ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

MT Guard Member Dies of Combat Injuries

Sgt. 1st Class Robbie D. McNary, 42, of Lewistown, Montana, died March 31, in Hawijah, Iraq, from injuries sustained while performing combat operations. McNary was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 163rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment, Missoula, Montana.

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U.S. AIR FORCE

Air Force Captain Dies

Capt. Todd Bracy, of Murphysboro, Illinois, died March 31 in Iraq, according to a listing of fallen service personnel on the Illinois National Guard web site.  Bracy served with the United State Air Force.  The Department of Defense did not issue a release regarding Bracy's death.

MARINE RESERVES

Fighting Claims Marine in Al Anbar Province

Warrant Officer Charles G. Wells, Jr., 32, of Montgomery, Alabama, died March 30 as a result of hostile action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.  Wells was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 6th Motor Transport Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group, Orlando, Florida.

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U.S. ARMY

Soldier Dies from Injuries Received in Mosul

Sgt. Kenneth L. Ridgley, 30, of Olney, Illinois, died March 30 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained when enemy forces using small arms fire attacked his unit. Ridgley was assigned to the Army’s 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington.

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Small Arms Fire Claims Soldier in Baghdad

Sgt. Kelly S. Morris, 24, of Boise, Idaho, died March 30, in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire. Morris was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3d Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Georgia.

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ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

Soldier Dies from IED Blast on Supply Route

Spc. Eric L. Toth, 21, of Edmonton, Kentucky, died March 30 on a supply route when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. Toth was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Regiment, Tompkinsville, Kentucky.

U.S. ARMY

Soldier Dies from Non-Combat Related Injuries

Pfc. Samuel S. Lee, 19, of Anaheim, California, died March 28 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, from non-combat related injuries. Lee was assigned to 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Greaves, Korea.

Afghanistan

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

A Mine Kills Four IN Guard Members in Afghanistan

Four members of the Army National Guard's 76th Infantry Brigade (Separate), Indianapolis, Indiana, died March 26 in Kabul, Afghanistan, when a mine detonated near their military vehicle.

Capt. Michael T. Fiscus, 36, of Milford, Indiana.

Master Sgt. Michael T. Hiester, 33, of Bluffton, Indiana.

Spc. Brett M. Hershey, 23, of State College, Pennsylvania.

Spc. Norman K. Snyder, 21, of Carlisle, Indiana.

U.S. MARINE RESERVES

Marine Killed in Al Anbar Province

Cpl. Bryan J. Richardson, 23, of Summersville, West Virginia, died March 25 as a result of hostile action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.  Richardson was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Moundsville, West Virginia.

U.S. ARMY

Mortar Round Claims Soldier in Baghdad

Spc. Travis R. Bruce, 22, of Byron, Minnesota, died March 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an enemy mortar round detonated near his guard position.  Bruce was assigned to the Army's 170th Military Police Company, 504th Military Police Battalion, Fort Lewis, Washington.

U.S. MARINES

Marine Killed in Al Anbar Province

Lance Cpl. Kevin S. Smith, 20, of Springfield, Ohio, died March 21 as a result of hostile action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.  He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

U.S. ARMY

Enemy Fire Kills Soldier in Tamin

Spc. Francisco G. Martinez, 20, of Fort Worth, Texas, died March 20 in Tamin, Iraq, as a result of enemy small arms fire.  Martinez was assigned to 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Hovey, Korea.  After high school, Martinez enlisted in the Army as a forward observer in the field artillery.  After initial training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, Martinez reported for service in Korea with the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery.  He was later assigned to the fire support team of the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry.  Among his awards and decorations are the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. After his time in the Army, Martinez wanted to pursue a career in graphic design, a field he had worked in since high school. He is survived by his parents and his brother.

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ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

TN Guard Member Killed by IED in Kirkuk

Sgt. Paul W. Thomason, III, 37, of Talbot, Tennessee, died March 20 in Kirkuk, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Thomason was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 2nd Squadron, 278th Regimental Combat Team, Greeneville, Tennessee.

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

KY Guard Member Killed by IED

Spc. Jonathan A. Hughes, 21, of Lebanon, Kentucky, died March 19 in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. Hughes was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Regiment, Campbellsville, Kentucky.

U.S. ARMY

Enemy Fire Claims Soldier in Sadr City

Pfc. Lee A. Lewis, Jr., 28, of Norfolk, Virginia, died March 18 in Sadr City, Iraq, when his patrol was attacked by enemy small arms fire. Lewis was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

Small Arms Fire Claims Soldier in Baghdad

Staff Sgt. Ricky A. Kieffer, 36, of Ovid, Michigan, died March 15 in Baghdad, Iraq, when enemy forces using small arms fire attacked his unit. Kieffer was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery Regiment (Multiple Launch Rocket System), Detroit, Michigan.

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Soldier Killed in Baghdad by Exploding IED

Spc. Paul M. Heltzel, 39, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died March 15 in Baghdad, Iraq, while conducting a mounted patrol when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated. Heltzel was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment, 256th Brigade Combat Team, Eunice, Louisiana.

U.S. MARINES

Marine Killed in Al Anbar Province

Lance Cpl. Joshua L. Torrence, 20, of Lexington, South Carolina, died March 14 of wounds received as a result of hostile action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.  Torrence was assigned to the 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

U.S. ARMY

Soldier Killed in Vehicle Roll-Over

Spc. Nicholas E. Wilson, 21, of Glendale, Arizona, died March 11, in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, while conducting a roving patrol when his military vehicle rolled into a water-filled ditch after the shoulder of the road he was on collapsed. Wilson was assigned to 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (1-9), 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey, Korea. After high school, Wilson enlisted in the Army as an infantryman.  He trained at Ft. Benning, Georgia, and in July 2003, he was assigned to the 1-9 Infantry, Company A where he served in several positions, eventually serving as a SAW gunner in Company A's second platoon.  Wilson's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.  After the Army, Wilson planned to go to college and study computers. He is survived by his parents and his sister.

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Soldier Killed by Hostile Action in Tal Afar

Staff Sgt. Donald D. Griffith, Jr., 29, of Mechanicsville, Iowa, died March 11 as a result of hostile action in Tal Afar, Iraq. Griffith was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington.

U.S. ARMY

Soldier Killed in Taji by IED

Spc. Matthew A. Koch, 23, of West Henrietta, New York died March 9 in Taji, Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Koch was assigned to the 70th Engineer Battalion, Fort Riley, Kansas.

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U.S. NAVY

Soldier Killed in Taji by IED

Petty Officer First Class Alec Mazur, 35, of Vernon, New York, died March 9, in a non-combat related incident. Mazur was assigned to Underwater Construction Team One (UCT-1), under operational control of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.

U.S. ARMY

Two Soldiers Killed in Ramadi by IED

Two members of the Army’s 44th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Howze, Korea, died March 7, in Ramadi, Iraq, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near their screening area.  The soldiers were:   Sgt. Andrew L. Bossert, 24, of Fountain City, Wisconsin. Pfc. Michael W. Franklin, 22, of Coudersport, Pennsylvania.

U.S. ARMY

Soldier Killed in Mosul by IED Blast

Staff Sgt. Juan M. Solorio, 32, of Dallas, Texas, died March 4 in Mosul, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle during an attack upon his unit by enemy forces using small arms fire. Solorio was assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

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Soldier Killed in Vehicle Roll Over

Spc. Adriana N. Salem, 21, of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, died March 4 in Remagen, Iraq when her military vehicle rolled over. Salem was assigned to the 3rd Forward Support Battalion, Division Support Command, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

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Four Soldiers Killed in Ar Ramadi by IED

Four members of the 1st Infantry Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Carson, Colorado, died March 4 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near their patrol. The soldiers were:       Sgt. 1st Class Donald W. Eacho, 38, of Black Creek, Wisconsin. Capt. Sean Grimes, 31, of Southfield, Michigan. Cpl. Stephen M. McGowan, 26, of Newark, Delaware. Spc. Wade Michael Twyman, 27, of Vista, California.

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ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

IA Guard Member Dies from Injuries Received in February

Sgt. Seth K. Garceau, 27, of Oelwein, Iowa, died March 4 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on February 27 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle. Garceau was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 224th Engineer Battalion, 155th Brigade Combat Team, Fairfield, Iowa.

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

ME Guard Member Dies of a Non-Combat Related Illness

Sgt. 1st Class Michael D. Jones, 43, of Unity, Maine, died March 3 in Syracuse, New York, of a non-combat related illness. He had just returned from duty in Iraq. Jones was assigned to the Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion, Belfast, Maine.

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

MS Guard Member Killed by IED

Spc. Robert S. Pugh, 25, of Meridian, Mississippi, died March 2 in Iskandariyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle. Pugh was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry, McComb, Mississippi.

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Two NY Guard Members Killed in Baghdad by IED

Two members of the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, Manhattan, New York, New York, died March 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their military vehicle.  The soldiers were:   Spc. Azhar Ali, 27 of Flushing, New York. Spc. Wai P. Lwin, 27, of Queens, New York.

U.S. ARMY

Soldier Dies from Injuries Received in Vehicle Accident

Spc. Lizbeth Robles, 31, of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, died at the 228th Command Support Hospital in Tikirt, Iraq, on March 1 from injuries sustained in a military vehicle accident that occurred February 28 in Bayji, Iraq.  Robles was assigned to the Army's 360th Transportation Company, 68th Corps Support Battalion, 43rd Area Support Group, Fort Carson, Colorado.