Sunday,
February 11, 2007 7:39 AM - CENTCOM is
reporting the death of a U.S.
Servicemember in Afghanistan. They
say he died of a gunshot wound,
but do not specify if it was hostile
or non-hostile. We are guessing
non-hostile for now until more
information comes to light. The
victim died in the far north of
Afghanistan in Balkh Province "today".
The report was dated Sunday, February
11th.
Sunday,
February 11, 2007 7:39 AM - CENTCOM is
reporting the death of a U.S.
Servicemember in Afghanistan. They
say he died of a gunshot wound,
but do not specify if it was hostile
or non-hostile. We are guessing
non-hostile for now until more
information comes to light. The
victim died in the far north of
Afghanistan in Balkh Province "today".
The report was dated Sunday, February
11th.
Monday,
February 12, 2007 2:21 PM - The
DoD has
identified the soldier who
died in Balkh Province in northern
Afghanistan recently: Sergeant
Long N. Nguyen, 27,
of Portland, Oregon. According
to the DoD, he actually died
on February 10th, not the 11th
as reported by CENTCOM. He was
an Oregon Army National Guardsman.
The DoD goes on to describe his
death as "non-hostile", saying
that it occurred in the city
of Mazar-e-Sharif.
| Wednesday,
February 14, 2007 4:00 PM
- |
 |
The
DoD has
announced a new death connected
with Operation Enduring Freedom.
Navy Petty Officer
2nd Class Laquita Pate James,
23, of Orange Park, Florida,
died on Monday, February 12th,
aboard the assault ship the
USS Bataan. According
to an article from Norfolk
(Virginia) station WVEC-TV,
James had complained to relatives over
the weekend about having
flu-like syptoms, but the Navy
says it will be another two
days before doctors can say
what actually killed her. The
Bataan is currently off the
coast of the Horn of Africa. |
|
Laquita
Pate James, 23, of Orange Park,
Florida
|
Sunday,
February 18, 2007 6:16 AM - CENTCOM is
reporting the deaths of eight
U.S. troops and the wounding
of another 14 in the crash
of a Chinook CH-47 helicopter
in Afghanistan early on Sunday,
February 18th. According to an
Associated Press report,
the crash was not from enemy
fire ... the pilot did radio
in that he was having engine
problems. The chopper came down
in the Shahjoi District of Zabul
Province within yards of the
main Kabul/Kandahar highway.
It was transporting 22 troops,
including the crew, at the time
of the crash.
Monday,
February 19, 2007 6:59
AM - |
|
|
(1)
The DoD had
originally mis-reported the
age of Navy Petty
Officer Laquita Pate James who
died aboard the USS Bataan
off the east coast of Africa
on February 12th, likely
of illness. She was actually
33 years old, not 23. |
|
(2)
The media has now revealed
the identities of two of
the eight U.S. servicemen
who died in a helicopter
crash in Zabol Province on
Sunday, February 18th. One
was apparently with the U.S.
Air Force, according
to Albuquerque station KOAT: Airman
Scott Duffman of
Albuquerque. Duffman's career
was spent in special operations.
He had done several tours
of duty to both Iraq and
Afghanistan, but was killed
just five days into his latest
overseas deployment. |
|
Scott
Duffman of Albuquerque, New
Mexico
|
| |
(3)
The second serviceman
killed in the helicopter crash
in Zabol Province on Sunday,
February 18th was with
a special operations unit in
the U.S. Army, according
to Iowa station KWWL. Specialist
Travis Vaughn, who
was raised in Cedar Falls,
Iowa, was stationed at Fort
Campbell, KY. |
Monday,
February 19, 2007 3:08 PM - The
DoD has
confirmed the death of
an airman in the crash of a
CH-47 helicopter in Zabol Province
on Sunday, February 18th: Air
Force Technical
Sergeant Scott E. Duffman,
32, of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He was assigned to the 24th
Special Tactics Squadron out
of Pope Air Force Base, NC.
Tuesday,
February 20, 2007 5:53
AM - |
| |
(1)
CENTCOM is
reporting the death of
a U.S. soldier from enemy
action near Naray in
Kunar Province in eastern
Afghanistan. The death
occurred "today" ...
the press release was
dated Monday, February
19th.
|
| |
(2)
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has
identified another victim of
the helicopter crash
in Zabol Province on
Sunday, February 18th: Private
1st Class Ryan Garbs,
20, of Edwardsville,
Illinois. Garbs was an
Army Ranger assigned
to the 75th Ranger Regiment
out of Fort Benning,
Georgia. He had decided
on a career as a ranger
in his sophomore year
in high school ... and
set about single-mindedly
getting himself in peak
physical condition in
order to pass the entrance
requirements. This included
running daily and setting
up a personal gym in
his basement, complete
with weights, benches,
pull-up bar and boxing
bag. He signed on with
the army right after
high school graduation,
and had already served
a tour in Iraq before
his latest deployment
to Afghanistan.
|
| |
| Tuesday,
February 20, 2007 7:31
AM - |
| |
The
Asbury Park (New Jersey)
Press has
identified the lead pilot aboard
the Chinook helicopter
that crashed in Zabol
Province on February
18th. Army Warrant
Officer John A. Quinlan,
36, of Bradley Beach,
New Jersey, died along
with seven others that
day when the craft experienced
mechanical failure. Quinlan
had served for 18 years
in the military, including
a first 10-year stint
with the Marines, after
which he was commissioned
as an army warrant officer
and trained as a chopper
pilot. At 6'-4" tall,
he was too tall to pilot
most helicopters ...
only the Chinook had
enough headroom to accomodate
him. Quinlan had seen
action in both Iraq wars,
Somalia and several deployments
to Afghanistan in his
special forces capacity.
He leaves behind a wife
and three daughters ranging
in age from 3 to 10. |
| |
| Tuesday,
February 20, 2007 9:15
AM - |
| |
The
Southern Oregon Mail
Tribune is
reporting the identity of
the co-pilot aboard
the CH-47 chopper that
crashed in Afghanistan
on Sunday, February
18th. Army Chief
Warrant Officer Hershel
Daniel "Danny" McCants
Jr., 35, died
along with 7 others
in the incident. Like
the pilot, Warrant
Officer John Quinlan,
McCants had years of
military experience
behind him. Beginning
with bridge building
for an army engineering
unit, he later trained
as a medic and also
served aboard a Blackhawk
helicopter. Ultimately,
he trained as a pilot,
and was currently serving
in a special operations
unit based at Fort
Campbell, KY. McCant
had deployed to Afghanistan
several times in the
past. Although born
in Medford, Oregon,
he apparently moved
to Phoeniz, Arizona
as a small child, eventually
enlisting in the army
there. He and
his wife have an 11
year old son and a
baby daughter. |
| Wednesday,
February 21, 2007 6:22
AM - |
| |
The
DoD has
released the names of
the seven soldiers
who died when their
Chinook helicopter
crashed in Zabol Province,
Afghanistan, on Sunday,
February 18th: |
| |
|
Chief
Warrant Officer Hershel
D. McCants Jr.,
33, of Arizona |
|
Hershel
Daniel "Danny" McCants
Jr., 35, of Phoenix,
Arizona
|
| |
 |
Chief
Warrant Officer John
A. Quinlan,
36, of New Jersey |
|
John
A. Quinlan, 36, of Bradley
Beach, New Jersey
|
| |
|
Sergeant
Adam A. Wilkinson,
23, of Fort Carson,
Colorado |
|
Adam
A. Wilkinson, 23, of
Fort Carson, Colorado
|
| |
 |
Specialist
Travis R. Vaughn,
26, of Reinbeck, Iowa |
|
Travis
Vaughn, of Cedar Falls,
Iowa
|
| |
|
Specialist
Brandon D. Gordon,
21, of Naples, Florida |
|
Brandon
D. Gordon, 21, of Naples,
Florida
|
| |
 |
Private
1st Class Ryan C. Garbs,
20, of Edwardsville,
Illinois |
|
Ryan
Garbs, 20, of Edwardsville,
Illinois
|
| |
|
Private
1st Class Kristofer
D.S. Thomas,
18, of Roseville, California |
|
Kristofer
D.S. Thomas, 18, of Roseville,
California
|
| |
McCants,
Quinlan, Wilkinson,
Vaughn and Gordon were
assigned to the 160th
Special Operations
Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
out of Fort Campbell,
KY. Garbs and Thomas
were assigned to the
75th Ranger Regiment
out of Fort Benning,
Georgia. |
| Wednesday,
February 21, 2007
7:12 AM - |
|
The
Tulsa (Oklahoma) World has
identified the soldier who
died in Afghanistan
on Monday, February
19th, citing Oklahoma
Army National Guard
sources: Sergeant
Buddy Hughie,
25, of Poteau, Oklahoma.
Hughie's National Guard
unit ... the 1st Battalion,
180th Infantry Regiment
... had been operating
on a joint mission
with the Afghan National
Army and the U.S. Army's
10th Mountain Division
in northeastern Afghanistan.
On the way back from
that mission, they
came under enemy fire.
In the process, two
Afghan soldiers were
wounded. Hughie, a
medic, left the cover
of his vehicle to try
to give them aid ...
and was shot and killed.
His wife had just given
birth to their first
child, a son, last
November. |
|
Buddy
Hughie, 25, of Poteau,
Oklahoma
|
| Wednesday,
February 21, 2007
8:51 AM - |
|
The
Spanish Ministry
of Defense has
announced the death of
one of their soldiers
in Afghanistan. Idoia
Rodríguez
Buján was
riding in an armored
ambulance near the
city of Shindand
in Herat Province
in the western part
of the country when
the vehicle hit some
kind of explosive
device. Two other
Spanish soldiers
were injured in the
blast. Apparently,
the dead woman was
part of a convoy
that was bringing
equipment to a contingent
of Italian NATO troops
who were training
Afghan soldiers.
She came from the
town of Lugo in Galicia
in the northwest
of Spain. The Spanish
MOD did not give
her age. An approximate English
translation of the
MOD release can be
found here.
Neither of these
articles gives a
date for the attack,
so we are forced
to assume today's
date, February 21st,
for the time being. |
|
Idoia
Rodríguez
Buján, Lugo
(Galicia), Spain
|
| Wednesday,
February 21, 2007
10:13 AM - |
| |
(1)
The British Ministry
of Defense is
announcing the
death of
a British Royal
Marine from an
anti-personnel
mine blast during
a routine patrol in
Sangin District,
Helmand Province,
in southern Afghanistan
on Wednesday,
February 21st.
|
| |
(2)
A Canadian Press
article would
seem to verify that
the Spanish soldier, Soldado
Idoia Rodríguez Buján, who
died in an explosion
in Herat Province,
was indeed killed
on Wednesday,
February 21st.
|
Thursday,
February 22, 2007 9:53
AM - The British Ministry
of Defense has
announced the death of
another Royal Marine. In
this case, the Marine was
injured in a road traffic
accident in Helmand Province,
Afghanistan, on February
4th. After initial treatment
in Afghanistan, he was
transported back to the
United Kingdom for specialized
care. Unfortunately, he
died of his injuries Thursday,
February 22nd.
| Thursday,
February 22, 2007 11:36
AM - |
 |
(1)
The British Ministry
of Defense has
identified the British
Royal Marine who
died in Sangin District,
Helmand Province, Afghanistan,
when a mine detonated
near his vehicle on Wednesday,
February 21st: Marine
Jonathan "Dutchy" Holland,
23, from Chorley, England.
Holland had been with
the Royal Marines since
2002. He is survived
by his parents, a younger
brother, and his fiancee. |
|
Jonathan "Dutchy" Holland,
23, from Chorley, England
|
| |
(2)
The DoD has
announced the death of
a U.S. Marine
in the Republic of
the Philippines as
part of Operation Enduring
Freedom. Corporal
Timothy D. Lewis,
20, of Lawrenceburg,
Kentucky, died on February
15th of a non-hostile
cause according to
the DoD release. Media
reports from All
Headline News and
the Zamboanga
(Philippines) Sun Star,
however, have clarified
the cause of death
as heat stroke. Lewis
was apparently on the
island of Jolo in the
southern Philippines
in preparation for
joint training exersizes
with Philippines forces
when he fell ill. He
was transported to
a hospital in the city
of Jolo where doctors
were unable to revive
him. The Associated
Press has
also covered this death,
although they report
that Lewis died of
a heart attack after
a 24 hour plane ride
from his base in Japan
to the humid island
of Jolo. |
| Thursday,
February 22, 2007 7:48
PM - |
|
The DoD is
announcing another
new Operation Enduring
Freedom death, not
previously reported
by CENTCOM. Army Private
1st Class Jason D.
Johns, 19,
of Frankton, Indiana,
died at Bagram Air
Field near Kabul from
a non-hostile unspecified
cause on Wednesday,
February 21st. |
|
Jason D. Johns, 19, of
Frankton, Indiana
|
| Friday,
February 23, 2007 11:41
AM - |
|
(1)
The British Ministry
of Defense has
identified the
British Royal Marine
who died on Thursday,
February 22nd, in a
UK hospital from injuries
he received in a road
accident in Afghanistan
on February 4th: Marine
Scott Summers,
23, of Crawley, East
Sussex, England. |
|
Scott Summers, 23, of
Crawley, East Sussex, England
|
| |
(2)
The Lancashire (England)
Telegraph has
published a piece on
British Royal Marine
Jonathan Holland who
died in a roadside
bomb blast in Afghanistan
on Wednesday, February
21st. Holland's death
is the second tragedy
to hit his family within
a week as his mother's
sister had recently
died in a fall at her
home. The article also
verifies that he was
from Chorley in Lancashire,
England. |
Friday,
February 23, 2007 4:17
PM - The DoD has
confirmed the death of
Oklahoma Army National
Guardsman Sergeant
Buddy J. Hughie,
25, of Poteau, Oklahoma,
in Kamdesh District,
Nurestan Province, Afghanistan,
when his patrol was attacked
with small arms fire
and rocket propelled
grenades on Monday, February
19th.
Saturday,
February 24, 2007 5:21
AM - More information
is appearing in the Spanish
media about Private Idoia
Rodríguez Buján
who died in a roadside
bomb blast in western
Afghanistan on Wednesday,
February 21st. El
Pais reports that
she was 23 years old
and from the town of
Nodar in the province
of Lugo in the northwestern
Spanish "autonomous community" of
Galicia.
Saturday,
February 24, 2007 6:01
AM - The English
language website Typically
Spanish has
published an article on
the death of Spanish
soldier Private Idoia Rodríguez
Buján in
western Afghanistan on
February 21st. They say
she was assigned to the
Light Air Transport Brigade
- BRILAT - based in Figueirido,
Pontevedra. She is the
first female Spanish
soldier to lose her life
on a peacekeeping mission. Another
article on the same
website describes the
airport ceremony
when her body was returned
to Spain on Friday, February
23rd. According to it,
her native town was Friol
in the province of Lugo.
She will be buried there
on February 24th. Rodríguez
Buján has been
posthumously awarded
the Cross of Military
Merit.
Tuesday,
February 27, 2007 6:18
AM - At 10:30 AM
this morning, February
27th, a suicide bomber
detonated his explosives
at an entry gate at the
U.S.'s main base in Afghanistan,
Bagram Air Field just
outside of Kabul. According
to a
press release from CENTCOM and
also a
release from ISAF (NATO), four
people are known dead:
one U.S. servicemember,
one Coalition servicemember,
a U.S. government contractor,
and the bomber. Some
27 people, including
20 Afghans were injured
in the blast. Reuters
AlertNet is
reporting that the
Coalition servicemember
who died was from the
South Korean army contingent
based at Bagram, Sergeant
Yoon Jang-ho.
| Tuesday,
February 27, 2007
6:48 AM - |
|
The
Korea Times has
an article out on
the South Korean
soldier killed on
February 27th in
a suicide bombing
at an entry gate
to Bagram Air Field
in Afghanistan. Sergeant
Yoon Jang-ho,
27, attended elementary
school in Seoul ...
but then traveled
to the United States
by himself to complete
middle and high school
there. Yoon then went
on to complete a
degree at the University
of Indiana, earning
most of his own school
expenses by finding
part-time jobs. In
May 2005, he returned
to South Korea and
voluntarily joined
the South Korean
army to complete
his military service
requirements. Yoon
was assigned to the
Dasan Engineering
Unit as an English
translator. He was
on duty near the
Bagram Air Field
entry gate when the
suicide bomber detonated
his explosives. He
is the first South
Korean soldier to
die in the current
war in Afghanistan.
Yoon is survived
by his parents, a
brother and a sister. |
|
Yoon
Jang-ho, 27, Seoul,
South Korea
|
| Thursday,
March 01, 2007
2:01 PM - |
|
The
DoD has
identified the American
soldier who died
when a suicide bomber
detonated his explosives
at an entrance gate
to Bagram Air Field
on Tuesday, February
27th: Private
1st Class Daniel
Zizumbo,
27, of Chicago, Illinois. |
|
Daniel Zizumbo, 27,
of Chicago, Illinois
|
Sunday,
March 04, 2007 5:48 AM
- Yonhap
News is
reporting that South
Korean Army Sergeant Yoon
Jang-ho, 27,
has been posthumously
promoted to the rank
of Staff Sergeant.
Yoon was killed on February
27th at Bagram Air Field
in Afghanistan when a
suicide bomber blew himself
up nearby.
|
|
