Friday, August 24, 2007 4:45 PM - UPDATE - Canada's Globe and Mail has now published more details on the two Canadian soldiers who died in a roadside bomb blast in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, on Wednesday, August 22nd. Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier, 43, was a veteran of 19 years with the Royal 22nd Regiment, and had planned to retire after his current deployment to Afghanistan was complete. A fitness buff, he would run the 12 kilometers to the Valcartier base from his home outside of Quebec City. Master Corporal Christian Duchesne, 34, who was also a career soldier, began his enlistment in artillery, then switched to the medical services where he specialized in treating front line wounded. Both men were originally from Quebec. And both had done two tours of duty in the former Yugoslavia. In addition, Mercier had seen duty in Haiti. Between them, they left six children behind. Mercier's children are now teenaged ... Duchesne's three daughters are aged 3, 5 and 9.

Saturday, August 25, 2007 9:23 AM - UPDATE -
	The British Ministry of Defense has announced the identities of the three 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment soldiers who died in a friendly fire incident in Helmand Province on Thursday, August 23rd:
McLure, Foster, Thrumble		Private Aaron James McLure, 19, of Ipswich in Suffolk, England
		Private Robert Graham Foster, 19, of Harlow in Essex, England
		Private John Thrumble, 21, of Chelmsford in Essex, England
		McClure had enlisted in the British Army in March of 2006, completing basic training as a rifleman in October of that year. He had then participated in military exercises in the UK and Kenya before being sent to Afghanistan in March 2007 on his first operational deployment. Despite his young age and "a quiet, unassuming nature", he had more than held up his own in his 5 months in country, a veteran of over 40 engagements with the Taliban, many of them fierce, close-range battles. McClure is survived by his parents and three brothers.
		Foster enlisted in the army in April of 2006, and like McClure, was trained as a rifleman. He had also been in Afghanistan on his first operational tour since March of this year, under very demanding circumstances, seeing significant action in the short time he served. Foster was described by his platoon mates as a "character" ... an extrovert by nature, full of confidence and courage, and with a hilarious sense of humor that shone through no matter how tough the circumstances. He leaves behind his parents and an older sister.
		Older than McClure and Foster, in fact the most senior private in his platoon, Thrumble had been talking enthusiastically about the promotion course he was soon slated to take, hoping to make Lance Corporal status. He had enlisted in April 2004 and trained as a rifleman. Thrumble had already completed one operational deployment to Iraq, along with various military exercises in the UK, Canada and Kenya. Currently he was serving as the platoon machine gunner. A commanding officer described him as "utterly dedicated to his job and in particular, fiercely loyal to his platoon and protective of his friends." Thrumble is survived by his parents, two brothers and his girlfriend.

Sunday, August 26, 2007 10:08 AM - UPDATE -

Stéphane Rieu, 30, of France

More information is appearing in the French media about the French soldier who died in a vehicle roll-over accident in Kabul on Thursday, August 23rd. Brigadier-chef (Corporal) Stéphane Rieu, 30, had already served 10 years in the French military in the 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment based out of Tarbes, France. In that time he had been deployed outside of France five times. His latest mission, a 5 month tour of duty in Afghanistan, was to have been completed in just 15 days from the date of his death. He leaves behind a partner and two little girls, ages 5 and 1 years.

Sunday, August 26, 2007 3:16 PM - 1 INCOMING & UPDATE -
	(1) The NATO website is announcing the death of an ISAF soldier from a small arms fire attack while on a dismounted patrol in Eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, August 26th. As usual, the soldier's nationality was not given. However, most of the ISAF troops in eastern Afghanistan are American.
Scott M. Carney, 37, of Ankeny, Ohio	(2) The Des Moines (Iowa) Register has published a good piece on Iowa National Guardsman Sergeant 1st Class Scott M. Carney, 37, of Ankeny, Ohio, who died in a vehicle rollover accident near Herat, Afghanistan, on Friday, August 24th. Born in 1970 in Somerset, Ohio, Carney graduated from high school in 1988, then enlisted in the Army in March of 1989. In December of 2000 he joined the National Guard ... and went on to earn an associates degree from Upper Iowa University in 2003. In May of this year, however, he found himself in Afghanistan on his first combat mission ... part of a team of Iowa soldiers training Afghan police and soldiers. He was assigned to the Boone-based unit of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. Carney is survived by his wife, two 12-year-old twin sons, and his parents.

Monday, August 27, 2007 6:20 AM - 1 INCOMING - The Dutch Ministry of Defense is announcing the death of one of their soldiers in an improvised explosive device attack at Cutu-brug (12 km north of the Dutch base at Deh Rawod in Oruzgan Province) on Sunday, August 26th: Sergeant 1 Martijn Rosier, 30. Roughly translated, the article goes on to say that a 23-year-old corporal, Bas van Mourik, received a head injury in the attack, but was expected to survive. Both men happened to be outside of their vehicle at the time the bomb went off. Both were assigned to the 111 Pantsergeniecompagnie (Armored Engineer Company) based out of Wezep in the Netherlands. A brief English language article on the incident can be found here. The ISAF statement has also been posted.

Monday, August 27, 2007 10:39 AM - 3 INCOMING - Bloomberg News Service is reporting the deaths of three American soldiers from the U.S. led forces in Afghanistan. Their unit was ambushed by Taliban forces using small arms fire and RPGs in Kunar Province in the far east of the country on Monday, August 27th. In addition to the American deaths, two Afghan soldiers died, and three coalition and seven Afghan soldiers were wounded.

Monday, August 27, 2007 11:05 AM - UPDATE - The Kitchener (Ontario) Record has confirmed the hometowns of the two Canadian soldiers who died in a roadside bomb blast in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, on August 22nd. Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier, 43, grew up in the small town of Weedon, near Sherbrooke in Quebec's Eastern Townships. Master Corporal Christian Duchesne, 34, was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007 4:11 AM - UPDATE -

Nicholas R. Carnes, 25, of Dayton, Kentucky

The DoD has identified the Kentucky Army National Guardsman who died in a small arms fire attack in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, on Sunday, August 26th: Staff Sergeant Nicholas R. Carnes, 25, of Dayton, Kentucky. Dayton is right on the Ohio River just across from Cincinnati, Ohio. So perhaps that is why Carnes applied for work at BB Riverboats, eventually becoming a captain, this according to an article in the Louisville (Kentucky) Courier-Journal. In fact, that is where he met his wife, who was also a riverboat captain with BB. This September would have marked their 1st wedding anniversary. Although Carnes graduated from high school in 2000, he had signed up with the Army National Guard a year previously. In October 2006, he was called up for his first deployment and sent to Afghanistan where he served as squad leader for his field artillery unit. On August 26th, he was out on patrol looking for enemy IEDs when his unit came under enemy fire near a town called Lewanne Bazaar at which point he was apparently shot in the leg. He died later that day at a medical facility at Orgun-E, Paktika Province.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007 7:08 AM - 3 INCOMING - Reuters is reporting the deaths of three U.S. soldiers, part of NATO forces in Paktia Province, in a suicide bombing on Tuesday, August 28th. The soldiers were working at a bridge construction site when the bomber detonated explosives that were strapped to his body. Six other soldiers were wounded in the attack.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007 7:17 AM - 1 INCOMING - The Canadian Department of National Defense is announcing the death of one of its soldiers assigned to NATO/ISAF in Afghanistan. The soldier apparently was found in his barracks room at the secure ISAF headquarters compound in Kabul significantly injured from a gunshot wound. Despite being given immediate medical treatment, he died about an hour later on Wednesday, August 29th. Winnipeg radio station CJOB is reporting that although enemy action is not considered a cause, investigators have not ruled out either murder or suicide. The ISAF statement can be found here.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007 3:43 PM - UPDATES -
Thomas R. Wilson, 21, of Maurertown, Virginia	(1) The DoD has identified the American soldier who died in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan, Paktika Province, on Monday, August 27th: Army Private 1st Class Thomas R. Wilson, 21, of Maurertown, Virginia. Arlington (Virginia) station WJLA has published a brief piece stating that Wilson had enlisted in the Army less than a year ago and had been in Afghanistan for four months. His mother told the reporter through tears, "He was truly a wonderful human being and I loved him very much."
	(2) The Scranton (Pennsylvania) Times-Tribune is reporting the deaths of the first two Pennsylvania Army National Guardsmen to die in Afghanistan:
		Master Sergeant Scott Rowan Ball, 38, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania
		Sergeant Jan M. Argonish, 26, of Scranton, Pennsylvania
		Both were killed when their six-vehicle re-supply convoy was ambushed in Kunar Province on Monday, August 27th. A third American regular army soldier was also killed in the attack, but his identity has not been released yet. The Pennsylvania ANG website has posted a news release giving their deployed unit as the Headquarters & Headquarters Company of the 55th Brigade Forward.
	Scott Rowan Ball, 38, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania	The Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Patriot-News is reporting that Ball was at one time a regular army soldier who served in Gulf War I. He joined the Pennsylvania ANG in 1992. In 2000, Ball graduated from the State Police Academy and was assigned to a station in Philadalphia. He later served as a state trooper in Media, York and Chambersburg before joining the Carlisle station on July 6, 2002. At some point, Ball had also received an associates degree from Harrisburg Area Community College. In October of 2006, he was put on military leave and began training for deployment to Afghanistan in February to help in the training of Afghan troops there. Ball leaves behind his wife, a 10-year-old son, a 6-year-old daughter, and his mother.
	Jan M. Argonish, 26, of Scranton, Pennsylvania	According to the Scranton Times-Tribune piece, Argonish graduated from high school in 1999. Living in Scranton, he worked as a correctional officer at the U.S. penitentiary in nearby Waymart. He was on his third National Guard deployment in the past six years (including one tour of duty in Iraq), and was currently in Afghanistan helping to train, advise and execute missions with the Afghan army. A fellow guardsman said that Argonish was in one of the rear vehicles in the convoy, dying while laying down fire to protect fellow convoy personnel. Argonish is survived by an 8-year-old son, his parents and two sisters.

Thursday, August 30, 2007 8:06 AM - 1 INCOMING - The British Ministry of Defense is announcing the death of a Gunner from 51 Squadron, the Royal Air Force Regiment on Thursday, August 30th. The gunner was on a routine security patrol around the perimenter of Kandahar Air Field when his vehicle was caught in an explosion. The civilian interpreter who was with him also died. Two other British military personnel received minor injuried in the incident. The NATO/ISAF release on the death can be found here.