In Memoriam

The Defense Department last week identified the following U.S. military personnel killed in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait:

Miguel A. Baez, 32, of Bonaire, Ga.; specialist, Army. Baez was one of three soldiers who died Tuesday in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Muqdadiyah from an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Chad A. Barrett, 35, of Saltville, Va.; staff sergeant, Army. Barrett died Feb. 2 in Mosul, Iraq, as a result of a non-combat-related incident. He was assigned to the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Nathan H. Hardy, 29, of Durham, N.H.; chief petty officer, Navy. Hardy was one of two sailors killed Monday by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq. He was assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

Michael E. Koch, 29, of State College, Pa.; chief petty officer, Navy. Koch was one of two sailors killed Monday by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq. He was assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

John C. Osmolski, 23, of Eustis, Fla.; sergeant, Army. Osmolski was one of three soldiers who died Tuesday in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Muqdadiyah from an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Rafael Alicea Rivera, 30, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; sergeant, Army. Rivera died Tuesday in Tallil, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a non-combat-related incident. He was assigned to the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Bradley J. Skelton, 40, of Gordonville, Mo.; sergeant, Army National Guard. Skelton died Wednesday in Baghdad of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1138th Engineer Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, Missouri Army National Guard at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.

Luis A. Souffront, 25, of Miami; petty officer first class, Navy. Souffront died Thursday from wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device while serving in combat operations in Iraq. He was assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

Matthew F. Straughter, 27, of St. Charles, Mo.; specialist, Army National Guard. Straughter died Jan. 31 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 1138th Engineer Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, Missouri National Guard at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.

Donald T. Tabb, 29, of Norcross, Ga.; staff sergeant, Army. Tabb died Tuesday in Sangin, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 6th Military Police Detachment, 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment at Ft. Rucker, Ala.

Timothy R. Van Orman, 24, of Port Matilda, Pa.; sergeant, Army. Van Orman was one of three soldiers who died Tuesday in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Muqdadiyah from an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Christopher J. West, 26, of Arlington, Texas; specialist, Army. West died Monday in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered a day earlier in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Comments

[Alice Gunther]

Thank you for posting these lists, Scott.

They are heartbreaking and extremely important.

[scott]

And for the first time since I started posting these, this particular list has something of a personal connection, as one of the men listed here was the good friend of my oldest brother.