Iraq Suicide Attack Kills Nine U.S. Soldiers

At least 48 Iraqis were killed in seven other bombings yesterday.

Photo: DOD

(BAGHDAD, Iraq) - Nine Task Force Lightning soldiers died as a result of injuries suffered from an explosion near a patrol base in Iraq's Diyala province yesterday, military officials reported.

Twenty soldiers and one Iraqi civilian were wounded when a car bomb attacked the patrol base.

Twelve soldiers were returned to duty after initial medical care, and eight soldiers and the Iraqi civilian were evacuated to a coalition forces medical treatment facility for further care.

Three of those soldiers were later returned to duty.

Also yesterday, a Multinational Corps Iraq soldier died at about 12:45 PM after an improvised explosive device exploded near his location in Muqudadiyah.

The names of the deceased soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of eight soldiers and one Marine who were killed recently supporting the war on terror.

-- Army Staff Sgt. Marlon B. Harper, 34, of Baltimore, died Apr. 21 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when he came in contact with enemy forces using a rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire. Harper was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Army Sgt. William W. Bushnell, 24, of Jasper, Ark., died Apr. 21 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle. Bushnell was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

-- Army Pfc. Christopher M. North, 21, of Sarasota, Fla., died Apr. 21, in Baghdad of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. North was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

-- Army Pvt. Michael J. Slater, 19, of Scott Depot, W.Va., died Apr. 21 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle rolled over during combat operations. Slater was assigned to the 407th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

-- Army Sgt. Alexander Van Aalten, 21, of Monterey, Tenn., died Apr. 20 in Sangin, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when a land mine detonated near his unit. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffery A. Bishop, 23, of Dickson, Tenn., died April 20 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Bishop was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

-- Army Chief Warrant Officer Dwayne L. Moore, 31, of Williamsburg, Va., died Apr. 19 in Mahmudiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he came in contact with enemy forces using indirect fire. Moore was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

-- Army Cpl. Wade J. Oglesby, 27, of Grand Junction, Colo., and Army Cpl. Michael M. Rojas, 21, of Fresno, Calif., died Apr. 18 in Taji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.