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CALIFORNIANS WHO HAVE DIED THIS MONTH IN IRAQ - JULY, 2007
... WE REMEMBER ...

Monday, July 02, 2007 6:25 PM -
	Victor A. Garcia, 22, of Rialto, California	The DoD has also identified the soldier who died in a small arms fire attack in southern Baghdad on Sunday, July 1st: Specialist Victor A. Garcia, 22, of Rialto, California. His unit, the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment (4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, WA) has been known to be operating recently in the West Rashid district in southern Baghdad.

Tuesday, July 03, 2007 7:13 AM -
	The DoD has identified the two soldiers who died from enemy action in Al Anbar Province on Sunday, July 1st:
		Sergeant 1st Class Raymond R. Buchan, 33, of Johnston, Pennsylvania
	Michael L. Ruoff Jr., 31, of Yosemite, California	Staff Sergeant Michael L. Ruoff Jr., 31, of Yosemite, California
	Both died in Ta'meem, a small enclave on the outskirts of Ramadi, in a small arms fire attack. Ruoff's unit, the 1st Battalion of the 77th Armor Regiment (2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division out of Schweinfurt, Germany), is known to be operating in the Ramadi area.

Saturday, July 07, 2007 4:57 PM -
	The DoD has announced three new deaths, not previously reported by CENTCOM. All three were with the U.S. Navy and were assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team. They died in the vicinity of Baghdad on Friday, July 6th:
		Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Dale Lewis, 30, of Brookfield, Connecticut
		Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Richard McRill, 42, of Lake Placid, Florida
		Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Phillip Daugherty, 28, of Barstow, California
	According to an article in the Hampton Roads Virginia-Pilot, and also an article from Hampton Roads station WTKR, the three were killed when an improvised explosive device detonated under their Humvee.
	Daugherty enlisted in the Navy in 1991. In 2000 he attended Naval Intelligence Training in Pensacola, FL, before shipping out on the USS Oscar Austin. From March 2004 to February 2007, he served in Norfolk, VA, at Naval Security Group Activity as a cryptologic technician. His latest posting was to a tactical communications unit with the special warfare community under the Navy Information Operation Command. He is survived by his parents and a son.

Sunday, July 08, 2007 2:18 PM -
	The DoD has identified the two Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers who died in an IED blast in a southern neighborhood of Baghdad on Thursday, July 5th:
	James M. Ahearn, 43, of Concord, California	Major James M. Ahearn, 43, of Concord, California
		Sergeant Keith A. Kline, 24, of Oak Harbor, Ohio
		Both were with the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion out of Fort Bragg, NC.
		The Concord (California) Contra Costa Times is carrying a brief article on Ahearn in which they report that he lived in Concord as a child between 1977 and 1982, graduating from Clayton Valley High School. His mother still resides in Concord. Ahearn had served a total of 18 years in the military, earning a college degree while serving. He had been awarded two bronze stars for valor in the battle for Baghdad in 2003. Ahearn was married and had a 1-1/2 year old daughter.

Monday, July 09, 2007 4:08 AM -
	Roberto J. Causor Jr., 21, of San Jose, California	The DoD has identified the Task Force Lightning soldier who died in Salah ad Din Province on Saturday, July 7th. Specialist Roberto J. Causor Jr., 21, of San Jose, California, died when insurgents attacked his unit with an IED and small arms fire in Samarra. The San Jose (California) Mercury News is carrying a brief article on Causor. He enlisted in the army in August 2004, reporting to the 82nd Airborne Division in February 2005. He is survived by his parents, both of Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

Thursday, July 12, 2007 6:10 AM -
	Faoa L. Apineru, 31, of Western Samoa	A lengthy article that appeared in the Deseret Morning News, and also another written by Salt Lake City (Utah) station KUTV, are reporting the death of Marine Staff Sergeant Faoa L. Apineru, 31, of Western Samoa on July 2nd. Apineru, who came to the U.S. in 1996, was a veteran of 10 years' service in the Marine Corps. In May of 2005, he was on his second tour of duty in Iraq patrolling the border when a roadside bomb detonated near him. The shrapnel injuries he received were horrific, requiring the reconstruction of this throat, his nose and his shoulders. Worse, shrapnel pierced his brain, sending him into a coma. When he eventually awoke, he couldn't remember anything or anyone and was like a child again having to re-learn basic tasks like eating and walking. As the months went on, he was bedeviled by PTSD, nightmares and emotional distress. And yet his progress over the course of two years of treatment was nothing short of remarkable. Unable to live on his own, he had been staying at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, CA, where he was known as "the mayor" because of his kind treatment of everyone there. Sadly, on July 2nd, Apineru died in his sleep. The exact cause of death is not yet known, but his family is attributing it to his Iraq injuries. He will be buried in the Salt Lake City area because so many of his Samoan relatives have come to live in Utah.

CALIFORNIA DEATHS IN IRAQ, JULY 1-12, 2007                         Death Date Name Age Cause of Death Place of Death Service Branch Home Base Hometown 1-Jul-07 Garcia, Victor A. 22 Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire Baghdad (southern part) U.S. Army Fort Lewis, WA Rialto 1-Jul-07 Ruoff Jr., Michael L. 31 Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire Ta'meem [a district of Ramadi] U.S. Army Schweinfurt, Germany Yosemite 2-Jul-07 Apineru, Faoa L. 31 Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack Vet's Admin. Hospital, Palo Alto, CA U.S. Marine Western Samoa 5-Jul-07 Ahearn, James M. 43 Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack Baghdad (southern part) U.S. Army Fort Bragg, NC Concord 6-Jul-07 Salazar Jr., Bruce C. 24 Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack Muhammad Salth U.S. Army Fort Stewart, GA Tracy/Modesto 6-Jul-07 Daugherty, Steven Phillip 28 Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack Baghdad (vicinity of) U.S. Navy Barstow 7-Jul-07 Causor Jr., Roberto J. 21 Hostile - hostile fire - IED, small arms fire Samarra U.S. Army Fort Bragg, NC San Jose                 36 Total coalition deaths in July 2007 to date         7 California deaths in July 2007 to date