IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN: U.S. casualties identified

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The Defense Department has announced the deaths of two soldiers in Afghanistan and three soldiers in Iraq. At least 500 American military personnel have died in the Afghan war and at least 4,075 in the Iraq war.

Pfc. Ara T. Deysie, 18, of Parker, Ariz., died Friday in Paktia Province, Afghanistan, of wounds caused by a rocket-propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Sgt. Isaac Palomarez, 26, of Loveland, Colo., died Friday in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, after his patrol was attacked with a roadside bomb, gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Pfc. Aaron J. Ward, 19, of San Jacinto, Calif., died Tuesday in Anbar province, Iraq, of gunshot wounds suffered during cordon and search operations. He was assigned to the 170th Military Police Company, 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade, Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Spc. Alex D. Gonzalez, 21, of Mission, Texas, died Tuesday in Mosul, Iraq, after his vehicle was attacked with gunfire and a rocket-propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 43rd Combat Engineer Company, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Ft. Hood, Texas.

Spc. Mary J. Jaenichen, 20, of Temecula, Calif., died Friday in Iskandariya, Iraq, of an injury unrelated to combat. She was assigned to the Brigade Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Ft. Stewart, Ga.