Lance Cpl. Jason E. Smith, 21, of Phoenix, Arizona, died December 31 as result of hostile action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Smith was assigned to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

Pfc. Oscar Sanchez, 19, from Modesto, California, died December 29 in Mosul, Iraq, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device struck his observation post.  Sanchez was assigned to 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington.

Staff Sgt. Todd D. Olson, 36, from Loyal, Wisconsin, died December 27 in the 67th Combat Support Hospital in Tikrit, Iraq from wounds sustained in Samarra, Iraq on December 26, when an improvised explosive device detonated. Another soldier was wounded in the incident according to an AFIS report.  Olson was assigned to the National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment, Neillsville, Wisconsin.

Olson was an infantry squad leader and a lifelong resident of Loyal, WI.  Olson graduated from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in 1992 and was a vice president and agricultural loan officer with M&I Bank in Neillsville, WI.  He also served as president of his local Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce.  Olson joined the WI-ARNG after high school and served 17 years until his death.  In June 2004, Olson left Wisconsin with his unit for pre-deployment training at Camp Shelby, MS.  The unit deployed to Iraq in November.  He died Dec. 27, 2004, in the 67th Combat Support Hospital, Tikrit, Iraq, after being wounded the night before by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Samarra.  He had called home on Christmas and was mortally wounded the next day.  He was the second WI-ARNG member killed in Iraq, and one of 680 soldiers in his battalion.  Todd Olson is survived by his wife, Nancy Olson, and their four children, Trevor, 17, Jesse, 16, Cody, 13, and Kasey, 5. 

(Source: Text and photo: At Ease, the magazine of the Wisconsin National Guard, March 2005).

Three members of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, died December 23 as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Killed were:

Lance Cpl. Eric Hillenburg, 21, of Marion, Indiana.

Lance Cpl. James R. Phillips, 21, of Hillsboro, Florida.

Cpl. Raleigh C. Smith, 21, of Lincoln, Montana.

 ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

Inside Attack on Mess Hall in Mosul Takes Heavy Toll on U.S. Troops

An explosion at a dining facility at Forward Operating Base Marez in southwest Mosul on December 21 killed 22 people, and injured another 72. Officials said 14 of the 22 killed were U.S. military service members. Four U.S. civilians and four Iraqi security force troops were also killed. Of the 72 wounded, 51 are U.S. service members. The other 21 include U.S. and foreign civilians and Iraqi security force troops.

Below is a list of the 14 service members killed in the attack.

U.S. ARMY

The following soldiers were from Fort Belvoir, Virginia:

Spc. Cory M. Hewitt, 26, of Stewart, Tennessee. Hewitt was assigned to the 705th Ordnance Company, Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Sgt. Maj. Robert D. O'Dell, 38, of Manassas, Virginia. O'Dell was assigned to the United States Army Intelligence & Security Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

The following soldiers were from Fort Lewis, Washington: Pfc. Lionel Ayro, 22, of Jeanerette, Louisiana. Ayro was assigned to the 73rd Engineer Company, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington. Spc. Jonathan Castro, 21, of Corona, California. Castro was assigned to the 73rd Engineer Company, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington. Capt. William W. Jacobsen Jr., 31, of Charlotte, North Carolina. Jacobsen was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington. Staff Sgt. Robert S. Johnson, 23, of Castro Valley, California. Johnson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington. Staff Sgt. Julian S. Melo, 47, of Brooklyn, New York. Melo was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington. Staff Sgt. Darren D. VanKomen, 33, of Bluefield, West Virginia. VanKomen was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington.

Maine

Spc. Thomas J. Dostie, 20, of Sommerville, Maine. Dostie was assigned to the Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion, Portland, Maine.

Sgt. Lynn R. Poulin, Sr., 47, of Freedom, Maine. Poulin was assigned to the Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion, Belfast, Maine.

Virginia

Spc. Nicholas C. Mason, 20, of King George, Virginia. Mason was assigned to the Army National Guard's 276th Engineer Battalion, West Point, Virginia.

Spc. David A. Ruhren, 20, of Stafford, Virginia. Ruhren was assigned to the Army National Guard's 276th Engineer Battalion, West Point, Virginia.

Lance Cpl. Neil D. Petsche, 21, of Lena, Illinois, died December 21 due to injuries received in a non-hostile vehicle incident in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.  Petsche was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California.

Two members of the 180th Transportation Battalion, 13th Corps Support Command, Fort Hood, Texas died December 19 in Shuaybah, Kuwait, when a vehicle struck them.  Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Donald B. Farmer, 33, of Zion, Illinois.

Sgt. Berry K. Meza, 23, of League City, Texas.

Lance Cpl. Franklin A. Sweger, 24, of San Antonio, Texas, died December 16 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.  Sweger was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

 U.S. ARMY

Lance Cpl. Gregory P. Rund, 21, of Littleton, Colorado died December 11 as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Rund was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

Pfc. Christopher S. Adlesperger, 20, of Albuquerque, New Mexico died December 9 as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Adlesperger was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

Two members of  the 1st Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment, South Carolina National Guard, Columbia, South Carolina died December 9 in Mosul, Iraq after being involved in an Apache helicopter accident.  Killed were:

Chief Warrant Officer Patrick D. Leach, 39, of Rock Hill, South Carolina.

1st Lt. Andrew C. Shields, 25, of Campobello, South Carolina.

Sgt. Arthur C. Williams, IV, 31, of Edgewater, Florida, died December 8 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when his unit was conducting a dismounted patrol and was attacked by small arms fire. Williams was assigned to the 44th Engineer Battalion, 2d Infantry Division, Camp Howze, Korea.

Cpl. In C. Kim, 23, of Warren, Michigan, died December 7 as result of a non-hostile vehicle incident in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.  Kim was assigned to 9th Communications Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

Sgt. 1st Class Todd C. Gibbs, 37, of Angelina, Texas, died December 7 in Khalidiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated while his unit was on a dismounted patrol. Gibbs was assigned to 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, Camp Greaves, Korea.

Two members of the 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, died December 3 from injuries received as result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Killed were:

Cpl. Binh N. Le, 20, of Alexandria, Virginia.

Cpl. Matthew A. Wyatt, 21, of Millstadt, Illinois.

Pfc. George D. Harrison, 22, of Knoxville, Tennessee, died December 2 in Mosul, Iraq, when his HMMWV was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire.  Harrison was assigned to the 293rd Military Police Company, 3rd Military Police Battalion (Provisional), 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.