Military deaths

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq:

Justin L. Bauer, 24, of Loveland, Colo.; staff sergeant, Army. Bauer was killed Jan. 10 when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Daniel R. Bennett, 23, of Clifton, Va.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Bennett died Jan. 11 in a nonhostile incident in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Keith E. Essary, 20, of Dyersburg, Tenn.; specialist, Army. Essary was one of two soldiers killed Jan. 8 when an improvised explosive device detonated near them while they were on foot patrol in the Maiwand district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Joseph M. Hernandez, 24, of Hammond, Ind.; specialist, Army. Hernandez was among three soldiers killed Jan. 9 when a roadside bomb exploded near their armored Humvee in the Tarnak va Jaldak district of Afghanistan’s Zabol province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment in Hohenfels, Germany.

Sean P. McCune, 20, of Euless, Texas; private, Army. McCune died of noncombat-related injuries Jan. 11 in Samarra, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Brian M. Mescall, 33, of Hopkinton, Mass.; major, Army. Mescall was among three soldiers killed Jan. 9 when a roadside bomb exploded near their armored Humvee in the Tarnak va Jaldak district of Afghanistan’s Zabol province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the

1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment in Hohenfels, Germany.

Jason R. Parsons, 24, of Lenoir, N.C.; corporal, Army. Parsons was among three soldiers killed Jan. 9 when a roadside bomb exploded near their armored Humvee in the Tarnak va Jaldak district of Afghanistan’s Zabol province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment in Hohenfels, Germany.

Marquis R. Porter, 28, of Brighton, Mass.; sergeant, Marine Corps. Porter died of noncombat-related injuries Jan. 11 in Iraq’s Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Joshua L. Rath, 22, of Decatur, Ala.; sergeant, Army. Rath was one of two soldiers killed Jan. 8 when an improvised explosive device detonated near them while they were on foot patrol in the Maiwand district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Sources: Department of Defense, Times staff reports and the Associated Press