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Michigan Army National Guard Soldiers to Deploy
Local Soldiers Return From Iraq
Fallen Soldier Returns Home
Grand Ledge Soldier Killed In Afghanistan
Flags To Be Lowered For Fallen Soldier
Members of the U.S. armed forces with known Michigan ties who died supporting military operations in Afghanistan:
_ Army Spc. Deangelo B. Snow, 22, of Saginaw died Sept. 17 in
Kandahar province of wounds suffered when insurgents attached his
vehicle with a rocket-propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 526th
Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne
Division, based at Fort Campbell, Ky.
_ Marine Sgt. Jason D. Calo, 23, of Mancelona died Aug. 22, 2010,
while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. He was part of
the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_ Army Pfc. Bradley D. Rappuhn, 24, of Grand Ledge died Aug. 8,
2010, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive in
Zhari Kandahar. He was part of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment,
based at Fort Benning, Ga.
_ Marine Cpl. Paul Miller, 22, of Traverse City died July 19,
2010, while on foot patrol in Afghanistan after an improvised explosive
device detonated in Helmand province. Miller was part of the 3rd Combat
Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
_ Marine Cpl. Daane Adam DeBoer, 24, of Ludington died June 25,
2010, while on foot patrol in Afghanistan after an improvised explosive
device detonated in Helmand province. DeBoer was part of the 1st Combat
Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at
Camp Pendleton, Calif.
_ Army Spc. Joseph D. Johnson, 24, of Genesee County's Mundy
Township and another soldier died June 16, 2010, when an improvised
explosive device hit their vehicle in the northern Afghan city of
Kunduz. They were assigned to the 161st Engineer Support Company, 27th
Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade, 18th
Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_ Marine Cpl. Jeffrey R. Standfest, 23, of St. Clair County's
China Township died June 16, 2010 while supporting combat operations in
Helmand province. He was assigned to the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion,
3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine
Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
_ Air Force 1st Lt. Joel C. Gentz, 25, of Grass Lake and three
other airmen died June 9, 2010, when two Taliban rockets brought down
their helicopter near Forward Operating Base Jackson in Helmand
province. He was part of the 58th Rescue Squadron from Nellis Air Force
Base, Nev.
_ Marine Lance Cpl. Anthony A. Dilisio, 20, of Macomb County's
Macomb Township died May 30, 2010, while supporting combat operations in
Afghanistan's Helmand province. He was part of the 1st Battalion, 6th
Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force,
based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_ Army Cpl. Michael K. Ingram Jr. 23, of Newport died April 17,
2010. He was on patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when an improvised
explosive detonated near him. He was part of the 1st Battalion, 12th
Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based
at Fort Carson, Colo.
_ Marine Cpl. Jacob H. Turbett, 21, of Wayne County's Canton
Township died Feb 13, 2010, in Afghanistan. He was part of a unit from
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_ Army Sgt. Dillon B. Foxx, 22, of Traverse City died Feb. 5,
2010 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces
attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was part of
the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_ Army Sgt. Lucas T. Beachnaw, 23, of Lowell died Jan. 13, 2010
in Darya Ya, Afghanistan of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked
his unit using small arms fire. He was part of the 2nd Battalion, 503rd
Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team at Camp Ederle,
Italy.
_Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Chapman, 36, a commando, died March 4,
2002, after his helicopter came under attack by al-Qaida and Taliban
fighters. He was killed while trying to retrieve the body of a fellow
airman who had fallen from a helicopter during the attack. The Windsor
Locks, Conn., resident's father, Eugene, lived in Belding.
_Senior Airman Jason Plite, 21, of Grand Ledge, died March 23,
2003, when his helicopter crashed during a flight to evacuate two
children with life-threatening head injuries.
_Air Force Tech. Sgt. Howard A. Walters, 33, of Port Huron, an
aerial gunner, died Nov. 23, 2003, when his Air Force Special Forces
helicopter broke up after a hard landing on a rocky river bank nine
miles east of Bagram Air Base.
_Army Sgt. Robert P. Kassin, 29, a Flint native who grew up in
Clovis, N.M., died July 16, 2006, when his platoon came under fire near
Larzab.
_Army Pvt. Joseph R. Blake, 34, a Michigan native of Portland,
Ore., died Aug. 17, 2006, from small-arms fire. Blake, whose parents
live in Livonia, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum,
N.Y.
_Army Sgt. Jeremy E. DePottey, 26, of Ironwood, died Sept. 11,
2006, in Asadabad of injuries suffered in a single vehicle accident.
DePottey was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
_Army Maj. Douglas E. Sloan, 40, who grew up in Charlevoix, died
Oct. 31, 2006, of injuries sustained in a roadside bombing, his family
said. Sloan was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
_Army Col. James W. Harrison, 47, a 1977 graduate of Oscoda High
School, died May 6, 2007, when he was shot by an Afghan soldier at a
prison 20 miles east of Kabul. The Missouri resident, whose parents live
in Montrose, was serving as a detention policy expert with the Combined
Forces Command Afghanistan.
_Army Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle, 22, of Ortonville, died July 5,
2007, of wounds sustained from enemy small arms fire and indirect fire
in the Watapor Valley of Kunar province. He was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173d Airborne Brigade
based in Vicenza, Italy.
_Army Pfc. Jordan E. Goode, 21, of Kalamazoo, died Aug. 11, 2007,
from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb exploded beneath the truck
he was driving in Zormont. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 73rd
Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at
Fort Bragg, N.C.
_Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew D. Blaskowski, 27, a 1998 Cheboygan
Area High School graduate whose parents live in Cheboygan County, died
Sept. 23, 2007, in Asadabad of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked
his unit using small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned
to the 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne
Brigade Combat Team at Vicenza, Italy.
_Marine Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks, 28, of Troy, died Nov. 9, 2007,
while conducting combat operations in Aranus. He was assigned to the
Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif.
_Army Pfc. Joseph M. Lancour, 21, of Swartz Creek, died Nov. 10,
2007, the day after his patrol was attacked in Aranus. The Ludington
native was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry
Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team based in Vicenza, Italy.
_Army Pfc. Antione V. Robinson, 20, of Detroit, died March 19,
2008, in Nawa, of injuries sustained when the vehicle he was repairing
collapsed. He was assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th
Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_Navy Petty Officer Ross L. Toles III, of Davison, died June 18,
2008, of wounds suffered in a rocket attack in Paktika province. He was
assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Sharana in Afghanistan.
_Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew L. Hilton, 37, of Livonia, died June
26, 2008, of injuries following a roadside bomb explosion and gunfire
near Forward Operating Base Shank. He was assigned to the 425th Infantry
Regiment of the Michigan Army National Guard at Selfridge Air National
Guard base near Mount Clemens.
_Army Staff Sgt. Kristopher Dan Rodgers, 29, of Burr Oak, died
Aug. 16, 2008, in the Korengal Valley when a roadside bomb went off near
his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Hood,
Texas.
_Army Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Rodriguez, 35, of Weidman, died
Sept. 2, 2008, of wounds suffered when his mounted patrol came under
small arms fire in Ana Kalay. He was assigned to the K-9 unit of the
527th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th MP
Brigade, Ansbach, Germany.
_ Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer John Wayne Marcum, 34, of
Flushing, died Sept. 12, 2008, of injuries suffered the previous day in
combat in Afghanistan. He was temporarily forward deployed from his
assignment at Naval Special Warfare Development Group, Virginia Beach,
Va.
_ Navy Chief Petty Officer (select) Jason Richard Freiwald, 30,
of Armada, died Sept. 12, 2008, of injuries suffered while conducting
combat operations in Afghanistan. He was temporarily forward deployed
from his assignment at Naval Special Warfare Development Group, Virginia
Beach, Va.
_ Army Cpl. Nicholas R. Roush, 22, of Middleville died Aug. 16,
2009, in Herat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Roush was part of the 4th
Psychological Operations Group, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_ Army Pfc. Eric Hario, 19, of Monroe died Aug. 29, 2009, in
Paktika province, Afghanistan. Hario was an Army Ranger assigned to 1st
Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga.
_ Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin P. Castiglione, 21, of
Howell, died Sept. 3, 2009, in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The
hospital corpsman was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance
Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_ Army Spc. Christopher T. Griffin, 24, of Kincheloe, died Oct.
3, 2009, in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered in an enemy attack
on a contingency outpost. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st
Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort
Carson, Colo.
_ Army Spc. Brandon Steffey, 23, of Sault Ste. Marie died Oct.
25, 2009, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised
bomb. He was a combat tracking dog handler assigned to the 178th
Military Police Detachment, 89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps,
Fort Hood, Texas.
IRAQ:
_ Senior Airman James A. Hansen, 25, of Athens died Sept. 15,
2010, in an accident during a controlled detonation at Joint Base Balad,
Iraq. He was part of the 46th Operations Support Section at Elgin Air
Force Base, Fla.
_ Army Staff Sgt. Richard J. Jordan, 29, died March 16, 2010, of
injuries received in a vehicle rollover while serving in Iraq. The
Defense Department said he was from Tyler, Texas, but relatives said he
was from Macomb County's Harrison Township. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored
Division at Fort Bliss, Texas.
_ Army Staff Sgt. Timothy A. David, 28, of Beaverton died June
28, 2009 from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle. David was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th
Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort
Hood, Texas.
_ Army Spc. Paul E. Andersen, 49, of Dowagiac died Oct. 1, 2009
from wounds sustained when his camp was attacked with indirect fire in
Baghdad. Andersen was assigned to the U.S. Army Reserve's 855th
Quartermaster Company based in South Bend, Ind.
_Marine Sgt. Ralph Anthony Webb Frietas, 23, died Dec. 8, 2009 of
unknown causes in Baghdad. He was assigned to Marine Wing Support
Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing,
III Marine Expeditionary Force based in Okinawa, Japan.
Deaths in 2008 (no year listed with individual deaths) Members of the U.S. armed forces with known Michigan ties who died in 2008 while supporting military operations in Iraq:
_ Army Staff Sgt. Michael D. Elledge, 41, of Brownsburg, Ind.,
died March 17 in Baghdad from wounds suffered when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He graduated from Dexter
High School in 1985. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort
Carson, Colo.
_ Army Pfc. John Thomas Bishop, 22, of Gaylord, died April 23 in
Golden Hills in a vehicle crash. He attended Gaylord High School. He was
assigned to the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat
Team, 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Ky.
_ Army Sgt. 1st Class Steven J. Chevalier, 35, of Flint, died
July 9 in Balad, Iraq, from wounds sustained when a grenade hit his
patrol vehicle in Samarra. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th
Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division,
based at Fort Campbell, Ky.
_ Army Pfc. Bryan R. Thomas, 22, of Battle Creek, died Sept. 4 in
Baghdad when a bomb went off near his vehicle. He was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th
Infantry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas.
_ Army Spc. Adam M. Wenger, 27, of Waterford, died Nov. 5 in
Tunis of injuries sustained during a noncombat incident. He was assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd
Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Ga.
_ Army Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Smith, 28, of Grand Rapids, died
Dec. 24 of injuries suffered in a rollover accident in Baghdad. He was
assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd
Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
_ Army Spc. Stephen M. Okray, 21, of St. Clair Shores, died Dec.
24 of injuries suffered in a rollover accident in Baghdad. He was
assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd
Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Iraq 2007 deaths:
_ Marine Lance Cpl. Luis J. Castillo, 20, of Lawton died Jan. 20
while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province. Castillo was
assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment, 4th Marine Division in Lansing.
_ Army Spc. Brandon Stout, 23, of Grand Rapids died Jan. 22 after
an explosive detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad. Stout was assigned
to the 46th Military Police Company, Michigan Army National Guard in
Kingsford.
_ Marine Cpl. Mark D. Kidd, 26, of Milford died Jan. 25 while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province. Kidd was assigned to
the Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th
Marine Division in Mount Clemens.
_ Marine Pfc. Tarryl Hill, 19, of Macomb County's Shelby Township
died Feb. 7 when his vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device in
Al Anbar province. Hill was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st
Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in Mount Clemens.
_ Army Pfc. Justin T. Paton, 24, of Alanson died Feb. 17 in
Taramia when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms
fire. Paton was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st
Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
_ Marine Pfc. Brett Witteveen, 20, of Shelby died Feb. 19 during
combat operations in Anbar province. He was a member of the Marine
Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine
Division, based in Grand Rapids.
_ Marine Pfc. Bufford ``Kenny'' VanSlyke, 22, of Bay City died
Feb. 28 after being shot during combat operations in Anbar province. He
was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine
Regiment, 4th Marine Division, based in Saginaw.
_ Army Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Stone, 49, of Taylorsville, Utah,
died March 11 in a non-combat incident in Iraq. Stone grew up in Oakland
County's Milford Township. He was assigned to the 96th Regional
Readiness Command at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City.
_ Army Pfc. Jim Arnold, 21, of Mattawan died March 15 along with
three other soldiers when an improvised explosive device detonated near
his unit during combat operations in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st
Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry
Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
_ Army Pfc. William Davis, 26, of Grand Rapids and three others
were killed March 17 when an improvised explosive device hit their
Humvee in Baghdad. The four were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th
Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based
at Fort Bliss, Texas.
_ Army Sgt. Curtis E. Glawson Jr., 24, who was born in Detroit,
died March 20 in a bomb blast in Baghdad. Glawson, of Daleville, Ala.,
was assigned to the 610th Brigade Support Battalion, 28th Infantry
Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based
in Fort Riley, Kan.
_ Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph C. Schwedler, 27, of
Crystal Falls died April 5 while conducting combat operations in Al
Anbar province. He was assigned to Navy SEAL Team Four, based in
Virginia Beach, Va.
_ Army Sgt. Todd A. Singleton, 24, of Muskegon died April 8 in
Baghdad of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy
forces using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st
Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
_ Army Pfc. Levi K. Hoover, 23, of Midland died along with three
other members of his unit in a roadside bomb explosion in Zaganiyah on
April 7. He was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_ Army Pfc. Garrett C. Knoll, 23, of Huron County's Verona
Township was among nine U.S. soldiers who were killed April 23 when a
truck bomb exploded next to their patrol base northeast of Baghdad. All
were assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_ Army Pfc. Brian A. Botello, 19, of Alta, Iowa, was killed April
29 when a bomb exploded near his unit in Baghdad. Botello, who was born
in Muskegon, was one of three soldiers with the 3rd Squadron, 61st
Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, of
Fort Carson, Colo., who were killed in the blast.
_ Army Spc. Robert J. Dixon, 27, of Minneapolis died May 6 from
wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
vehicle. Dixon, who graduated from Gladwin High School, was assigned to
the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
_ Army Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya, 19, of Vermontville was killed
May 12 with three other U.S. soldiers in an ambush in Al Taqa, south of
Baghdad. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment,
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y.
_ Army Sgt. Thomas G. Wright, 38, of Grand Blanc died May 14 en
route to Germany for treatment of an undisclosed illness. He was serving
a second tour in Iraq as a member of the Michigan National Guard's 46th
Military Police Company, 210th Military Police Battalion, based in
Kingsford.
_ Army Sgt. Justin D. Wisniewski, 22, of Standish died May 19 in
Lutfiyah from wounds he received when an improvised explosive device
went off near his unit. He was from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field
Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division,
based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
_ Army Pfc. Casey P. Zylman, 22, of Coleman died May 25 in Mosul
of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near
his vehicle May 24 in Tallafar. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 4th
Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based
at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
_ Army Pfc. Joshua D. Brown, 26, of Troy died June 2 after his
vehicle struck an explosive device in Iraq. He was born in Southfield
and grew up in Dearborn Heights, moving to Tampa, Fla. a few years
before joining the military in 2005. He had recently purchased a home
with his wife in Troy. Brown served with the 1st Battalion, 18th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in
Schweinfurt, Germany.
_ Army Sgt. Matthew Soper, 26, of Jackson died June 6 in Bayji of
wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to
the 1461st Transportation Company (Combat Heavy Equipment), Michigan
Army National Guard in Jackson.
_ Army Pfc. Shawn D. Gajdos, 25, of Grand Rapids died June 6 in
Baghdad of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by insurgents
using improvised explosive devices and small arms fire. He was assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kan.
_ Army Spc. David Anthony Wilkey Jr., 22, of Clay Center, Kan.,
died June 18 after his Humvee convoy was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq.
Wilkey was born in Norway, Mich., and grew up in Wilson, Mich., before
moving to Elkhart, Ind., as a teenager. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry
Division.
_ Army Sgt. Allen A. Greka, 29, of Alpena died July 13 of wounds
sustained from a land mine detonation in Jisr Diyala. He was assigned to
the 3rd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd
Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Ga.
_ Army Pfc. Christopher D. Kube, 18, of Macomb County's Shelby
Township died July 14 in Baghdad from wounds he sustained from an
improvised explosive device. Kube was assigned to the 2nd Battalion,
17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry
Division, based at Fort Carson, Colo.
_ Army Pfc. Charles T. Heinlein Jr., 23, of Hemlock died July 31
in Baghdad along with two other soldiers of wounds suffered when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. All were
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd
Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Wash.
_ Army pilot Christopher Johnson, 31, died Aug. 14 when his CH-47
Chinook helicopter crashed during a routine post-maintenance test flight
near Taqqadum air base in Anbar province. Johnson grew up in Grand
Rapids and graduated from Tri-Unity Christian School. He was assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49 based at Fort
Wainwright, Alaska.
_ Army 1st Lt. Jonathan W. Edds, 24, of White Pigeon died Aug. 17
in Baghdad from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle
using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. He was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Benning, Ga.
_ Army Sgt. James S. Collins Jr., 35, of Rochester Hills, died
Aug. 28 in Kirkuk from wounds suffered during combat operations. Collins
was assigned to the 303rd Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserve
based in Jackson.
_ Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner, 40, formerly of Norton
Shores, died Aug. 30 in Al Noor of wounds sustained when his vehicle
struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Striker Brigade Combat
Team, 2nd Infantry Division based at Fort Lewis, Wash.
_ Army Spc. Todd A. Motley, 23, of Clare, died Sept. 14 in
Muqdadiyah of wounds suffered when a bomb exploded near his vehicle
during combat. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 9th U.S. Cavalry,
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood in Texas.
_ Army Spc. Rachael L. Hugo, 24, of Madison, Wis., died Oct. 5 in
Bayji of wounds sustained from an explosive and small arms fire. Hugo
was assigned to the 303rd Military Police Company, 97th Military Police
Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve based in
Jackson.
_ Army Staff Sgt. Donald L. Munn II, 25, of St. Clair Shores,
Mich., died Oct. 11 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his unit. He was assigned to Special
Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
_ Army Sgt. Daniel L. McCall, 24, a Flint native who grew up in
Pace, Fla., died Oct. 30 with two other soldiers when enemy forces
engaged their unit in small-arms fire and set off a homemade bomb in
Salman Pak, about 15 miles southeast of Baghdad. McCall was assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd
Infantry Division out of Fort Benning, Ga.
_ Army Pfc. Casey P. Mason, 22, of Lake in southwestern Clare
County, was killed Nov. 13 in Mosul when enemy forces attacked his unit
with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 728th Military Police
Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command
at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
_ Army Cpl. Jason T. Lee, 26, of Fruitport, died Nov. 18 after an
improvised explosive device detonated during a mounted patrol in
Baqubah. Lee was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment,
4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, of Fort Lewis,
Wash.
_ Army Spc. Randy W. Pickering, 31, Bovey, Minn. died Dec. 9 in
Baghdad of injuries from a non-combat incident. Family members live in
Michigan. He was assigned to the Regimental Support Squadron, 2nd
Stryker Cavalry Regiment at Vilseck, Germany.
_ Army Sgt. Peter C. Neesley, 28, of Grosse Pointe Farms, died
Dec. 25 in Baghdad of an undetermined cause in a non-combat environment.
Neesley was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd
Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga.
Members of the U.S. armed forces with known Michigan ties who died in 2006 while supporting military operations in Iraq:
_Marine Lance Cpl. Jason T. Little, 20, of Climax, died Jan. 7,
2006, in Ferris, when his tank was attacked with an improvised explosive
device. He was assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division,
II Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_Army Spc. Walter B. Howard II, 35, who grew up in Macomb
County's Clinton Township, died in Balad, on Feb. 2, 2006, of injuries
sustained when an improvised explosive device exploded near his M1
Abrams tank earlier in the day in Ashraf. Howard was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry
Division.
_Marine Cpl. Ross A. Smith, 21, of Wyoming, died Feb. 9, 2006,
from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations
near Fallujah. Smith was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp
Pendleton, Calif.
_Army Staff Sgt. Curtis T. Howard II, 32, of Ann Arbor, died Feb.
22, 2006, along with two other soldiers when their vehicle was hit by a
roadside bomb. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
_Army Pfc. Allan A. Morr, 21, of Byron, died Feb. 22, 2006, near
Hawijah, along with three other soldiers when their vehicle was hit by a
roadside bomb. All were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry
Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Fort
Campbell, Ky.
_Army Sgt. Joshua V. Youmans, 26, of Genesee County's Flushing
Township, died March 1, 2006, at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas.
Youmans was injured Nov. 21, 2005, when an improvised explosive device
went off near his vehicle in Habbaniyah. Youmans was assigned to the
Army National Guard's 1st Battalion with the 125th Infantry Regiment in
Saginaw.
_Army Cpl. Nyle Yates III, 22, of Lake Odessa, died March 16,
2006, in Bayji, when he came under small arms fire. He was assigned to
the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st
Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky.
_Army Spc. Andrew K. Waits, 23, of Oakland County's Waterford
Township, died April 13, 2006, after an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st
Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky.
_Army Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema, 27, of Hudsonville, died
April 25, 2006, when his unit came under enemy fire during combat in
Baghdad. Herrema was born in Grand Rapids and graduated from Unity
Christian High School in Hudsonville, according to the Army Special
Operations Command based at Fort Bragg, N.C., where he was assigned.
_Army Sgt. Matthew A. Webber, 23, of Stanwood, died on April 27,
2006, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Webber was injured
Nov. 21, 2005, when an improvised explosive device went off near his
vehicle in Habbaniyah. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st
Battalion with the 125th Infantry Regiment in Saginaw.
_Army Cpl. Brock Bucklin, 28, of Grand Rapids, died May 31, 2006,
in an equipment accident in Balad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion,
68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry
Division in Fort Carson, Colo.
_Army Cpl. Alexander J. Kolasa, 22, of Oakland County's White
Lake Township, died May 31, 2006, of non-hostile injuries in Baghdad. He
was assigned to the 704th Main Support Battalion, 4th Brigade, 4th
Infantry Division, at Fort Hood, Texas.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Brandon Webb, 20, of Swartz Creek, died June
20, 2006. The Arizona-born Webb worked for almost a year as a Swartz
Creek firefighter before going on military leave. He was assigned to 1st
Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, First Marine
Expeditionary Force, in Camp Pendleton, Calif.
_Marine Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar, 30, of Lake Orion, died
June 26, 2006, of wounds received while conducting combat operations in
the Al Anbar province. Plouhar was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division, First Marine Expeditionary Force, in Camp
Pendleton, Calif.
_Army Spc. Joseph P. Micks, 22, of Rapid River, was among three
soldiers who died July 8, 2006, in Ar Ramadi, when an improvised
explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations.
He was assigned to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade,
Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.
_Army Sgt. Duane Dreasky, 31, of Novi, died July 10, 2006, at
Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. He was injured Nov. 21, 2005, when
an improvised explosive device went off near his vehicle in Habbaniyah.
Dreasky was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion with the
125th Infantry Regiment in Saginaw.
_Army Sgt. Al'Kaila Floyd, 23, of Grand Rapids, died July 13,
2006, at a hospital in Germany of injuries he received July 8 when a
makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle in Ramadi. Floyd was assigned
to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade in Bamberg,
Germany.
_Army Staff Sgt. Michael A. Dickinson II, 26, of Battle Creek,
died July 17, 2006, when his patrol was hit by small arms fire in
Ramadi. He was assigned to the 9th Psychological Operations Battalion,
4th Psychological Operations Group, Army Special Operations Command in
Fort Bragg, N.C.
_Army Spc. Dennis K. Samson Jr., 24, of Hesperia, was killed by
small arms fire July 24, 2006, in Taqaddum. He was assigned to the 4th
Brigade Troop Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne
Division, at Fort Campbell, Ky.
_Army 1st Sgt. Aaron D. Jagger, 43, of Hillsdale, was among three
soldiers who died Aug. 9, 2006, in Ar Ramadi, when an improvised
explosive device detonated near their vehicle. He was assigned to the
Army's 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division,
Friedberg, Germany.
_Army Sgt. Gabriel G. DeRoo, 25, of Paw Paw, died Aug. 20, 2006,
in Mosul from injuries suffered when he was hit by small arms fire. He
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade,
2nd Infantry Division, at Fort Lewis, Wash.
_Navy Chief Petty Officer Paul J. Darga, 34, of Alpena, died Aug.
22, 2006, in Al Anbar province when his explosive ordnance disposal team
was struck by an improvised explosive device while responding to a
previous strike. He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile
Unit Two, serving with the 1st Marine Logistics Group.
_Army Staff Sgt. Eugene H.E. Alex, 32, of Bay City, died Sept. 2,
2006, in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries
suffered Aug. 30 when he was wounded by small-arms fire in Baghdad. He
was a cavalry scout assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment,
172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
_Army Sgt. Ralph N. Porras, 36, of Merrill, died Sept. 2, 2006,
in Yusufiyah, when enemy mortar fire hit his unit. He was assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_Army Pfc. Jeffrey P. Shaffer, 21, of Harrison, Ark., died Sept.
13, 2006, when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle during a
combat operation in Ramadi. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th
Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division of Bamberg, Germany. He once
lived near Flint and his father, Paul Shaffer, is a Greenville resident.
_Marine Capt. Justin D. Peterson, 32, of Davisburg, died Oct. 1,
2006, from a non-hostile vehicle accident in Anbar province. He was
assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, in Twentynine Palms, Calif.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth, 20, of Chelsea, was
one of four members of a unit from Camp Lejeune, N.C., who died Oct. 21,
2006, during combat in Anbar province. He was a member of the 1st
Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment of the 2nd Marine Division.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian, 22, of Lathrup Village,
was one of four members of a unit from Camp Lejeune, N.C., who died Oct.
21, 2006, during combat in Anbar province. He was a member of the 1st
Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment of the 2nd Marine Division.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Troy D. Nealey, 24, of Eaton Rapids, died Oct.
29, 2006, during combat in Anbar province. He was assigned to Marine
Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine
Division, in Lansing.
_Marine Cpl. Gary A. Koehler, 21, of Ypsilanti, died Nov. 1,
2006, during combat in Anbar province. He was assigned to 1st Battalion,
8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Min Hee Kim, 20, of Ann Arbor, died Nov. 1,
2006, during combat in Anbar province. He was assigned to Marine Forces
Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, in
Lansing.
_Marine Sgt. Bryan K. Burgess, 35, of Wayne County's Canton
Township, died Nov. 9, 2006, during combat in Anbar province. He was
assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment,
4th Marine Division at Perrysburg, Ohio.
_Army Staff Sgt. Gregory McCoy, 26, who grew up in Webberville,
died Nov. 9, 2006, after his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive
device in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 410th Military Police Company,
720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade at Fort
Hood, Texas.
_Army Sgt. William Samuel Jackson II, 29, of Saginaw County's
Saginaw Township, died Nov. 11, 2006, following a blast from a roadside
bomb in Ramadi. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 16th Engineer
Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, in Giessen, Germany.
_Army Spc. Brad Shilling, 22, of Stanwood, died Nov. 18, 2006, in
Baghdad of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) in Big Rapids.
_Army Sgt. 1st Class James D. Priestap, 39, of Hardwood, died
Nov. 23, 2006, in Baghdad from small-arms fire while on duty at a
checkpoint. He was assigned to the 46th Military Police Company in
Kingsford.
_Marine Maj. Joseph T. McCloud, 39, of Grosse Pointe Park, died
Dec. 3, 2006, when the CH-46 helicopter he was in crashed in Anbar
province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd
Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas P. Echols, 20, who spent his childhood
in St. Clair and moved to Sault Ste. Marie as a teenager, died Dec. 4,
2006, during combat in Anbar province. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Brent E. Beeler, 22, of Jackson, died Dec. 7,
2006, while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province. He was
assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment,
4th Marine Division, in Lansing.
_Army Spc. Andrew P. Daul, 21, of Brighton died Dec. 19, 2006, in
Hit, Iraq, from an improvised explosive device that went off near his
tank. He was with the 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade,
1st Armored Division, based in Friedberg, Germany.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Burgess, 21, of Midland County's Hope
Township, died Dec. 21, 2006, during combat in Al Anbar province. The
2003 graduate of Meridian High School was assigned to the 3rd Battalion,
4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
based at Twentynine Palms, Calif.
_Army Sgt. Curtis L. Norris, 28, of Ingham County's Ingham
Township, died Dec. 23, 2006, in Baghdad after an improvised explosive
device went off near his vehicle. Norris was part of the 210th Brigade
Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
(Light Infantry), based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
_Army Spc. Chad J. Vollmer, 24, of Grand Rapids; Army Pfc. Wilson
A. Algrim, 21, of Howell; and Army Pvt. Bobby Mejia II, of Saginaw died
Dec. 23, 2006, after an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle in Salman Pak, Iraq. They were assigned to the First Battalion,
125th Infantry from Big Rapids.
_Army Pfc. Andrew H. Nelson, 19, of St. Johns, died Dec. 25,
2006, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle
during combat operations in Baghdad. Nelson was assigned to the 9th
Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division based
in Schweinfurt, Germany.
_Marine Lance Cpl. William Craig Koprince Jr., 24, of Oak Ridge,
Tenn., died Dec. 27, 2006, while on foot patrol in Al Anbar province,
killed by a roadside bomb. Koprince was born in Southgate, Mich. He had
been stationed with the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Marine Regiment.
_Marine Cpl. Christopher E. Esckelson, 22, of Vassar, and Lance
Cpl. Nicholas A. Miller, 20, of Silverwood, died Dec. 28, 2006, while
conducting combat operations in Anbar province. They were assigned to
Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine
Division in Lansing.
_ Army Sgt. Christopher P. Messer, 28, of Petersburg died when an
improvised explosive device detonated near him as he patrolled on foot
in Baghdad on Dec. 27. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st
Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
Members of the U.S. armed forces with known Michigan ties who died supporting military operations in Iraq 2003-2005:
_Army Pvt. Brandon Sloan, 19, of Bedford Heights, Ohio, was
killed when his unit, the 507th Maintenance Company, was ambushed near
Nasiriyah on March 23, 2003. Sloan's mother, Kimberly, lives in Fraser.
_Marine Maj. Kevin Nave, 36, formerly of Oakland County's White
Lake Township, was killed when he was run over by a military vehicle
March 26, 2003. Nave was a veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf War and
lived in Oceanside, Calif. He is survived by his wife and two children.
_Army Sgt. Todd James Robbins, 33, formerly of Pentwater, died
after the Bradley fighting vehicle he manned with eight other soldiers
apparently was bombed April 2, 2003, possibly by friendly fire. Robbins,
a veteran of the first Gulf War, was stationed at Fort Sill, Okla. He
left behind a wife and 13-year-old son from a previous marriage.
_Army Sgt. Michael Pedersen, 26, formerly of Flint, was one of
six soldiers killed in the crash of an Army Black Hawk helicopter April
2, 2003, during a firefight. He served as a helicopter crew chief with
the Army's 3rd Infantry Division based in Fort Stewart, Ga.
_Army Pfc. Jason Meyer, 23, of Howell was killed April 7, 2003,
when his personnel carrier took fire. He graduated from Howell High
School in 1999 and joined the Army in 2001. Meyer was based in Fort
Stewart, Ga., and had celebrated his first wedding anniversary two weeks
before his death.
_Marine Pfc. Juan Garza, 20, of Temperance was killed by sniper
fire April 8, 2003. Garza graduated from Summerfield High School and was
married the day after Christmas 2002.
_Air Force Staff Sgt. Scott Sather, 29, of Clio was killed in
action in Iraq on April 8, 2003. He was assigned to the 24th Special
Tactics Squadron based at Pope Air Force Base, N.C.
_Army Spc. Richard A. Goward, 32, of Midland was killed April 14,
2003, when his truck collided with another truck in Iraq. Goward was
assigned to the Midland-based 1460th Transportation Company of the
Michigan Army National Guard. The father of two daughters served on
active duty with the Army from 1990 to 1996, then joined the Michigan
Guard after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
_Army Sgt. Sean Reynolds, 25, was killed May 3, 2003, in an
apparent accident involving his own weapon in northern Iraq. He grew up
in Detroit and graduated from East Lansing High School in 1995. Reynolds
was assigned to the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade, deployed near Kirkuk.
_Army Master Sgt. William Lee Payne, 46, of Otsego, died May 16,
2003 when an ordnance exploded as he examined it in Haswah, Iraq. Payne
was an intelligence officer for the 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment
of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division.
_Army Staff Sgt. Brett J. Petriken, 30, of Flint, died May 26,
2003, when a heavy equipment transporter crossed a median and struck his
vehicle in Samawah, Iraq. He was part of the 501st Military Police Unit
of the 1st Armored Division.
_Army Capt. Paul J. Cassidy, 36, of Laingsburg died as a result
of non-combat injuries on July 13, 2003. He was part of the 432nd Civil
Affairs Battalion based in Ashwaubenon, Wis. Cassidy, a reservist, was
in Iraq performing humanitarian services. He also served as department
secretary for the Meridian Township clerk's office.
_Army Sgt. Trevor A. Blumberg, 22, of Wayne County's Canton
Township, died Sept. 14, 2003, when a roadside bomb hit a convoy and
destroyed his Humvee in Fallujah, Iraq. Blumberg was an 82nd Airborne
paratrooper with the 1st Battalion of the 504th Parachute Infantry
Regiment.
_Army Spc. Donald L. Wheeler, 22, of Concord died from injuries
sustained Oct. 13, 2003, in Tikrit, Iraq, when his unit was attacked by
resistance forces. Wheeler was assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion,
22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
_Army Staff Sgt. Paul J. Johnson, 29, of Calumet was killed when
Iraqi fighters ambushed his patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, on Oct. 20, 2003.
Johnson served in the 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
_Army Spc. Artimus D. Brassfield, 22, of Flint was killed in a
mortar attack while he played basketball at an outpost on Oct. 24, 2003.
_Army Staff Sgt. Mark D. Vasquez, 35, of Port Huron died when the
Bradley Fighting Vehicle in which he was riding was struck by an
improvised explosive device on Nov. 8, 2003. Vasquez was assigned to the
1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division based in
Fort Riley, Kan.
_Army Pfc. Damian S. Bushart, 22, of Oakland County's Waterford
Township was killed Nov. 22, 2003, when a 25, 2003, when their living
quarters in Baqouba, Iraq, came under mortar attack. Christensen and
Hattamer were assigned to the 652nd Engineer Battalion, U.S. Army
Reserve, a bridge-building unit based in Harvey.
_Army Pfc. Holly J. McGeogh, 19, of Taylor was among three
soldiers killed when a homemade bomb exploded Jan. 31, 2004 along a road
near Kirkuk, Iraq. She and the two other soldiers were assigned to
Company A, 4th Forward Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, from
Fort Hood, Texas.
_Army Spc. Richard K. Trevithick, 20, of Gaines died April 14,
2004, when an improvised explosive device exploded near his convoy
vehicle in Balad, Iraq. He was part of the 9th Engineer Battalion, 2nd
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division out of Schweinfurt, Germany.
_Army Sgt. 1st Class Bradley C. Fox, 34, who grew up in Adrian,
died April 20, 2004 of wounds suffered March 14, 2004 when a roadside
bomb detonated near his vehicle. He served with the 1st Armored
Division.
_Army Pfc. Richard H. Rosas, 21, of St. Louis was one of two
soldiers killed May 25, 2004, when their patrol was hit by an improvised
explosive device in Fallujah, Iraq. He served with the 3rd Battalion,
62nd Air Defense Artillery, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry),
based in Fort Drum, N.Y.
_Army Sgt. Aaron Elandt, 23, of Port Hope died May 30, 2004, when
the Humvee he was in struck a land mine while responding to a mortar
attack. Elandt was a cavalry scout with the 1st Armored Division.
_Army Spc. Craig S. Frank, 24, of Lincoln Park, died July 17,
2004, after his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device near
Baghdad. Frank was serving with the Michigan National Guard's 1775th
Military Police Company out of Pontiac.
_Army Sgt. 1st Class David A. Hartman, 41, of Akron died July 17,
2004 in Beiji, Iraq, after the vehicle he was driving was hit by an
improvised explosive device. Hartman was assigned to the Army Reserve's
401st Transportation Company out of Battle Creek.
_Army Pfc. Nicholas H. Blodgett, 21, of Wyoming died July 21,
2004 when his patrol vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in
Abdalluyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 4th Cavalry Regiment of the
Army's 1st Squadron and stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany.
_Army Spc. Donald R. McCune, 20, of Ypsilanti died Aug. 5, 2004,
in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries he received when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his patrol the previous day in Balad,
Iraq. McCune was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion,
161st Infantry Regiment, 81st Brigade Combat Team and stationed in Moses
Lake, Wash.
_Army Staff Sgt. Donald N. Davis, 42, of Saginaw died Aug. 24,
2004 when a tractor and a tanker trailer rolled over an embankment in
Fallujah, Iraq. Davis was assigned to the U.S. Army Reserve's 660th
Transportation Company in Zanesville, Ohio.
_Army Sgt. Carl Thomas, 29, a native of Detroit who lived in
Phoenix before being stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, died Sept. 13, 2004
when a homemade explosive detonated near his Army observation post in
Baghdad. Thomas was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry
Regiment.
_Army Private Mark Barbret, 22, of Macomb County's Shelby
Township, died Oct. 14, 2004 when the Humvee he was riding in hit a
roadside bomb near Ramadi, Iraq. Barbret was an Army mechanic with the
2nd Infantry Division.
_Army Pfc. Dennis Miller Jr., 21, of La Salle died Nov. 10, 2004
after his unit came under attack and a rocket-propelled grenade struck
his tank in Ramadi, Iraq. Miller was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 72nd
Armor Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Justin D. Reppuhn, 20, of Hemlock died Nov.
11, 2004 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar province. Reppuhn was
assigned to motor transport duties with the 3rd Light Armored
Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Justin M. Ellsworth, 20, of Mount Pleasant
died Nov. 13, 2004 while on reconnaissance during a U.S. assault on
Fallujah. He was assigned to a Combat Service Support Battalion 1 in the
First Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Pendleton, Calif.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Wayne Hanks, 22, of Gregory, died Nov.
17, 2004 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar province. He was
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, in
the First Marine Expeditionary Force. The Marines issued him a formal
commendation on May 11, 2003, for saving the life of an Iraqi civilian
in Ash Shatra.
_Marine Cpl. Gentian Marku, 22, of Warren, died Nov. 25, 2004 as
a result of enemy action in Al Anbar province. Marku was assigned to 1st
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force and stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Marku moved to
the United States from Albania when he was 14.
_Marine Cpl. In C. Kim, 23, of Warren, died Dec. 7, 2004, after a
non-hostile vehicle incident in Iraq's Al Anbar province. He was
assigned to 9th Communications Battalion, First Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
_Marine Staff Sgt. Jason A. Lehto, 31, of Warren, died Dec. 28,
2004, in what the military described as a non-hostile incident. He was
assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve's Marine Wing Support Group 47,
4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Mount Clemens.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Allan Klein, 34, of Macomb County's Clinton
Township, died Jan. 26, 2005 along with 29 other Marines and a Navy
medic when a helicopter crashed during a sandstorm in western Iraq. He
was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine
Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force from Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
_Navy Lt. Cmdr. Edward E. Jack, 51, of Detroit, died Jan. 29,
2005 in a non-combat related incident aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard.
Jack was assigned to Commander, Destroyer Squadron Seven, the home port
for which is Naval Station San Diego in California.
_Army 1st Lt. Adam Malson, 23, of Rochester Hills, died Feb. 19,
2005 in a suicide bombing in Baghdad. He was a member of the Reserve
Officers Training Corps at Michigan State University and was assigned to
the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
_Army Capt. Sean Grimes, 31, of Bloomfield Hills, died March 4,
2005 when an explosive device detonated near his patrol. He was a member
of the 1st Infantry Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, based in Fort Carson, Colo.
_Staff Sgt. Ricky Kieffer, 36, of Ovid was killed March 15, 2005
when his unit was attacked by insurgents using small arms fire in
Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the Michigan Army
National Guard's 182nd Field Artillery Regiment.
_Marine Cpl. Michael B. Lindemuth, 27, of Pellston, died April
13, 2005 as a result of wounds from enemy mortar fire at Camp Hit in Al
Anbar Province, Iraq. Lindemuth was assigned to inspector/instructor
staff of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in
Akron, Ohio.
_Army Spc. Randy Lee Stevens, 21, of Genesee County's Flint
Township, died April 16, 2005 in combat in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was with
the 17th Field Artillery Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division's 2nd
Combat Brigade, and was stationed in Camp Hovey, Korea.
_Army Capt. Ralph J. Harting III, 28, who was born in Pontiac and
raised in Union Lake, and Army Capt. Stephen Frank, 29, a graduate of
Haslett High School, died April 29, 2005 when a bomb blew up a truck
they were inspecting in Diyarah, Iraq. Both were based at Fort Irwin,
Calif.
_Army Sgt. Brad A. Wentz, 21, of Gladwin died May 20, 2005 when
his convoy came under attack along a main supply route. He was assigned
to the Army Reserve's 180th Transportation Company based in Muskegon.
_Army Spc. Joshua T. Brazee, 25, of Sand Creek died May 23, 2005
in Al Qaim, Iraq, from non-combat related injuries. He was assigned to
the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment based in Fort Carson,
Colo.
_Army Sgt. Charles A. Drier, 28, of Tuscola, died May 24, 2005
when an explosive detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division based in Fort Stewart, Ga.
_Army Spc. Eric T. Burri, 21, of Wyoming, died June 7, 2005 when
a primitive bomb exploded near his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 623rd Quartermaster Company, 1st Corps Support Command
at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew Kilpela, 22, of Fowlerville, died June
10, 2005 when a roadside bomb exploded. He was assigned to the 2nd
Combat Engineering Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_Army Spc. Adrian Butler, 28, of Detroit, died July 27, 2005 when
the vehicle he was riding in drove over a roadside bomb in Iraq. He was
assigned to the 411th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police
Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas.
_Army Spc. Brian K. Derks, 21, of Newaygo County's Wilcox
Township died Aug. 13, 2005 when a homemade bomb exploded while he was
patrolling in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored
Calvary Regiment at Fort Irwin, Calif.
_Army Staff Sgt. Brian Lee Morris, 38, of Centreville, died Aug.
21, 2005 when the fuel truck he was driving overturned near Tal Afar,
Iraq. He was assigned to the 360th Transportation Company based at Fort
Carson, Colo.
_Army Maj. Gregory Fester, 41, of Kent County's Ada Township,
died Aug. 30, 2005 in an explosion while on foot patrol. The married
father of three was a reservist assigned to the Army Civil Affairs and
Psychological Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_Army Capt. Lowell T. Miller, II, 35, of Flint, was killed Aug.
31, 2005 by small arms fire. Miller was assigned to the Army National
Guard's 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry Regiment in McComb, Miss.
_Army Sgt. 1st Class Casey E. Howe, 32, a Deford native, was
killed Sept. 26, 2005 when his patrol hit an improvised explosive
device. Howe was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 314th Field Artillery
Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 78th Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.
_Marine Cpl. Nicholas O. Cherava, 21, of Ontonagon, was killed
Oct. 6, 2005 by an improvised explosive device near Karmah. He was
assigned to Second Battalion, Second Marine Regiment, Second Marine
Division, Second Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_Army Pfc. Nicholas J. Greer, 21, of Monroe, died Oct. 7, 2005
when insurgents attacked his patrol unit in Haqlaniyah, Iraq. He was
assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd
Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C.
_Army Staff Sgt. Vincent E. Summers, 38, of South Haven, was
among five U.S. soldiers killed Oct. 15, 2005 when an explosive
detonated near their vehicle in Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at
Fort Benning, Ga.
_Army Staff Sgt. Lewis J. Gentry, 48, of Detroit, died Oct. 26,
2005 in Mosul, Iraq, from a noncombat-related cause. Gentry was assigned
to the Army's 94th Engineer Battalion in Vilseck, Germany.
_Marine Sgt. Michael Paul Hodshire, 25, of North Adams, died Oct.
30, 2005 while on duty near Fallujah, Iraq. He served as second squad
leader for 3rd Platoon, Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regimen,
based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
_Marine Maj. Gerald Bloomfield, 38, of Ypsilanti, died Nov. 2,
2005 when the helicopter he was in crashed near Ramadi, Iraq. Bloomfield
was assigned to the Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Marine
Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary
Force out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.
_Army Spc. Timothy Brown, 23, of Cedar Springs, was killed Nov.
4, 2005 by a roadside bomb while checking for explosives around the
Humvee in which he and four other soldiers were riding. Brown was a
National Guardsman assigned to Company B, 125th Infantry.
_Army 1st Lt. Justin S. Smith, 28, of Lansing, died Nov. 7, 2005
when a bomb exploded near his patrol in Baghdad. Smith was assigned to
the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment in Fort Carson, Colo.
_Army Special Forces Sgt. Anthony Yost, 39, a native of
Millington, died Nov. 18, 2005 in a suicide bombing in Mosul. Yost was
stationed in Fort Bragg, N.C.
_Army Pfc. John Dearing, 21, of Hazel Park, formerly of Oscoda,
died Nov. 21, 2005 when his vehicle struck a land mine in Habbaniyah.
Dearing was a gunner assigned to the Army National Guard's First
Battalion with the 125th Infantry Regiment in Saginaw.
_Marine Lance Cpl. Craig Watson, 21, of Union City, and Marine
Lance Cpl. David Huhn, 24, of Portland, were among 10 Marines killed in
a roadside bomb explosion Dec. 1, 2005 in Fallujah. They were assigned
to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.
_Army Sgt. Spencer Akers, 35, of Traverse City, died Dec. 8, 2005
at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. He was injured Nov. 21 when an
improvised explosive device went off near his vehicle in Habbaniyah.
Akers was assigned to the Army National Guard's First Battalion with the
125th Infantry Regiment in Saginaw.
_Army Spc. Tony Cardinal, 20, of Muskegon, was killed Dec. 25,
2005 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
Humvee during combat operations. Cardinal was assigned to the 3rd
Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in
Fort Stewart, Ga.
_Army Spc. Dane O. Carver, 20, of Freeport, died Dec. 26, 2005,
in Khalidiyah, Iraq, when insurgents attacked his Humvee with small-arms
fire. Carver was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion,
125th Infantry Regiment in Saginaw.
