

Spec. Ryan C. King, 22, of Dallas, Ga. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

These soldiers died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using direct fire.

Sgt. Christopher D. Loza

The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Christopher D. Loza, 24, of Abilene, Texas, died Apr. 10, 2009, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., of a non-combat related illness after becoming ill 17 March in Radwaniyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Waco, Texas.

Battle In Al Anbar Claims Marines

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The following Marines died April 30 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq:

Sgt. James R. McIlvaine, 26, of Olney, Md.

Staff Sgt. Mark A. Wojciechowski, 25, of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sgt. McIlvaine was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Staff Sgt. Wojciechowski was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan, 22, of East Freetown, Mass., died on
April 30 while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq. Trahan was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Twelve in Norfolk, Va., and was deployed with an East Coast based Navy SEAL team.

Sgt. Leroy O. Webster

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Leroy O. Webster, 28, of Sioux Falls, S.D., died April 25 near Kirkuk, Iraq, after being shot while on a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

CSM Benjamin Moore

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

CSM Benjamin Moore, Jr., 43, of Waycross, Ga., died Apr 24 at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Cpl. Brad A. Davis

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Cpl. Brad A. Davis, 21, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, died April 22 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Cpl. William C. Comstock

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Cpl. William C. Comstock, 21, of Van Buren, Ark., died April 22 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The incident is under investigation.

Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer II

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Ray A. Spencer II, 20, of Ridgecrest, Calif., died April 16 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

The incident is currently under investigation.

PFC Richard A. Dewater

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

PFC Richard A. Dewater, 21, of Topeka, Kan., died April 15, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device, while on a dismounted patrol near Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Cpl. Francisco X. Aguila

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Francisco X. Aguila, 35, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, died April 14 in Kabul, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 82nd Sustainment Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Sgt. Raul Moncada

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Raul Moncada, 29, of Madera, Calif., died April 13 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 563rd Military Police Company, 91st Military Police Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

Spc. Michael J. Anaya

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Michael J. Anaya, 23, of Crestview, Fla., died April 12 in Bayji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Suicide Bomber Claims 5 Soldiers

The Department of Defense announced today the death of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died April 10th when their military vehicle was struck by a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in Mosul, Iraq. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Gary L. Woods Jr., 24, of Lebanon Junction, Ky.

Staff Sgt. Bryan E. Hall, 32, of Elk Grove, Calif.

Sgt. Edward W. Forrest Jr., 25, of St. Louis, Mo.

Cpl. Jason G. Pautsch, 20, of Davenport, Iowa.

PV2 Bryce E. Gautier, 22, of Cypress, Calif.

Airman 1st Class Jacob I. Ramsey

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Airman 1st Class Jacob I. Ramsey, 20, of Hesperia, Calif., died April 10 of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident in Kabul Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 712th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood, Texas.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Lance Cpl. Blaise A. Oleski

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Blaise A. Oleski, 22, of Holland Patent, N.Y., died April 8 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lance Cpl. Stephen F. Dearmon

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Stephen F. Dearmon, 21, of Crossville, Tenn., died April 3 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The incident is under investigation.

Sgt. Daniel J. Beard

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Daniel J. Beard, 24, of Buffalo, N.Y., died April 3 in Al Diwaniyah, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 147th Postal Company, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Wiesbaden, Germany.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Spc. Israel Candelaria Mejias

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Israel Candelaria Mejias, 28, of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, died April 5 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when a mine detonated near him during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment in Task Force 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Grafenwoehr, Germany.

Staff Sgt. Phillip A Myers

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Phillip A Myers, 30, of Hopewell Va, died April 4 near Helmand province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 48th Civil Engineer Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom.

Sgt. Devin C. Poche

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Devin C. Poche, 25, of Jacksonville, N.C., died Mar. 31 at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Lance Cpl. Nelson M. Lantigua

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Nelson M. Lantigua, 20, of Miami, Fla., died March 31 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10 Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The incident is currently under investigation.