Sunday, August 05, 2007 9:24 AM - 2 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the deaths of two Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldiers from enemy action in Baghdad on Sunday, August 5th.

Monday, August 06, 2007 4:22 AM - 1 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier from enemy action in an eastern neighborhood of Baghdad on Sunday, August 5th.

Monday, August 06, 2007 12:51 PM - 1 INCOMING -

Joey D. Link, 29, of Portland, Tennessee

The DoD has announced a new death, not previously reported by CENTCOM. Air Force Technical Sergeant Joey D. Link, 29, of Portland, Tennessee, died of "natural causes" at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany on Sunday, August 5th. According to the DoD release, he was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and was normally based at Dyess AFB in Texas. No further information is available at this point. (UPDATE August 14, 2007 - portlandn.com published a notice stating that Link died "in Qatar after battling a major infection.")

Monday, August 06, 2007 4:57 PM - 1 INCOMING & UPDATES -
	(1) MNF- Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier from an explosively formed penetrator that detonated in a western neighborhood of Baghdad on Monday, August 6th.
	(2) MNF-Iraq has confirmed the deaths of four Task Force Lightning soldiers in Diyala Province on Monday, August 6th. They died from injuries sustained in "an explosion while conducting combat operations".
	(3) The DoD has confirmed the death of Marine Lance Corporal Christian Vasquez, 20, of Coalinga, California, from enemy action in Al Anbar Province on Thursday, August 2nd.
	(4) The DoD has identified the Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier who died from enemy action in east Baghdad on Sunday, August 5th: Specialist Charles E. Leonard Jr., 29, of Monroe, Louisiana. Leonard died in a rocket propelled grenade attack. His unit, the 1st Battalion of the 8th Cavalry Regiment (1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, TX), has been based in the New Baghdad neighborhood in the eastern part of the city.

Monday, August 06, 2007 6:00 PM - 3 INCOMING -
	The DoD is apparently announcing three new deaths, not previously reported by CENTCOM. Three soldiers died just south of the Baghdad city limit in the vicinity of the town of Hawr Rajab (Hor Rijab) when struck by an improvised explosive device:
		Sergeant Dustin S. Wakeman, 25, of Fort Worth, Texas
		Corporal Jason K. Lafleur, 28, of Ignacio, Colorado
		Private 1st Class Jaron D. Holliday, 21, of Tulsa, Oklahoma
	Their unit, the 1st Squadron of the 40th Cavalry Regiment (25th Infantry Division out of Fort Richardson, AK), has been operating in an area between Baghdad and Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad. A date of death was not given in the release. However, the Associated Press is reporting that the deaths occurred on Saturday, August 4th.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007 4:49 AM - 1 INCOMING - The British Ministry of Defense has announced the death of a 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh Regiment soldier in a small arms fire attack in the Basra City district of Al Fursi on Monday, August 6th.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007 5:26 AM - UPDATE - The Jackson (Tennessee) Sun is reporting the death of a soldier from Paris, Tennessee, in Iraq. Army Specialist Justin Blackwell, 27, died in a mortar attack at his forward operating base in Baghdad on Sunday, August 5th, according to his brother. Blackwell was a member of a military police company, and as such is likely one of the two deaths described in this CENTCOM release. He had been in the military for six years and is survived by his three brothers.

Wednesday, August 08, 2007 1:33 PM - 1 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier in an improvised explosive device attack in a western neighborhood of Baghdad on Tuesday, August 7th.

Thursday, August 09, 2007 2:26 PM - UPDATE -

Donald M. Young, 19, of Helena, Montana

The DoD has identified a soldier who was severly wounded in an improvised explosive device attack in Baghdad on Tuesday, August 7th, and who died in Baghdad on August 8th: Specialist Donald M. Young, 19, of Helena, Montana. His unit, the 1st Battalion of the 5th Cavalry Regiment (1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, TX), had been operating in and around the western Baghdad neighborhood of Khadra. Thus, we believe he is the death described in this CENTCOM release.

Saturday, August 11, 2007 6:46 AM - 1 INCOMING & UPDATES -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Task Force Lightning soldier from a non-hostile, unspecified cause on Friday, August 10th. The specific place of death was not reported.
	(2) The British Ministry of Defense has announced the identities of the two British soldiers who died in a roadside bombing west of Basra City on Thursday, August 9th:
		Lance Sergeant Chris Casey, 27, of London, England
		Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, 22, of Romford near London, England
		Casey had served with the Army since 1998 and had seen tours to Kosovo and Northern Ireland as well as exercises all over the world. He was an experienced member of the Pipes and Drums in his unit, an outstanding drummer, but also able to play the highland bagpipes. For much of the time on his current tour, he was involved in training the Iraqi Army, a job he threw himself into with characteristic enthusiasm and humor. He leaves behind a wife, a son and a daughter.
		Redpath was also a member of the Pipes and Drums, a side drummer, but also occasionally playing bugle. He had enlisted in 2003 and had been in Iraq since early May. Redpath was a member of the battalion's Intelligence Cell, a job which meant he was seldom required to leave base ... yet he constantly volunteered to do so. He is survived by his parents, grandparents, and a younger brother.

Monday, August 13, 2007 12:04 PM - UPDATE -

Joan J. Duran, 24, of Roxbury, Massachusetts

The DoD has identified the Task Force Lightning soldier who died from a non-hostile, unspecified cause in Iraq on Friday, August 10th: Staff Sergeant Joan J. Duran, 24, of Roxbury, Massachusetts. His place of death was not given, although his unit, the 5th Squadron of the 73rd Cavalry Regiment (82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, NC), has been operating on the northern edge of Ba'qubah in Diyala Province. The Boston (Massachusetts) Globe is reporting that Duran was actually born in the Dominican Republic, but moved to the Boston area as a toddler. His friends called him "Superman" for his prodigious feats of strength. Indeed, he earned top honors in football and track during high school ... while keeping up a straight-A average. Duran enlisted in the military shortly after high school graduation in 2003 and was due to finish his 4-year hitch this November. The Globe article states that he was "killed in Iraq when a bomb exploded while he was picking up supplies". Nothing further is known about his death at this point. Duran was engaged to be married.

Monday, August 13, 2007 2:24 PM - 1 INCOMING & UPDATE -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier from enemy action in a western neighborhood of Baghdad on Monday, August 13th.
William L. Edwards, 23, of Houston, Texas	(2) The DoD has identified the Task Force Marne soldier who died in a small arms fire attack in the vicinity of Arab Jabour southeast of Baghdad in Babil Province on Saturday, August 11th: Private 1st Class William L. Edwards, 23, of Houston, Texas. According to an Associated Press piece, a sniper killed one soldier, presumably Edwards, then lured his fellow soldiers to a booby-trapped house where one of them activated a hidden bomb, killing four of them. Edwards' unit, the 1st Battalion of the 30th Infantry Regiment (3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, GA), had been operating in the area of Arab Jabour.

Monday, August 13, 2007 5:22 PM - UPDATE -

Andrew Wayne Lancaster, 23, of Stockton, Illinois

Monday, August 13, 2007 5:22 PM - UPDATE - The Munster (Illinois) Times is reporting the death of Army Sergeant Andrew Wayne Lancaster, 23, of Stockton, Illinois, in Iraq. The article gives his unit as the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment out of Fort Stewart, Georgia. This would make him one of the four Task Force Marne soldiers who died in Arab Jabour, Babil Province, on Saturday, August 11th, when a booby-trapped building exploded as they were searching for a sniper who had just killed another member of their unit, Pfc. William Edwards. Lancaster had graduated from high school in 2002 and had previously been deployed to Afghanistan with the army. He was married.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 5:09 AM - 3 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the deaths of three Task Force Lightning soldiers in a roadside bombing in Ninawa Province on Monday, August 13th. In addition, one other soldier was injured in the attack.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 10:13 AM - 1 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier from enemy action in a western neighborhood of Baghdad on Tuesday, August 14th.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 11:52 AM - 1 INCOMING -

Michael E. Tayaotao, 27, of Sunnyvale, California

The DoD has announced a new death, not previously reported by CENTCOM. Marine Sergeant Michael E. Tayaotao, 27, of Sunnyvale, California, died from enemy action in Al Anbar Province on Thursday, August 9th. A detailed entry on a blog called "from the boondocks" describes Tayaotao as being of Filipino extraction, specifically Igorot from the island of Luzon. His father lives there now, while his mother lives in California. Tayaotao had enlisted in the Marines right out of high school and was due to end his current enlistment in one month, at which point he planned to return home to resume his studies. Unfortunately, those hopes were ended by a roadside bomb. He had requested that if he died in Iraq he wanted to be buried in Poway, California, beside his younger brother who had died last October 2006 while attending the University of California/Irvine.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 13:30 PM - 5 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the deaths of five U.S. Servicemembers in the crash of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter near Al Taqaddum Air Base in Al Anbar Province on Tuesday, August 14th. The chopper was on a routine post-maintenance check flight when it went down.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 3:35 PM - UPDATE -
	The DoD has released the identities of the four Task Force Marne soldiers who died in an IED blast in a booby-trapped building in Arab Jabour southeast of Baghdad on Saturday, August 11th:
		Staff Sergeant William D. Scates, 31, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
		Sergeant Scott L. Kirkpatrick, 26, of Reston, Virginia
		Sergeant Andrew W. Lancaster, 23, of Stockton, Illinois
		Specialist Justin O. Penrod, 24, of Mahomet, Illinois
		The Washington Post has published an excellent piece on Kirkpatrick, describing him as a poet, writer and actor in his teenaged years ... and also an accomplished "slam poet" who travelled throughout the country to perform his poems. It was over two years after 9-11 when he enlisted in the army, wanting to do his part to battle the terrorist threat, hopefully in Afghanistan. Instead, the army sent him to Iraq in January 2005. Kirkpatrick's ironic sense of humor was noticeable in his collection of all the rocks and bricks that were thrown at him during that first tour. In May of 2007, he was deployed to Iraq for a second tour, by which time he had married.
		The Champaign (Illinois) News-Gazette is reporting that Penrod served first in the Illinois Army National Guard when he graduated from high school. According to his stepmother, Penrod had basically put his life on hold for much of high school to care for his quadriplegic stepbrother who lived alone, taking him on trips to the mall or to movies before his death in 2002. He enlisted in the regular army in 2004, shortly after marrying, and was promptly sent off to Iraq for the first time in 2005. Earlier this year he had re-upped when his son was born, and had left for his second Iraq deployment in July.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007 5:28 PM - UPDATES -
Alicia Birchett, 29, of Mashpee, Massachusetts	(1) The DoD has released the identity of the soldier who was injured in a non-hostile, unspecified accident in Baghdad on Wednesday, August 8th, and who died in a Baghdad medical facility on August 9th: Staff Sergeant Alicia A. Birchett, 29, of Mashpee, Massachusetts. She was assigned to the 887th Engineer Company out of Fort Campbell, KY.
Shawn D. Hensel, 20, of Logansport, Indiana	(2) The DoD has also released the identity of a soldier who died "of wounds during an enemy attack" in Baghdad on Tuesday, August 14th: Private 1st Class Shawn D. Hensel, 20, of Logansport, Indiana. His unit, the 2nd Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment (2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, WA), has been operating in the area of East Rashid in the south of Baghdad. The only CENTCOM-issued death that comes close to matching this is this one, although that death purportedly occurred in the western part of the city. The Indianapolis (Indiana) Star is reporting that Hensel died when "he got caught in crossfire". The last time his parents saw him was in June of 2006 when he came home for a 10-day leave. He left for Iraq in April of this year. Hensel is survived by his parents and two sisters.

Thursday, August 16, 2007 6:44 AM - 2 INCOMING & UPDATES -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the deaths of two Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers from enemy action in an area north of Baghdad on Wednesday, August 15th. Six other soldiers were wounded in the attack.
	(2) The Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner is reporting that the five U.S. servicemen who died in the crash of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter near Taqaddum Air Base on Tuesday, August 14th, were all from the Army's 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49 based at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks.
Christopher Johnson, 31, of Grand Rapids, Michigan	(3) The Detroit News has now identified one of the crewmen aboard the Chinook that crashed on the 14th: the pilot Christopher Johnson, 31, who grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Johnson had joined the military in 1994 and had actually become a Green Beret before deciding to pursue another dream of his ... that of piloting a helicopter. He had only been in Iraq for a month at the time of his death on a routine maintenance test flight. He was in the process of adopting his wife's three children by a previous marriage ... ages 4, 7 and 10. His parents, who now live in Gallup, New Mexico, say that Johnson will be buried just east of Gallup in Rehoboth, an area he particularily loved.

Thursday, August 16, 2007 12:11 PM - 1 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldier from a non-hostile, unspecified cause in Baghdad on Thursday, August 16th.

Thursday, August 16, 2007 12:31 PM - UPDATE -

More news has surfaced about Army Staff Sergeant Alicia Birchett, 29, of Mashpee, Massachusetts, who died in Baghdad on August 9th. Boston station WHDH-TV is reporting that she was an engineer mechanic who had enlisted in the Army right out of high school in 1995. On August 8th, she was in the process of changing the tire on a vehicle when the brakes failed and the vehicle hit her. She died the following day in a medical facility. As a member of the Wampanoag tribe, she will be buried in a tribal ceremony in the Old Indian Cemetery in Mashpee. Birchett, described by family members as adventurous, practical and dedicated, was on her fifth overseas deployment. She leaves behind a husband and three sons, ages 2, 4 and 7.

Thursday, August 16, 2007 7:52 PM - UPDATE -
	The DoD has identified the five army crewmen who died aboard a CH-47 Chinook that crashed during a routine post-maintenance test flight near Taqaddum Air Base in Al Anbar Province on Tuesday, August 14th:
		Chief Warrant Officer Christopher C. Johnson, 31, of Michigan
		Chief Warrant Officer Jackie L. McFarlane Jr., 30, Virginia Beach, Virginia
		Staff Sergeant Sean P. Fisher, 29, of Santee, California
		Staff Sergeant Stanley B. Reynolds, 37, of Rock, West Virginia
		Specialist Steven R. Jewell, 26, of Bridgeton, North Carolina
		The Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot has published an article on pilot McFarlane, who joined the Army after high school graduation. By that time he had married his high school sweetheart, and his tours took them to Germany, Fort Bragg, and then, last summer to Fairbanks, Alaska. The couple celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary last month. They have a 7-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.
		According to a brief article in the Raleigh (North Carolina) News & Observer, Jewell was a CH-47 repairman who joined the Army in August 2005 and was assigned to Fort Wainwright in April 2006.

Thursday, August 16, 2007 8:25 PM - UPDATE -
	The DoD has identified the three Task Force Lightning soldiers who died in a roadside bomb blast in the vicinity of Qayyarah in Ninawa Province in northern Iraq on Monday, August 13th:
		Staff Sergeant Eric D. Cottrell, 39, of Pittsview, Alabama
		Private 1st Class Juan M. Lopez Jr., 23, of San Antonio, Texas
		Private 1st Class Paulo Marko U. Pacificador, 24, of Shirley, New York
		Newsday has a good article up on Pacificador. He was born in 1982 in Buguey, Cagayan, in the Phillipines, but his family moved to the United States in 1988. Eventually they wound up in Shirley about six years ago. Pacificador attended high school in Queens ... and later studied computer engineering at Suffolk Community College. His family said he felt very much duty bound to serve in the military as his father and grandfather had done before him, albeit with the Phillipines Army. Pacificador left for basic training in early 2006 and wound up deployed to Iraq in October of that same year.

Friday, August 17, 2007 6:48 AM - 2 INCOMING -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a second Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldier from a non-hostile, unspecified cause in Baghdad on Thursday, August 16th. A special note had been added to the release to confirm that there were indeed two such deaths on the 16th.
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a second Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldier from a non-hostile, unspecified cause in Baghdad on Thursday, August 16th. A special note had been added to the release to confirm that there were indeed two such deaths on the 16th.

Friday, August 17, 2007 7:43 AM - UPDATE -

Alun R. Howells, 20, of Parlin, Colorado

The DoD has identified the Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier who died in enemy action in a western part of Baghdad on Monday, August 13th: Specialist Alun R. Howells, 20, of Parlin, Colorado. His unit, the 1st Battalion of the 64th Armored Regiment (3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, GA) had recently been operating in the Jamia neighborhood in western Baghdad. According to the Gunnison Country (Colorado) Times, Howells parents were British citizens who spent many years running a motel in Gunnison (in fact, his father had at one time served with the British army). Howell himself maintained dual citizenship, and spent grade school through high school in the Gunnison area. He enlisted in the army the summer after high school graduation and had been in Iraq on his first deployment since last June. He is survived by this parents and three siblings.

Friday, August 17, 2007 9:37 AM - 1 INCOMING -

Robert R. Pirelli, 29, of Franklin, Massachusetts

The DoD has announced what looks like a new death, not previously reported by CENTCOM: Staff Sergeant Robert R. Pirelli, 29, of Franklin, Massachusetts. Pirelli, a Green Beret with the 10th Special Forces Group out of Fort Carson, CO, died in a small arms fire attack on Wednesday, August 15th. According to a press release published by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, he died in Diyala Province. Pirelli enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in December 2003, but then went on to complete the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2006. In March of 2007 he was deployed to Iraq for the first time. Pirelli is survived by his parents, a brother and a sister.

Friday, August 17, 2007 10:14 AM - 1 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier in a roadside bombing in an eastern neighborhood of Baghdad on Friday, August 17th. Two soldiers were also wounded in the attack.

Friday, August 17, 2007 5:53 PM - UPDATE -

The DoD has identified the Task Force Lightning soldier who died in a Balad medical facility on Thursday, August 16th, from wounds he sustained in a small arms fire attack in Tarmiyah, northeast of Taji: Private 1st Class Willard M. Kerchief III, 21, of Evansville, Indiana. His unit, the 4th Battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment (2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, WA), has been known to be operating in the area of Ba'qubah to the east of Tarmiyah.

Sunday, August 19, 2007 2:54 PM - UPDATE -

Kamisha Jane Block, 20, of Vidor, Texas

The Beaumont (Texas) station KFDM is reporting the death of Specialist Kamisha Jane Block, 20, of Vidor, Texas, in Iraq on Thursday, August 16th. As she was a military policeman, she was likely one of the two Multi-National Corps - Iraq deaths in Baghdad on that day. According to her aunt, she was killed at her base as a result of "friendly fire" ... no further details are available at this point. Block graduated from high school in Vidor in 2005 and joined the Army shortly thereafter. She is survived by her parents and a younger sister.

Monday, August 20, 2007 7:32 AM - UPDATE -
	The DoD has identified the two Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers who died in a mortar attack in Taji, just northwest of Baghdad, on Wednesday, August 15th:
		Sergeant Princess C. Samuels, 22, of Mitchellville, Maryland
	Zandra T. Walker and her twin sister Yolanda Worthy	Specialist Zandra T. Worthy-Walker, 28, of Greenville, South Carolina
		Both women were serving with Fort Hood's 1st Cavalry Division.
		The Greenville (South Carolina) station WYFF is reporting that Zandra Worthy-Walker has an identical twin sister, Yolanda Worthy, who was currently serving in Kuwait. When their mother Connie Worthy saw the chaplain at her front door, "I knew it had to be one of them, so I said Kuwait or Iraq?" Yolanda has already gone home on emergency leave to be with her family. The family had only recently been through another tragedy when, exactly two months before Zandra was killed, another sister died from a cancerous brain tumor.

Monday, August 20, 2007 7:56 AM - 1 INCOMING & UPDATE -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier from a non-hostile, unspecified cause in Baghdad on Sunday, August 19th.
	(2) Grand Rapids (Michigan) station WOOD-TV is reporting the death of an army officer from White Pigeon, Michigan: 1st Lieutenant John Edds, 24. Edds died in an improvised explosive device attack on Friday, August 17th, while leading his division on patrol in eastern Baghdad. John Edds had followed his older brother Joel to West Point, graduating two years ago. His younger brother Josh is beginning his senior year at that same institution. "You cry," said his father Barry, "then there's no more tears and you do it all over again."

Monday, August 20, 2007 2:52 PM - UPDATE -
Jonathan W. Edds, 24, of White Pigeon, Michigan	The DoD has confirmed the death of 1st Lieutenant Jonathan W. Edds, 24, of White Pigeon, Michigan, from a roadside bomb and small arms fire attack in eastern Baghdad on Friday, August 17th. His unit, the 2nd Battalion of the 69th Armor Regiment (3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Benning, GA), has been operating in the Rustamiyah neighborhood in east Baghdad.

Monday, August 20, 2007 6:13 PM - UPDATES -
	(1) The DoD has identified the two Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldiers who died from a non-hostile, unspecified cause in Iraq on Thursday, August 16th:
		Staff Sergeant Paul B. Norris, 30, of Cullman, Alabama
		Specialist Kamisha J. Block, 20, of Vidor, Texas
		Block died in Baghdad, while Norris died in a medical facility in Balad, no doubt awaiting airlift to Germany. Both were serving with the 401st Military Police Company out of Fort Hood, TX.
Michael S. Fielder, 35, of Holly Springs, North Carolina	(2) The DoD has also identified the Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldier who died from a non-hostile, unspecified cause in Baghdad on Sunday, August 19th: Captain Michael S. Fielder, 35, of Holly Springs, North Carolina. Fielder was assigned to the 44th Medical Command out of Fort Bragg, NC.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007 4:28 AM - 14 INCOMING - The Associated Press is reporting that 4 crewmen and 10 soldier passengers from Task Force Lightning died when their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed north of Baghdad early on the morning of Wednesday, August 22nd. Initial evidence indicates a mechanical failure of some kind and not an enemy attack.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007 8:13 AM - 1 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier from enemy action west of Baghdad on Wednesday, August 22nd. Three other soldiers were wounded in the attack.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007 2:35 PM - UPDATE - Cleveland (Ohio) station WKYC is reporting the death of 20-year-old Army soldier Joshua Harmon in the crash of a Blackhawk helicopter north of Baghdad on Wednesday, August 22nd. He is the son of the fire chief of Willoughby Hills, near Cleveland, and had just recently been married.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007 5:16 PM - UPDATE - Seattle (Washington) station KIRO-TV has learned that the 4-man crew and the helicopter that crashed in Iraq on Wednesday, August 22nd, were assigned to the 4th Squadron, 6th U.S. Air Cavalry based out of Fort Lewis, WA. The craft went down in At Ta'mim Province, the province surrounding the city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq. The article states that CBS News is reporting that "800 yards into the flight the helicopter's tail rotator malfunctioned, causing it to go into an uncontrollable spin and crash into rough terrain."

Thursday, August 23, 2007 6:46 AM - 3 INCOMING -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting what would appear to be a second Multi-National Division - Baghdad death from enemy action west of Baghdad on Wednesday, August 22nd. This particular release reports four soldiers injured in the attack.
	(2) CENTCOM is reporting the death of a Task Force Marne soldier. He was apparently wounded in an improvised explosive device attack that happened on July 22nd, likely just south of Baghdad. His exact date and place of death is not given, so we are assuming a death date of Wednesday, August 22nd, until more is revealed.
	(3) The DoD has announced a new death, one not previously reported by CENTCOM. Army Private 1st Class Donovan D. Witham, 20, of Malvern, Arkansas, died on Tuesday, August 21st, near Baghdad of wounds suffered in a roadside bombing. His unit, the 1st Squadron of the 73rd Cavalry Regiment (82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, NC) has been operating in the Sadr City area in east Baghdad.

Thursday, August 23, 2007 9:00 AM - UPDATES -
	(1) Media outlets are now confirming that the 10 passengers who died in the crash of a Blackhawk helicopter near Kirkuk, Iraq, on Wednesday, August 22nd, were assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, out of Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. The four crewmen were based out of Fort Lewis, WA.
Matthew L. Tallman, 30, of Groveland, California	(2) The Muskegon (Michigan) Chronicle has identified the first of the crewmen killed in the August 22nd chopper crash: Matthew Tallman, 30, of Groveland, California. He was one of the two crew chiefs and was based out of Fort Lewis, WA. At the time of the accident, he had been in Iraq for two months ... but had served a year-long deployment to Afghanistan prior to that. Tallman was an only child whose father preceded him in death. His mother still resides in California. He also leaves behind a wife who was once herself in the military ... and the couple's 1-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter.
Garrett McLead, 23, of Rockport, Texas	(3) The Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times has identified one of the passengers on the Blackhawk that crashed August 22nd: Garrett McLead, 23, of Rockport, Texas. McLead joined the army after high school graduation in 2002, and according to his friends, went from a moppy-haired teen to a clean-cut soldier overnight. An enthusiastic soldier, he re-enlisted when his first term was through. McLead was a member of the First Baptist Church of Rockport, and also played varsity tennis and soccer in high school.
Nathan Hubbard, 21, of Clovis, California	(4) The Associated Press has identified another of the Schofield Barracks passengers who died in the crash of a Blackhawk chopper on August 22nd: Army Specialist Nathan Hubbard, 21, of Clovis, California. This particular death is doubly painful as Hubbard is the second son his parents have now lost to the war in Iraq. Hubbard's older brother, Marine Lance Corporal Jared Hubbard, died in a roadside bombing in Ramadi in 2004. Nathan and his other brother Jason both joined the Army together in 2005 after their older brother's death. Jason Hubbard will now be returning home to be with his family.

Thursday, August 23, 2007 9:46 AM - UPDATE -

Corry Paul Tyler, of Woodbine,Georgia

The Jacksonville (Florida) station WJXT has identified another soldier who died in the crash of the Blackhawk chopper near Kirkuk, Iraq, on August 22nd: Army Captain Corry Paul Tyler, of Woodbine,Georgia. The Associated Press has confirmed in a separate article that Tyler had been living in Puyallup, Washington, prior to his deployment. Therefore he was assigned to Fort Lewis, WA, and was a member of the crew, likely one of the pilots. A friend described Tyler as an extraordinary man who graduated at the top of his high school class ... and then went on to graduate from West Point. As the sole male survivor in his family (his father had passed away just last year), Tyler was not required to return to Iraq, but volunteered for his third tour of duty anyway. He is survived by his wife and three small children.

Thursday, August 23, 2007 10:19 AM - UPDATE -

Ricky Bell, 21, of Caruthersville, Missouri

A joint article from the Associated Press and Cape Girardeau (Missouri) station KFVS, and also a portion of an article published by the Honolulu Advertiser, have identified Army Specialist Ricky Bell, 21, of Caruthersville, Missouri, as the door gunner on the helicopter that crashed near Kirkuk on August 22nd. He was based out of Fort Lewis, WA. Bell was described by friends and teachers alike as "someone who made people laugh" ... "he was always laughing, getting kids in good moods ..." He joined the Army after high school graduation in 2005. He had been in Iraq since June was due to come home on leave in September.

Thursday, August 23, 2007 11:11 AM - UPDATES -
Jesse Pollard, 21, of Springfield, Missouri	(1) The Springfield (Missouri) News-Leader has identified another of the 14 Blackhawk crash victims from August 22nd: Army Specialist Jesse Pollard, 21, of Springfield. An aunt described Pollard as "a very tall, good-looking young man" who was eager to pursue a military career. He had graduated from high school in 2003, playing football and basketball while there. Once in the military Pollard received training as a paratrooper and also as an Army Ranger. On leaves, he would regale his friends and relatives with stories of jumping out of planes in the dead of night. As luck would have it, he was allowed leave last July to visit his family for two weeks before returning to Iraq.
Phillip J. Brodnick, 25, of New Lenox, Illinois	(2) The Associated Press is reporting the name of another soldier who died aboard the Blackhawk chopper that crashed in Iraq on August 22nd: Phillip J. Brodnick, 25, of New Lenox, Illinois. Brodnick was the son of a Burbank, Illinois, police officer. In fact, he had lived in Burbank until age 8 at which point his family moved to the New Lenox area.
Michael A. Hook, 25, of Altoona, Pennsylvania	(3) The Altoona (Pennsylvania) Mirror is reporting the death of a local man in the August 22nd Blackhawk crash in Iraq: Army Specialist Michael A. Hook, 25, of Altoona. Hook was a defensive lineman and letterman in high school, graduating in 2001. He enlisted in the Army about two years ago after working for some years for an Altoona roofing contractor. Hook was based at Schofield Barracks, HI. His family threw a party for him before he left for Iraq last year. He was especially looking forward to returning home in September because his fiance is pregnant.

Thursday, August 23, 2007 12:36 PM - UPDATE -

Jeremy Bouffard, 22, of Middlefield, Massachusetts

The Boston (Massachusetts) station WCVB has identified another of the 10 Schofield Barracks, HI, soldiers who died in a chopper crash near Kirkuk, Iraq, on August 22nd: Jeremy Bouffard, 22, of Middlefield, Massachusetts. Friends and family have said that Bouffard had only recently been deployed to Iraq ... and that his own father, an Army National Guardsman, had only recently returned from a deployment to Kuwait. Bouffard was married and has a young child.

Thursday, August 23, 2007 7:47 PM - UPDATE - The DoD has issued a correction to a release they issued on August 16th. The original release confirmed the death of Private 1st Class Willard M. Kerchief III. Apparently, the soldier had not only been posthumously promoted, but had also had a legal name change. The new release is written for Corporal Willard M. Powell, 21, of Evansville, Indiana. Actually, an article published by the Evansville (Indiana) Courier Press referred to him throughout as Willard M. Powell-Kerchief, explaining that Kerchief was his biological father's last name, while Powell was his stepfather's last name. We will do the same in our database.

Friday, August 24, 2007 10:03 AM - 1 INCOMING & UPDATE -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Task Force Lightning soldier in "an explosion" in Salah ad Din Province on Friday, August 24th. Four soldiers were also wounded in the blast.
	(2) The DoD has released the names of all 14 soldiers who died when their Blackhawk helicopter crashed in the vicinity of the town of Multaka near Hawijah in At Ta'mim Province in northern Iraq on Wednesday, August 22nd:
		The flight crew - 4th Squadron, 6th U.S. Air Cavalry Regiment (Fort Lewis, WA):
			Captain Corry P. Tyler, 29, of Georgia
			Chief Warrant Officer Paul J. Flynn, 28, of Whitsett, North Carolina
			Sergeant Matthew L. Tallman, 30, of Groveland, California
			Specialist Rickey L. Bell, 21, of Caruthersville, Missouri
		The passengers - 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Schofield Barracks, HI):
			Captain Derek A. Dobogai, 26, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
			Staff Sergeant Jason L. Paton, 25, of Poway, California
			Sergeant Garrett I. McLead, 23, of Rockport, Texas
			Corporal Jeremy P. Bouffard, 21, of Middlefield, Massachusetts
			Corporal Phillip J. Brodnick, 25, of New Lenox, Illinois
			Corporal Joshua S. Harmon, 20, of Mentor, Ohio
			Corporal Nathan C. Hubbard, 21, of Clovis, California
			Specialist Michael A. Hook, 25, of Altoona, Pennsylvania
			Specialist Jessy G. Pollard, 22, of Springfield, Missouri
			Specialist Tyler R. Seideman, 20, of Lincoln, Arkansas

Friday, August 24, 2007 12:16 PM - UPDATES -
Sandy R. Britt, 30, of Apopka, Florida	(1) The DoD has identified a soldier who died "near Baghdad" of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit on Tuesday, August 21st: Staff Sergeant Sandy R. Britt, 30, of Apopka, Florida. CENTCOM has not released a notice for a death like this on the 21st. However, they have released nearly identical notices (here and here) for single deaths "west of Baghdad" on August 22nd. Britt's unit, the 1st Battalion of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment (82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, NC), has been operating in the western Baghdad district of Hurriyah with its command headquarters based at Camp Taji northwest of Baghdad. At this point, we believe that CENTCOM may have misdated one of their news releases. Thus, we are currently assuming that Britt was one of these two deaths, but died on Tuesday, August 21st per the DoD release. An article has been published on Britt in the Orlando (Florida) Sentinel. Britt had graduated from high school in 1994 and had gone on to serve four years in the Navy with an underwater-demolition unit that was sent to Afghanistan and other places around the world on special missions. After his Navy stint, he joined the Army, and was currently an infantry paratrooper. He returned home for a short leave last June. After the blast, Britt was able to leave one last message with a fellow soldier who was also injured in the explosion: "Tell my wife and son, Taylor, and mom I love them." The wounded soldier's wife was able to personally relay Britt's last words to his wife on August 23rd.
Omar E. Torres, 20, of Chicago, Illinois	(2) The DoD has also released the identity of a soldier who died in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit on Wednesday, August 22nd: Private 1st Class Omar E. Torres, 20, of Chicago, Illinois. His unit, the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Cavalry Regiment (1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas) was known to be operating in the area of Abu Ghraib just to the west of Baghdad. Two articles have appeared in the media about Torres, one from the Associated Press and one from Chicago station WLS-TV. The son of a Chicago firefighter, Torres had dreams of going into politics and "changing the world". After graduation from De La Salle High School, he received a full scholarship to Ohio State University. Last December, after a year in college, he enlisted in the Army and was sent to Iraq in May.

 

Friday, August 24, 2007 1:40 PM - UPDATES -
Paul "Josh" Flynn, 28, from Gibsonville, North Carolina	(1) The Wilmington (North Carolina) Star News has published a feature on Chief Warrant Officer Paul "Josh" Flynn, 28, from Gibsonville, North Carolina, who died in the Blackhawk chopper crash near Kirkuk on August 22nd. Flynn, who had been in the Army for 10 years, had completed his aviator training in 2003 and was one of the two pilots flying the helicopter at the time it experienced mechanical problems and crashed. According to his father, this was his first tour of duty in Iraq. Flynn has a 6-year-old son who lives in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Derek A. Dobogai, 26, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin	(2) The Fond du Lac (Wisconsin) Reporter has an article out on Captain Derek A. Dobogai, 26, of Fond du Lac, who died in the August 22nd crash of a Blackhawk chopper. He was a passenger on the flight along with 9 other soldiers from his unit. Dobogai attended high school at the Winnebago Lutheran Academy where he not only excelled as a student, but also was captain of the cross-country team and a track runner. In fact, he continued to participate in running events and triathlons in recent years. He was a member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps while studying at the Western Illinois University, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in December of 2003. Dobogai was promoted to captain's rank earlier this year.
Tyler R. Seideman, 20, of Lincoln, Arkansas	(3) The Fayetteville (Arkansas) Northwest Arkansas Times has a lengthy piece out on Army Specialist Tyler R. Seideman, 20, of Lincoln, Arkansas, who died August 22nd in the crash of a Blackhawk helicopter near Kirkuk in Iraq. His friends describe him as a very outgoing, charming and popular young man who played Daddy Warbucks in his high school's presentation of the play "Annie". Seideman was also described as a good student who excelled as an athlete as well, playing football and basketball. And he enjoyed anything that had to do with the outdoors, especially fishing, hunting and camping. After high school graduation in 2004, he went on to attend the University of Arkansas for a time before deciding to enlist in the Army. Seideman was a sniper who had been in Iraq for the past year and who was slated to finish his deployment in October.

Saturday, August 25, 2007 4:59 AM - UPDATE -

Jason Paton, 25, of Poway, California

An article published by San Diego (California) station KNSD, and also a longer piece in the San Diego Union-Tribune, are devoted to Army Staff Sergeant Jason Paton, 25, of Poway, California, who died aboard the Blackhawk chopper that crashed west of Kirkuk on August 22nd. Both stories describe Paton as someone who never let war, including a tour of Afghanistan and two tours of Iraq, get in the way of his dreams ... rebuilding an old Mustang, surfing ... and getting married. He had graduated from Poway High School in 2000 and shortly afterward decided to enlist in the Army, a decision that seemed to suit him well. A hard worker, he graduated from Airborne School and Ranger training and quickly made rank. His fiance was a catcher last season for the Univeristy of California San Diego softball team ... and in typical fashion, Paton proposed to her at a game one night over the PA system. They had planned to marry this November. Paton would have returned home last month except that his current deployment had been extended to support the "surge".

Saturday, August 25, 2007 2:33 PM - 2 INCOMING -
	The DoD has announced two new Special Forces deaths, not previously reported by CENTCOM. According to a news release from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, both men, assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) out of Fort Lewis, WA, were killed in a roadside bombing about 65 km southeast of Baghdad near the town of Al 'Aziziyah on the Tigris River in Wasit Province on Thursday, August 23rd:
		Sergeant 1st Class Adrian M. Elizalde, 30, of North Bend, Indiana
		Sergeant 1st Class Michael J. Tully, 33, of Falls Creek, Pennsylvania
		Elizalde, actually a native of California, enlisted in the Army in 1996 as an infantryman after high school graduation in 1995. After serving 4 years with the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, he then served another three with a military intelligence battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division. Elizalde earned his "Green Beret" in 2005. He is survived by a daughter, his parents and a sister.
		Tully enlisted originally in the Marines in 1993 after high school graduation in 1992. It was in 1997 that he transferred to the Army and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. Tully earned his "Green Beret" in 2006. He leaves behind a wife and son, as well as his parents, a brother and a sister.

Saturday, August 25, 2007 4:21 PM - 1 INCOMING & UPDATE -
Edgar E. Cardenas, 34, of Lilburn, Georgia	(1) The DoD has identified a soldier who died in an IED attack in the vicinity of Abu Ghraib west of Baghdad on Wednesday, August 22nd: Private 1st Class Edgar E. Cardenas, 34, of Lilburn, Georgia. His unit, the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Cavalry Regiment (1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, TX) is the same as the one for Pfc. Omar Torres who died on the same day. This now leads us to believe that the CENTCOM press releases here and here actually referred to the deaths of Torres and Cardenas ... not to Torres and Sgt. Sandy Britt as we'd originally thought. [This indicates that Britt is actually a "new death" and our death count will have to be increased by one to accomodate him.]
	(2) The DoD has identified the Task Force Lightning soldier who died in a medical facility near Tikrit in Salah ad Din Province on Friday, August 24th, of wounds he sustained in an IED attack in Bayji: Sergeant 1st Class David A. Heringes, 36, of Tampa, Florida. His unit, the 1st Battalion of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, NC), had been operating out of Camp Summerall at Bayji. The Lakeland (Florida) Ledger is reporting that Heringes was a 16-year veteran who enjoyed working on cars and motorcycles. He was supposed to return home this month but had recently had his tour extended. He leaves behind two young children.

Monday, August 27, 2007 4:59 AM - 4 INCOMING -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the deaths of two Marines in two separate incidents, one on Saturday, August 25th, one on Sunday, August 26th, from enemy action in Al Anbar Province.
	(2) MNF-Iraq is also reporting the deaths of two Task Force Lightning soldiers from enemy gunfire in Salah ad Din Province on Sunday, August 26th.

Monday, August 27, 2007 4:29 PM - UPDATE - The DoD has released the identity of the Marine who died from enemy action in Al Anbar Province on Saturday, August 25th: Lance Corporal Matthew S. Medlicott, 21, of Houston, Texas.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:25 AM - UPDATES -
	The DoD has identified the two Task Force Lightning soldiers who died in a small arms fire attack in the vicinity of Samarra in Salah ad Din Province on Sunday, August 26th:
		Sergeant Joshua L. Morley, 22, of Hendersonville, North Carolina
		Specialist Tracy C. Willis, 21, of Marshall, Texas
		The Associated Press is reporting that although the DoD listed Morley's hometown as Boise, Idaho, family members stated that he considered Hendersonville, North Carolina, to be his hometown. Indeed, the Fayetteville (North Carolina) Observer goes on to say that he was born in Hendersonville and that most of his relatives still live in the area. "Hendersonville was as much of a hometown as he ever knew," said his father. The Ashville (North Carolina) Citizen-Times describes him as a sniper team leader who had spent the past twelve months participating in combat missions against insurgents in the Samarra area. His wife gave birth to their daughter last April ... a daughter he had never gotten to see.
		Very little has appeared in the media at this point regarding Willis. The North Carolina News & Observer is carrying a brief article stating that he joined the army in March 2005. After basic training, he served as a radio telephone operator ... and was currently serving as a scout. He is survived by his parents in San Antonio.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:26 PM - UPDATE -
Rogelio A. Ramirez, 21, of Pasadena, California	The DoD has identified the Marine who died from enemy action in Al Anbar Province on Sunday, August 26th: Lance Corporal Rogelio A. Ramirez, 21, of Pasadena, California.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007 6:26 AM - 1 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldier from enemy action in the vicinity of Kirkuk in northern Iraq on Tuesday, August 28th.

Thursday, August 30, 2007 6:29 AM - 1 INCOMING & UPDATE -
	(1) MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Task Force Lightning soldier in an explosion near his vehicle in Diyala Province on Wednesday, August 29th.
	(2) The DoD has identified the Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldier who died from enemy action in the vicinity of Kirkuk in northern Iraq on Tuesday, August 28th: Sergeant James S. Collins Jr., 35, of Rochester Hills, Michigan. He was assigned to the 303rd Military Police Company of the Army Reserve based in Jackson, Michigan.

Thursday, August 30, 2007 8:22 AM - 1 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier from enemy action in a western section of Baghdad on Thursday, August 30th. One other soldier was wounded in the incident.

Friday, August 31, 2007 6:36 AM - 2 INCOMING - MNF-Iraq is reporting the deaths of a Marine and a Soldier in two separate incidents of hostile fire in Al Anbar Province on Wednesday, August 29th.

Friday, August 31, 2007 8:19 AM - UPDATE -

Erick Matthew Foster, 29, of Wexford, Pennsylvania

The DoD has identified the Task Force Lightning soldier who was severely injured in an explosion in Muqdadiyah in Diyala Province and who died in a Balad medical facility on Wednesday, August 29th: Captain Erick M. Foster, 29, of Wexford, Pennsylvania. According to an article in the Oil City (Pennsylvania) Derrick, Foster was actually born and raised in Oil City where his grandparents still live. He moved to Wexford, just north of Pittsburgh as a teenager when his father received a job transfer. Graduating from high school in 1996, he went on to Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, earning his degree in 2000 and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Foster had previously been deployed to Iraq in 2004 where he served as a scout platoon leader in the area around Ba'qubah in Diyala Province. He had just returned home on leave three weeks ago at the mid-way point on his second tour of duty in Iraq. Foster was his parents' only son ... and is survived by his parents and two sisters.

Friday, August 31, 2007 9:02 AM - UPDATES -
	(1) The DoD has identified the Marine who died from enemy action in Al Anbar Province on Wednesday, August 29th: Corporal John C. Tanner, 21, of Columbus, GA. He was assigned to the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion of the 1st Marine Division out of Camp Pendleton, CA.
Edward L. Brooks, 25, of Dayton, Ohio	(2) The DoD has also identified the soldier who died from an improvised explosive device blast in the vicinity of Ramadi in Al Anbar Province on Wednesday, August 29th: Specialist Edward L. Brooks, 25, of Dayton, Ohio. According to an article in the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, insurgents apparently threw a suicide vest at a group of soldiers, killing Brooks and wounding another soldier. Brooks was very active in Junior ROTC in high school. In fact, he was selected as "cadet colonel" for the national champion ROTC drill team for the school ... and was a "spin master" in precision rifle drills, twirling his 9-pound rifle like a baton. He graduated in 2000 and enlisted in the Army as a tank driver. In his subsequent career, he was wounded three times before his death in Ramadi. His mother is travelling from Tennessee to Dayton for the funeral. His wife and infant child will be coming from Germany where he was currently based with the 1st Infantry Division. Every one of his high school ROTC drill team members is also expected to be in attendance at the funeral to pay their respects.

Friday, August 31, 2007 3:41 PM - UPDATE - The DoD has identified the Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier who died in enemy action in western Baghdad on Thursday, August 30th: Staff Sergeant Jason M. Butkus, 34, of West Milford, New Jersey. His unit, the 1st Battalion of the 28th Infantry Regiment (1st Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, KS) had been operating in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Amel.

Saturday, September 01, 2007 3:44 PM - 1 INCOMING -

Andrew P. Nelson, 22, of Moorhead, Minnesota

The DoD has announced a new death, not previously reported by CENTCOM. Army Staff Sergeant Andrew P. Nelson, 22, of Moorhead, Minnesota, was assigned to the same unit as Captain Erick Foster ... and died on the same day, Wednesday, August 29th ... in the same place that Foster was wounded: Muqdadiyah in Diyala Province (Foster died later that day in a Balad medical facility as he was being prepared for airlift to Germany). The Fargo/Moorhead Forum reports that Nelson enlisted in the Army right out of high school in 2003, where he was known as a compassionate young man who was heavily involved in Eagle Scouts and church activities. All total he had been deployed overseas four times: once to Afghanistan, three times to Iraq. He is survived by his mother and sister.

Saturday, September 01, 2007 5:47 PM - 1 INCOMING -

Daniel E. Scheibner, 40, of Muskegon, Michigan

The DoD has announced another new death, not previously reported by CENTCOM: Sergeant 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner, 40, of Muskegon, Michigan. Scheibner died in a roadside bomb attack on Thursday, August 30th, in a place called "Al Noor" which is likely just north of Baghdad in the vicinity of Husseiniya where his unit, the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Field Artillery Regiment (2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, WA), is currently operating from their base at Camp Taji just northwest of Baghdad. The Muskegon Chronicle is reporting that Scheibner had planned to retire from the military last April after 20 years of service, but agreed to postpone retirement for one more mission to Iraq. In fact, recently he had been told that he was slated to move into a noncombat position in Iraq. Sadly, that didn't happen soon enough. Scheibner was a veteran of the First Gulf War. He is survived by his wife and 12-year-old son, as well as his mother, a sister and a brother.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007 6:21 AM - 2 INCOMING -
	(1) The DoD has announced a new death, not previously reported by CENTCOM: Private Justin T. Sanders, 22, of Watson, Louisiana. Sanders died in a non-hostile, unspecified incident at Taji just northwest of Baghdad on Wednesday, August 29th.
Travis M. Virgadamo, 19, of Las Vegas, Nevada	(2) The DoD has also announced a second new death, not previously reported by CENTCOM: Specialist Travis M. Virgadamo, 19, of Las Vegas, Nevada. According to an article published in the Las Vegas Sun, Virgadamo had told his family that he had been so frightened in combat that he had "sought and received psychiatric counseling from the military in Iraq". Plus, he received additional counseling during a leave in late July when he was able to return home for a brief visit. His family says that he was in no emotional shape to be sent back to combat and that the army knew he was suciddal. According to his aunt, "They gave him Prozac and sent him back to Iraq". On Thursday, August 30th, Virgadamo killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at Camp Taji just northwest of Baghdad. His survivors include his parents and two sisters.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007 8:11 AM - 1 INCOMING -

Kevin A. Gilbertson, 24, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The DoD has announced a new death, not previously reported by CENTCOM. Army Sergeant Kevin A. Gilbertson, 24, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was seriously wounded in enemy action in Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, on August 29th. He was airlifted to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, but died there on Friday, August 31st. The Des Moines (Iowa) Register reports that Gilbertson was known as "an upbeat, rabble-rousing, ball of fire", always on the go ... but completely dedicated to his wife and 8-month-old son. He graduated from high school in 2001 and decided to join the army to earn a college education when he got out ... to earn a degree to better support his family. He was on his second deployment to Iraq.

The current time in Iraq is..

Archives Index