U.S. Death Toll Rises in Iraq and Afghanistan

Military casualty numbers jump again for the second time in recent weeks with 10 deaths reported since March 17th.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Several American military personnel have been killed in both Iraq and Afghanistan in recent days. Of seven deaths reported by the Department of Defense, four occurred in Iraq and three were reported in Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, two of the deaths were combat related and the second appears to have been connected to an accident. In Iraq, six deaths were combat related and one soldier died in a vehicle accident that is under investigation.

One servicemember who was killed in Afghanistan was attached to the Special Forces. Staff Sergeant William R. Neil Jr., 38, of Holmden, New Jersey, died in Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The DoD did not specifically state the day that Staff Sergeant William Neil Jr. died.

It was announced today that Air Force Technical Sergeant William H. Jefferson, Jr., 34, of Norfolk, Virginia, died March 22nd near Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina.

The Department of Defense also announced the death of Private first class Antione V. Robinson, 20, of Detroit, Michigan today.

He died March 19th in Nawa, Afghanistan, from injuries he suffered when the vehicle he was repairing collapsed. He was assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The DoD says this incident is under investigation.

Three soldiers were killed March 22nd in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries sustained during an IED blast. They were assigned to the 1132nd Military Police Company, North Carolina Army National Guard, Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Killed in that were Sergeant Thomas C. Ray, II, 40, of Weaverville, North Carolina, Specialist David S. Stelmat, 27, of Littleton, New Hampshire, and Sergeant David B. Williams, 26, of Tarboro, North Carolina.

Another soldier was killed in Iraq March 21st. Private Tyler J. Smith, 22, of Bethel, Maine, died at Forward Operating Base Falcon near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when the base received indirect fire.

It was reported earlier this week that enemy forces were actually firing rockets and mortars inside the "Green Zone" which is normally considered to be an area normally safe from hostile fire. Private Tyler J. Smith was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

The Department of Defense announced that Sergeant Gregory D. Unruh, 28, of Dickinson, Texas, died March 19th in Mandali, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. The DoD says this incident is under investigation.

The DoD announced also reported the March 17th deaths of two soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq. They died from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed in the explosion were Staff Sergeant Michael D. Elledge, 41, of Brownsburg, Indiana, and Specialist Christopher C. Simpson, 23, of Hampton, Virginia.

We covered another recent surge in combat deaths overseas in this article from March 14th 2008: Number of American Soldier Deaths in Iraq Jumps in Recent Days