War Casualties in Afghanistan: Is There Any End in Sight?

The average age of the 28 individuals listed in this report is 25.6. This represents a higher average age than we have seen in the previous two reports.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - If there is one thing I look forward to as a reporter, it is the day that we don't have to issue reports about large numbers of Americans losing their lives in the fighting overseas.

I try in these reports to examine these losses from different angles, and when possible note any patterns.

The only thing that immediately stands out in this report, is that the majority of the fallen hail from states that supported George W. Bush's politics.

It seems apparent that the families in these states back the war efforts that Bush launched, and noteworthy that they also pay the highest price.

The group of Americans in this report is the latest round of casualties from conflicts overseas. 22 of the fallen were based in Afghanistan.

One became ill in southern Afghanistan and was taken to Germany for treatment, where he died. Two of the individuals in this report were killed in combat in the Jolo Island in the Philippines.

One died of non-combat related causes in the Mediterranean. Two casualties are reported out of Iraq, and one American died in non-combat circumstances in Kuwait.

The average age of the 28 individuals listed in this report is 25.6. This represents a higher average age than we have seen in the previous two reports.

The states that saw the worst losses were Florida with three, and Georgia which also bids farewell to three of its own.

States that experienced the loss of two residents are Maryland, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

Other members of the U.S. military to die between September 11 and October 2, 2009, came from the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Sergeant Roberto D. Sanchez, 24 of Satellite Beach, Florida, died October 1 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield Georgia.

Sergeant Ryan C. Adams, 26 of Rhinelander, Wisconcin, died Oct. 2 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle using rocket-propelled grenade fire. He was assigned to the 91st Engineer Company (Sapper), Wisconsin Army National Guard, Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

Specialist Russell S. Hercules Jr., 22 of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, died October 1 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Sergeant. 1st Class Christopher D. Shaw, 37, of Markham, Illinois, was killed September 29 in Jolo Island in the Philippines, along with Jack M. Martin, from the detonation of an improvised-explosive device.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Washington.

The Department of Defense states that the incident is under investigation.

Staff Sergeant Jack M. Martin III, 26, of Bethany, Oklahoma, is one of two soldiers killed September 29 in Jolo Island in the Philippines, from the detonation of an improvised-explosive device. Christopher D. Shaw also died in the incident.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Washington.

The Department of Defense states that the incident is under investigation.

Staff Sergeant Alex French IV, 31, of Milledgeville, Georgia., died September 30 in Kwhost, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using an improvised-explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Specialist Ross E. Vogel, III, 27, of Red Lion, Pennsylvania, died September 29 in Kut, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 67th Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Brigade, Fort Gordon, Georgia.

The federal government reports that the circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Lance Corporal Jordan L. Chrobot, 24, of Frederick, Maryland, died September 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Specialist Kevin J. Graham, 27, of Benton, Kentucky, died September 26 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Sergeant Titus R. Reynolds, 23, of Columbus, Ohio, is one of three soldiers killed September 24 in Omar Zai, Afghanistan. Along with Edward Smith and Joshua White, he died from wounds suffered during an attack by enemy forces, using an improvised explosive device to attack the vehicle they were traveling in.

Titus Reynolds was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Sergeant Edward B. Smith, 30, of Homestead, Florida was killed September 24 in Omar Zai, Afghanistan, when the vehicle he and Titus Reynolds and Joshua White were riding in, was involved in an explosion that stemmed from a homemade bomb. He died from wounds suffered during the attack by enemy forces.

Edward Smith was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Sergeant Joseph V. White, 21, of Bellevue, Washington, is one of three Fort Lewis soldiers killed September 24 when an IED exploded near the vehicle he was traveling in. Edward Smith and Titus Reynolds are the other soldiers in the vehicle. The attack took place in Omar Zai, Afghanistan.

Joshua White was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Sergeant David A. Davis, 28, of Dalhart, Texas, died September 19 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked Bagram Airfield using indirect fire.

He was assigned to the 32nd Transportation Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Specialist Corey J. Kowall, 20, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, died September 20 in Zabul province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover. He was riding in a vehicle with Damon Winkleman.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The DoD says the incident is under investigation.

Specialist Damon G. Winkleman, 23, of Lakeville, Ohio, died September 20 in Zabul province, Afghanistan when the vehicle he was traveling in, along with Corey Kowall, was involved in a rollover crash.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The DoD says the incident is under investigation.

Marine Lance Corporal John J. Malone, 24, of Yonkers, New York, died September 24 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Fore, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.

Private first-class William L. Meredith, 26, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died September 21 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 569th Engineer Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Technical Sergeant James R Hornbarger, 33, of Castle Rock, Washington, died September 12 as a result of a non-hostile incident in the Mediterranean.

He was assigned to the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, California.

Specialist Michael S. Cote Jr., 20, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, died September 19 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when the Blackhawk helicopter he was in crashed. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Senior Airman Matthew R. Courtois, 22, of Lucas, Texas, died September 20 as a result of a non-hostile incident on Abdullah Al Mubarak Airbase, Kuwait. He was assigned to the 366th Security Forces Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Sergeant 1st Class Bradley S. Bohle, 29, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, is one of three Army Special Forces soldiers killed September 16 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered during the detonation of an improvised explosive device.

Bradley Bohle was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Another soldier killed in the same incident in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, is Sergeant 1st Class Shawn P. McCloskey, 33, of Peachtree City, Georgia. Along with Bradkly Bohle and Joshua Mills, he died from injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near the vehicle he and the other soldiers were riding in.

Shawn McCloskey was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Staff Sergeant Joshua M. Mills, 24, of El Paso, Texas, was also killed September 16 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle September 15 with an improvised explosive device. He was in the same vehicle as Shawn McCloskey and Bradley Bohle.

Joshua M. Mills was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Sergeant Robert D. Gordon II, 22, of River Falls, Alabama, died September 16 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat related illness, after becoming ill September 11 in southern Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

1st Lt. David T. Wright II, 26, of Moore, Oklahoma, was one of two soldiers who died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device September 14 in southern Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Sergeant Andrew H. McConnell, 24, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was killed along with David Wright, when the vehicle they were in was struck by a homemade bomb September 14 in southern Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Specialist Demetrius L. Void, 20, of Orangeburg, South Carolina, died September 15 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when a military vehicle struck him while conducting physical training.

He was assigned to the 57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Staff Sergeant Bryan D. Berky, 25, of Melrose, Florida, died September 12 near Bala Baluk, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from enemy fire while supporting combat operations.

He was assigned to the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota.

It was announced that eight more Americans were killed in the last 24-hours in Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border. There are two additional names that are not included in this report, but will be in the next.

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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. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor.
Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), the first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several other awards including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, 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.
You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com