Number of American Soldier Deaths in Iraq Jumps in Recent Days

The combat related deaths of eight soldiers have been announced in the last two days.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Reports of casualties in Iraq had seemed much lower in recent weeks, but that is definitely not the story this week for American forces serving there.

As the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war approaches in less than a week, the casualty total for the US reaches closer to the 4,000 mark. The official total is 3,987; but 4,527 names are listed here, which also include losses in Afghanistan.

Today the Department of Defense announced the death of Staff Sergeant Laurent J. West who was 32-years old. He is from Raleigh, N.C. Sergeant West died March 11th near Kishkishkia, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The DoD Identified more Army casualties earlier today. Three soldiers died March 12th in Tallil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle was hit by indirect fire.

Staff Sergeant Juantrea T. Bradley 28-years old, of Greenville, North Carolina, was assigned to the 7th Special Troops Battalion, 7th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), out of Fort Eustis, Virginia.

21-year old Specialist Dustin C. Jackson of Arlington, Texas, who was assigned to the 350th Adjutant General Company, Grand Prairie, Texas, was also killed in the attack.

33-year old Private first class Tenzin L. Samten of Prescott, Arizona, who was assigned to the 7th Special Troops Battalion, 7th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Eustis, Virginia, was also killed.

More American casualties in Iraq were announced yesterday by the DoD. Three soldiers died March 10th in Balad Ruz, Iraq, of wounds they suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device, or IED. They were assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.

Soldiers who lost their lives in the explosion were 28-year old Sergeant Phillip R. Anderson of Everett, Washington, 24-year old Specialist Donald A. Burkett of Comanche, Texas, and 27-year old Captain Torre R. Mallard of Oklahoma.

Also Thursday, the DoD released the name of another soldier serving in Iraq. Corporal Jose A. Paniagua-Morales, who is 22-years old, died March 7th in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Samarra, Iraq, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Corporal Paniagua-Morales is from Bell Gardens, California.

He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Among other significant reasons, these continuing casualties seem to underscore the importance of covering the war in Iraq. Watch for our upcoming Iraq war coverage set to begin in early April 2008. For more information on that follow this link: Making War Coverage a National Community Project