Several Casualties Identified in Afghanistan and Iraq

In the past week, at least seven American troops were killed in Afghanistan and eight in Iraq.

Salem-News.com

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The military has reported significant casualties in recent days from both Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Marine Corps announced that Captain Garrett T. Lawton, 31, of Charleston, West Virginia, died August 4th while supporting combat operations in Herat province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The Department of Defense announced the death of Private Timothy J. Hutton, 21, of Dillon, Montana, died August 4th in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 18th Engineer Brigade, Bamberg, Germany.

This incident is also under investigation, according to DoD officials.

Two soldiers, Sergeant Gary M. Henry, 34, of Indianapolis, Indiana and Specialist Jonathan D. Menke, 22, of Madison, Indiana, died August 4th in Baghdad, Iraq. They were killed by falling debris that fell on their vehicle from an improvised explosive device that was detonated on an overpass.

They were both assigned to the 38th Military Police Company, 38th Infantry Division, Indiana Army National Guard, Danville, Indiana.

Sergeant Jaime Gonzalez, Jr., 40, of Austin, Texas, died August 3rd in Kabul, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his vehicle encountered a mine. He was assigned to the 436th Chemical Company, Texas Army National Guard, Laredo, Texas.

Specialist Ronald A. Schmidt, 18, of Newton, Kansas, died August 3rd in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident in Ashraf, Iraq, on August 2nd. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, Kansas Army National Guard, Kingman, Kansas.

The Army says the incident is under investigation.

The Department of Defense also announced the death of Specialist Kevin R. Dickson, 21, of Steelville, Missouri, who died August 2nd in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Group Support Battalion, Group Service Support Company, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Private first class Jennifer L. Cole, 34, of American Canyon, California, died August 2nd in Bayji, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. She was assigned to the 426th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

This incident is also under investigation according to the DoD.

U.S. Army Sergeant Brian K. Miller, 37, of Pendleton, Indiana, died August 2nd in Abd Allah, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry Regiment, 76th Brigade Combat Team, Indiana Army National Guard, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The Army stated that the incident is under investigation.

Army officials announced that Sergeant Ryan P. Baumann, 24, of Great Mills, Maryland, died August 1st, on Route Alaska, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The names of four other Army soldiers who were killed in the war in Afghanistan were also released this week.

They died August 1st in Chowkay Valley, Afghanistan, from wounds from the explosion of an improvised explosive device that their vehicle passed.

The soldiers killed in the explosion were Private first class David J. Badie, 23, of Rockford, Illinois, who was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

2nd Lieutenant Michael R. Girdano, 23, of Pennsylvania, who was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Specialist William J. Mulvihill, 20, of Leavenworth, Kansas, who was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Private Jair De Jesus Garcia, 29, of Chatsworth, California, who was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Also in Iraq, Specialist Andre D. Mitchell, 25, of Elmont, New York, died July 31st in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.