Left of the Dial

In Memoriam

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

Dustin Kelby Burnett,19, of Ft. Mohave, Ariz.; hospitalman, Navy. Burnett died June 20 while conducting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Marine Division Detachment in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Ryan J. Connolly, 24, of Vacaville, Calif.; specialist, Army. Connolly died Tuesday in Khogyani, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck a suspected land mine. He was assigned to the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Bamberg, Germany.

Gregory T. Dalessio, 30, of Cherry Hill, N.J.; captain, Army. Dalessio died Monday in Baghdad of wounds suffered in Salman Pak, Iraq, when his patrol encountered small-arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division in Baumholder, Germany.

Alejandro A. Dominguez, 24, of San Diego; sergeant, Army. Dominguez was one of three soldiers who died Wednesday in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries suffered a day earlier when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Philip J. Dykeman, 38, of Brockport, N.Y.; captain, Marine Corps. Dykeman was one of three Marines killed Thursday during combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Max A. Galeai, 42, of Pago Pago, American Samoa; lieutenant colonel, Marine Corps. Galeai was one of three Marines killed Thursday during combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Robert C. Hammett, 39, of Tucson, Ariz.; chief warrant officer, Army. Hammett was one of two soldiers killed Tuesday in Baghdad in a bomb blast. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Dwayne M. Kelley,48, of Willingboro, N.J.; major, Army. Kelley was one of two soldiers killed Tuesday in Baghdad in a bomb blast. He was assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion in Green Bay, Wis.

Anthony L. Mangano, 36, of Greenlawn, N.Y.; specialist, Army. Mangano was one of three guardsmen killed along with a soldier June 21 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard in Geneva, N.Y.

Matthew E. Mendoza, 24, of San Antonio; sergeant, Marine Corps. Mendoza died June 20 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Joshua L. Plocica, 20, of Clarksville, Tenn.; specialist, Army. Plocica died Wednesday in Baghdad of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Marcus W. Preudhomme, 23, of North Miami Beach, Fla.; corporal, Marine Corps. Preudhomme was one of three Marines killed Thursday during combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Nelson D. Rodriguez Ramirez, 22, of Revere, Mass.; sergeant, Army. Rodriguez Ramirez was one of three guardsmen killed along with a soldier June 21 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard in Geneva, N.Y.

Andrew Seabrooks, 36, of Queens, N.Y.; sergeant, Army. Seabrooks was one of three guardsmen killed along with a soldier June 21 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard in Geneva, N.Y.

Christopher D. Strickland, 25, of La Belle, Fla.; staff sergeant, Marine Corps. Strickland died Wednesday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Joel A. Taylor, 20, of Pinetown, N.C.; specialist, Army. Taylor was one of three soldiers who died Wednesday in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries suffered a day earlier when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Bryan M. Thomas, 22, of Lake Charles, La.; private first class, Army. Thomas died Monday in Baghdad of wounds suffered in Salman Pak, Iraq, when his patrol encountered small-arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division in Baumholder, Germany.

Du Hai Tran, 30, of Reseda; staff sergeant, Army. Tran died June 20 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while he was on patrol during combat operations. He was assigned to the Fires Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck, Germany.

James J. Walton, 41, of Rockville, Md.; lieutenant colonel, Army. Walton and three guardsmen were killed June 21 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. He was assigned to a Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

James M. Yohn, 25, of Highspire, Pa.; private first class, Army. Yohn was one of three soldiers who died Wednesday in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries suffered a day earlier when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Hood, Texas.

In Memoriam

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq or who died at a military hospital of their injuries:

Jason N. Cox, 21, of Elyria, Ohio; specialist, Army. Cox died Monday in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb near Hillah, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Layton Bradly Crass, 22, of Richmond, Ind.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Crass was among four Marines killed June 14 when their Humvee struck a roadside bomb in southwestern Afghanistan's Farah province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Eugene D.M. Kanakaole, 19, of Kihei, Hawaii; private, Army. Kanakaole died of noncombat-related injuries June 11 in Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 87th Engineer Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Michael Robert Patton, 19, of Fenton, Mo.; private first class, Marine Corps. Patton was among four Marines killed June 14 when their Humvee struck a roadside bomb in southwestern Afghanistan's Farah province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Javier Perales Jr., 19, of San Elizario, Texas; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Perales died of noncombat-related injuries June 11 in Iraq's Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Dawid Pietrek, 24, of Bensenville, Ill.; private first class, Marine Corps. Pietrek was among four Marines killed June 14 when their Humvee struck a roadside bomb in southwestern Afghanistan's Farah province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Gerard M. Reed, 40, of Jacksonville Beach, Fla.; sergeant first class, Army. Reed died of noncombat-related injuries June 11 in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 86th Combat Support Hospital at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Marc A. Retmier, 19, of Hemet; hospitalman, Navy. Retmier was one of two sailors killed Wednesday when a Taliban rocket slammed into their Humvee in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province, south of Kabul. He was the 500th California resident and the seventh from his hometown to be killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Sharana in Afghanistan.

Eric Daniel Terhune, 34, of Lexington, Ky.; captain, Marine Corps. Terhune was one of two Marines killed in combat Thursday in southwestern Afghanistan's Farah province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif. 

Ross L. Toles III, 37, of Davison, Mich.; petty officer first class, Navy. Toles was one of two sailors killed Wednesday when a Taliban rocket slammed into their Humvee in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Sharana in Afghanistan.

Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, 20, of Tacoma, Wash.; sergeant, Marine Corps. Washington was among four Marines killed June 14 when their Humvee struck a roadside bomb in southwestern Afghanistan's Farah province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Kelly E.C. Watters, 19, of Virginia Beach, Va.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Watters died June 11 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., of injuries suffered in an explosion May 23 in Iraq's Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Andrew Francis Whitacre, 21, of Bryant, Ind.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Whitacre was one of two Marines killed in combat Thursday in southwestern Afghanistan's Farah province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif. 

In Memoriam

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel killed in Iraq or who died at a military hospital of their injuries:

John D. Aragon, 22, of Antioch, Calif.; sergeant, Army. Aragon was killed Thursday when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Kadamiya, Iraq, northwest of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Thomas F. Duncan III, 21, of Rowlett, Texas; specialist, Army. Duncan was killed in combat, possibly as a result of friendly fire, on Monday in Sinjar in northern Iraq's Nineveh province, near the Syrian border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

David R. Hurst, 31, of Ft. Sill, Okla.; sergeant first class, Army. Hurst was killed June 7 when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Polk, La.

Steve A. McCoy, 23, of Moultrie, Ga.; sergeant, Army. McCoy died Tuesday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, where he was being treated for burns and other injuries suffered March 23 when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Baghdad. Four other troops were killed in the explosion. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Tyler E. Pickett, 28, of Saratoga, Wyo.; staff sergeant, Army. Pickett was killed June 8 in a suicide bomb attack that injured 18 other people near Kirkuk, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

In Memoriam

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

James Carter, 42, of Alabama; chief warrant officer, Army. Carter was one of two soldiers killed Thursday at Kandahar Army Airfield, Afghanistan, when their Kiowa helicopter went down during a test flight. He was assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Christian S. Cotner, 20, of Waterbury, Conn.; corporal, Marine Corps. Cotner died May 30 in a nonhostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan.

Shane P. Duffy, 22, of Taunton, Mass.; sergeant, Army. Duffy was among three soldiers who died Wednesday in Tikrit, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Sharqat, Iraq, when their unit was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire and hand grenades. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Jonathan D.A. Emard, 20, of Mesquite, Texas; specialist, Army. Emard was among three soldiers who died Wednesday in Tikrit, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Sharqat, Iraq, when their unit was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire and hand grenades. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

James M. Finley, 21, of Lebanon, Mo.; specialist, Army. Finley was one of two soldiers killed May 31 in Jalalabad City, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Bamberg, Germany.

Quincy J. Green, 26, of El Paso; specialist, Army. Green died Monday in Tikrit, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a noncombat-related incident. He was assigned to the 601st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Scott A. Hagerty, 41, of Stillwater, Okla.; major, Army. Hagerty and a guardsman were killed Tuesday in Zormat, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 451st Civil Affairs Battalion in Pasadena, Texas.

Derek D. Holland, 20, of Wind Gap, Pa.; private first class, Army National Guard. Holland and an Army officer were killed Tuesday in Zormat, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 228th Brigade Support Battalion, Pennsylvania Army National Guard in Bethlehem, Pa.

Cody R. Legg, 23, of Escondido, Calif.; sergeant, Army. Legg was among three soldiers who died Wednesday in Tikrit, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Sharqat, Iraq, when their unit was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire and hand grenades. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Andre D. McNair Jr., 20, of Fort Pierce, Fla.; private first class, Army. McNair was one of two soldiers killed Thursday at Kandahar Army Airfield, Afghanistan, when their Kiowa helicopter went down during a test flight. He was assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Justin R. Mixon, 22, of Bogalusa, La.; specialist, Army. Mixon died June 1 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck, Germany.

Andrew J. Shields, 19, of Battleground, Wash.; private, Army. Shields was one of two soldiers killed May 31 in Jalalabad City, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Bamberg, Germany.

Joshua E. Waltenbaugh, 19, of Ford City, Pa.; private first class, Army. Waltenbaugh died Tuesday in Taji, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a noncombat-related incident. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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In Memoriam

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

Justin L. Buxbaum, 23, of South Portland, Maine; specialist, Army. Buxbaum died of a noncombat-related gunshot wound Monday in Kushamond in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade at Ft. Hood, Texas. 

Jason F. Dene, 37, of Castleton, Vt.; sergeant first class, Army. Dene, a nephew of actress Mia Farrow, apparently died in his sleep May 24 in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Blake W. Evans, 24, of Rockford, Ill.; sergeant, Army. Evans was killed May 25 when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the Al Jazeera Desert in Iraq's Salahuddin province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Frank J. Gasper, 25, of Merced, Calif.; staff sergeant, Army. Gasper was killed May 25 when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Najaf, Iraq, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Christopher Gathercole, 21, of Santa Rosa, Calif.; specialist, Army. Gathercole was killed Monday when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire in Ghazni, Afghanistan, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

David L. Leimbach, 38, of Taylors, S.C.; specialist, Army National Guard. Leimbach was killed May 25 when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire near Bala Baluk in southwest Afghanistan's Farah province, near the Iranian border. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 118th Infantry in Fountain Inn, S.C., and attached to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition) in New York.

Kyle P. Norris, 22, of Zanesville, Ohio; private first class, Army. Norris died May 23 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered a day earlier when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Iskandariya, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

David Nunez, 27, of Los Angeles; sergeant first class, Army. Nunez was killed Thursday when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire in Shewan in southwest Afghanistan's Farah province, near the Iranian border. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Chad M. Trimble, 29, of West Covina; private first class, Army. Trimble was killed Wednesday when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb near Gardez in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.