Military Deaths

Aaron C. Austin, 21, of Sunray, Texas; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Austin was killed Monday by hostile fire in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

Sherwood R. Baker, 30, of Plymouth, Pa.; sergeant, Army National Guard. Baker was one of two soldiers killed Monday in a large explosion while performing site security in Baghdad. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 103rd Armor Regiment, Army National Guard in Tamaqua, Pa.

Stacey C. Brandon, 35, of Hazen, Ark.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Brandon was among four soldiers killed April 24 when mortar rounds hit their camp in Taji, Iraq. He was assigned to the 39th Support Battalion, 39th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Army National Guard in Hazen, Ark.

Cory W. Brooks, 32, of Philip, S.D.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Brooks died April 24 in Baghdad of noncombat-related injuries. He was assigned to the 153rd Engineer Battalion, Army National Guard in Wagner, S.D.

Nathan B. Bruckenthal, 24, of Smithtown, N.Y.; petty officer third class, Coast Guard. Bruckenthal was among three servicemen killed April 24 in a waterborne attack in the northern Persian Gulf. He was assigned to the Tactical Law Enforcement Team, South Detachment 403 in Miami.

Jason L. Dunham, 22, of Allegany, N.Y.; corporal, Marine Corps. Dunham was killed April 22 by enemy action in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Adam W. Estep, 23, of Campbell, Calif.; sergeant, Army. Estep was killed Thursday when a rocket-

propelled grenade struck his patrol in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Arthur L. Felder, 36, of Louisville, Ark.; captain, Army National Guard. Felder was among four soldiers killed April 24 when mortar rounds hit their camp in Taji, Iraq. He was assigned to the 39th Support Battalion, 39th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Army National Guard in Hazen, Ark.

Landis W. Garrison, 23, of Rapids City, Ill.; sergeant, Army National Guard. Garrison died Thursday in Abu Gharb, Iraq, of noncombat-

related injuries. He was assigned to the 333rd Military Police Company, Army National Guard in Freeport, Ill.

Jacob R. Herring, 21, of Kirkland, Wash.; specialist, Army. Herring died Wednesday in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle in Talafar, Iraq. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Martin W. Kondor, 20, of York, Pa.; private first class, Army. Kondor was killed Thursday when an apparent improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Baqubah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in Vilseck, Germany.

Patrick W. Kordsmeier, 49, of North Little Rock, Ark.; chief warrant officer, Army National Guard. Kordsmeier was among four soldiers killed April 24 when mortar rounds hit their camp in Taji, Iraq. He was assigned to the 39th Support Battalion, 39th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Army National Guard in Hazen, Ark.

Kenneth A. Melton, 30, of Westplains, Mo.; specialist, Army National Guard. Melton was killed April 25 when his military vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire while traveling in a convoy from Baghdad. He was assigned to Company B, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, 39th Brigade Combat Team, Army National Guard in Fordyce, Ark.

Billy J. Orton, 41, of Humnoke, Ark.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Orton was among four soldiers killed April 24 when mortar rounds hit their camp in Taji, Iraq. He was assigned to the 39th Support Battalion, 39th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Army National Guard in Hazen, Ark.

Abraham D. Pena Medina, 32, of Los Angeles; staff sergeant, Army. Pena Medina was killed Tuesday when his patrol came under sniper fire in Baghdad. He was assigned to Company B, 20th Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Michael J. Pernaselli, 27, of Monroe, N.Y.; petty officer first class, Navy. Pernaselli was among three servicemen killed April 24 in a waterborne attack in the northern Persian Gulf. He was assigned to the patrol boat Firebolt, forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain.

Lawrence A. Roukey, 33, of Westbrook, Maine; sergeant, Army Reserve. Roukey was one of two soldiers killed Monday in a large explosion while performing site security in Baghdad. He was assigned to Detachment 1, 3rd Battalion, 304th Regiment, 98th Division, Army Reserve in Lewiston, Maine.

Christopher E. Watts, 28, of Knoxville, Tenn.; petty officer second class, Navy. Watts was among three servicemen killed April 24 in a waterborne attack in the northern Persian Gulf. He was assigned to the patrol boat Firebolt, forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain.

Marquis A. Whitaker, 20, of Columbus, Ga.; private first class, Army. Whitaker died Tuesday when he fell from a bridge after his vehicle was struck from behind by a civilian truck in Scania, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Polk, La.

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Source: Department of Defense