In Memoriam

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq:

Jan M. Argonish, 26, of Peckville, Pa.; sergeant, Army National Guard. Argonish was among three soldiers who died Monday at Forward Operating Base Naray, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when their convoy was ambushed by suspected Taliban militants in Jalalabad, east of Kabul. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 55th Brigade Forward in Scranton, Pa.

Scott R. Ball, 38, of Mount Holly Springs, Pa.; master sergeant, Army National Guard. Ball was among three soldiers who died Monday at Forward Operating Base Naray, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when their convoy was ambushed by suspected Taliban militants in Jalalabad, east of Kabul. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 55th Brigade Forward in Scranton, Pa.

Edward L. Brooks, 25, of Dayton, Ohio; specialist, Army. Brooks was killed Wednesday when an improvised explosive detonated near him in Ramadi, Iraq, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany.

Jason M. Butkus, 34, of West Milford, N.J.; staff sergeant, Army. Butkus was killed Thursday when his Humvee was attacked with a rocket-propelled grenade in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Nicholas R. Carnes, 25, of Ludlow, Ky.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Carnes died Aug. 26 in Orgun, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered during a firefight with insurgents in Lewanne Bazaar, near the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery Regiment in Carrollton, Ky.

Cory L. Clark, 25, of Plant City, Fla.; sergeant, Army. Clark was among three soldiers killed by a suicide bomber Tuesday as they were helping to build a bridge in Jaji, Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 585th Engineer Pipeline Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

James S. Collins Jr. , 35, of Rochester Hills, Mich.; sergeant, Army Reserve. Collins was killed in combat Tuesday in Kirkuk, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 303rd Military Police Company (Combat Support) in Jackson, Mich.

Erick M. Foster, 29, of Wexford, Pa.; captain, Army. Foster died Wednesday in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire in Muqdadiya, northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Rocky H. Herrera, 43, of Salt Lake City; sergeant first class, Army. Herrera was among three soldiers killed by a suicide bomber Tuesday as they were helping to build a bridge in Jaji, Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 585th Engineer Pipeline Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Bryce D. Howard, 24, of Vancouver, Wash.; sergeant, Army. Howard was among three soldiers killed by a suicide bomber Tuesday as they were helping to build a bridge in Jaji, Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. He was assigned to Headquarters Support Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Matthew S. Medlicott, 21, of Houston; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Medlicott was killed in combat Aug. 25 in Iraq's Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

Joshua L. Morley, 22, of Boise, Idaho; sergeant, Army. Morley was one of two soldiers killed Aug. 26 in a firefight in Samarra, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Andrew P. Nelson, 22, of Moorhead, Minn.; staff sergeant, Army. Nelson was killed in combat Wednesday when his unit was attacked by insurgents in Muqdadiya, Iraq, northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Henry S. Ofeciar, 37, of Agana, Guam; major, Army. Ofeciar was among three soldiers who died Monday at Forward Operating Base Naray, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when their convoy was ambushed by suspected Taliban militants in Jalalabad, east of Kabul. He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Rogelio A. Ramirez, 21, of Pasadena; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Ramirez was killed in combat Aug. 26 in Iraq's Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

Daniel E. Scheibner, 40, of Muskegon, Mich.; sergeant first class, Army. Scheibner was killed Thursday when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Noor, Iraq, northwest of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Striker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

John C. Tanner, 21, of Columbus, Ga.; corporal, Marine Corps. Tanner was killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb exploded near him in Iraq's Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

Tracy C. Willis, 21, of Marshall, Texas; specialist, Army. Willis was one of two soldiers killed Aug. 26 in a firefight in Samarra, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Thomas R. Wilson, 21, of Maurertown, Va.; private first class, Army. Wilson was killed in combat Monday in Paktika, Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy.