List of Americans Killed in Afghanistan Passes 500

Casualties may have dropped in Iraq, but in Afghanistan the numbers in recent days have jumped significantly.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Fifteen Americans have died fighting in Afghanistan in the last two weeks. The number of Marines and Navy Corpsman killed in combat is extremely high. The most recent deaths involve one U.S. soldier who died in Khogyani, Afghanistan, and four who were killed in Kandahar City. Their names were released Tuesday.

The numbers of casualties in Iraq almost always exceeds the numbers out of Afghanistan, but that seems to be turning around as the summer kicks into high gear. Many military fighters native to the region remain less active during the winter, and are often known for launching an increasing number of attacks in May and June.

For the latest and most up to date information on U.S. war casualties, visit IraqWarHeroes.org. Q Madp, the owner and facilitator of the site, is one of the nation's most ardent supporters of those who serve in war and pay the ultimate sacrifice. A place honoring each fallen servicemember is maintained on the site.

It is important to note that the war in Afghanistan is set in a country that has been at war almost continuously since 1979. In the winter of that year Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union which spent ten years trying to defeat the hearty Afghan fighters known as the Mujahadeen.

As a tribal region, Afghanistan's people are often more at odds over each other's cultural backgrounds, than their political ideologies. Oddly, the years Afghanistan spent as a Communist country prior to the Soviet invasion were some of its most peaceful years. Religious zealots were kept at bay by the Communist political system and women were educated and allowed to be equal citizens in the eyes of the government.

After the Mujahadeen, led by the Afghan hero Ahmad Shah Massoud (see: One Billion Dollars Allowed Afghan Rebels to Defeat the Soviets) defeated the invaders from Russia, (see: Soviet Tank Graveyard in Afghanistan A Haunting Reminder) the opportune time was reached for western money to rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure. But no money for the recreation of the educational system or law enforcement or anything else was provided by western governments. Sadly, the United States was much the same then; in that it supports killing and military hardware and operations very well, but fails at providing the basic essentials that allow people to recover from the poverty induced by years at war.

Instead tribal warfare broke out after the Soviets were ousted and Massoud, a Pashtun, did not see eye to eye with the leadership of the Taliban. He was assassinated just before September 11th, 2001, on September 9th, 2001.

When I was covering the war there, more than one person in Afghanistan told me Massoud had heard about Usama bin Laden's plot to launch an attack against the United States, and was killed by terrorists posing as members of a TV news crew to prevent him from revealing the plan to western sources.

After I learned this history, I better understood why the camera and I caused alarm from time to time. People were sometimes relieved when they realized I was the real thing, it was a very strange experience.

Here is a list of the fifteen Marines, sailors and soldiers most recently killed in Afghanistan:

U.S. Army Specialist Ryan J. Connolly, 24, of Vacaville, California, died June 24th in Khogyani, Afghanistan, when his vehicle struck a suspected landmine. He was assigned to the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Bamberg, Germany.

The Department of Defense announced the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom Tuesday. They died June 21st in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.

The men killed in that attack included Lieutenant Colonel James J. Walton, 41, of Rockville, Maryland, who was assigned to a Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.

Specialist Anthony L. Mangano, 36, of Greenlawn, New York, who was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard, Geneva, New York.

Sergeant Nelson D. Rodriguez Ramirez, 22, of Revere, Massachusetts, who was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard, Geneva, New York.

Sergeant Andrew Seabrooks, 36, of Queens, New York, who was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard, Geneva, New York.

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

Hospitalman Dustin Kelby Burnett, 19, of Fort Mohave, Ariz., was assigned to First Marine Division Detachment, Twentynine Palms, California, died June 20th while conducting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.

Captain Eric Daniel Terhune, 34, of Lexington, Kentucky, died June 19th while conducting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Andrew Francis Whitacre, 21, of Bryant, Indiana also died during combat operations. Both Marines were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California.

Four Marines died June 14th while supporting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense says they are:

Sergeant Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, 20 years old, of Tacoma, Washington.

Lance Corporal Layton Bradly Crass, 22, of Richmond, Indiana.

Private first class Dawid Pietrek, 24, of Bensenville, Illinois.

Private first class Michael Robert Patton, 19, of Fenton, Missouri.

The DoD says they were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California.

The government announced that two sailors were killed in Afghanistan June 18th. The Navy Corpsmen were:

Hospitalman Marc A. Retmier, 19, of Hemet, California.

Petty Officer First Class Ross L. Toles III, 37, of Davison, Michigan.

They died June 18th as a result of wounds suffered from an enemy rocket attack in northern Paktika province, Afghanistan.

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. Today, in addition to his role as a war correspondent in Afghanistan where he spent the winter of 2006/07, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website, affiliated with Google News and several other major search engines and news aggregators. Tim's coverage from Iraq that was set to begin in April has been delayed and may not take place until August, 2008. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com