Military Deaths

Terry W. Ball Jr., 36, of East Peoria, Ill.; gunnery sergeant, Marine Corps. Ball died Aug. 5 of wounds received from an explosion while conducting combat operations June 12 in Al Karmah, Iraq, near Fallouja. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Michael A. Benson, 40, of Winona, Minn.; sergeant first class, Army. Benson died Wednesday at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., of injuries sustained Aug. 2 in Baghdad, when a car bomb struck his convoy. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 314th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 78th Division at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Miguel Carrasquillo, 25, of River Grove, Ill.; specialist, Army. Carrasquillo died Tuesday in Baghdad when a car bomb exploded near his military vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Chase J. Comley, 21, of Lexington, Ky.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Comley died Aug. 6 as a result of a car bomb while conducting combat operations near Al Amiriyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Robert V. Derenda, 42, of Ledbetter, Ky.; sergeant first class, Army Reserve. Derenda was one of two soldiers killed Aug. 5 in Rubiah, Iraq, when a civilian fuel truck collided with their Humvee while performing a convoy mission.

He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 98th Division in Rochester, N.Y.

Nathaniel E. Detample, 19, of Morrisville, Pa.; private first class, Army National Guard. Detample was one of four guardsmen killed Tuesday in Bayji, Iraq, south of Mosul, when a mine exploded and enemy forces attacked using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) in Philadelphia.

Christopher M. Falkel, 22, of Highlands Ranch, Colo.; staff sergeant, Army. Falkel died Monday in Deh Afghanan, Afghanistan, when his unit was conducting combat operations and was engaged by enemy forces using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Damian J. Garza, 19, of Odessa, Texas; private first class, Army. Garza was one of two soldiers killed Aug. 4, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, when their vehicle left the road and went into a river. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Ramon E. Gonzales Cordova, 30, of Davie, Fla.; staff sergeant, Marine Corps. Gonzales Cordova died Monday as a result of enemy small arms fire while conducting combat operations in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Jonathon Haggin, 26, of Kingsland, Ga.; sergeant, Army National Guard. Haggin was among four guardsmen killed July 30 when a bomb exploded near their Humvee while on patrol in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade, Army National Guard in Albany, Ga.

John M. Henderson Jr., 21, of Columbus, Ga.; private, Army. Henderson was one of two soldiers killed Aug. 4, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, when their vehicle left the road and went into a river. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Evenor C. Herrera, 22, of Gypsum, Colo.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Herrera died Wednesday of wounds received when a bomb exploded while he was conducting combat operations near Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Edward R. Heselton, 23, of Easley, S.C.; sergeant, Army Reserve. Heselton died Thursday in Orgun-e, Afghanistan, when ordnance exploded near the vehicle he was driving as his unit performed a route clearing mission. He was assigned to the 391st Engineer Battalion, 415th Chemical Brigade in Greenville, S.C.

Brahim J. Jeffcoat, 25, of Philadelphia; sergeant, Army National Guard. Jeffcoat was one of two soldiers killed Aug. 6 near Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad, when they were conducting convoy operations and a bomb exploded near their Humvee. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) in Philadelphia.

Anthony N. Kalladeen, 26, of Purchase, N.Y.; specialist, Army National Guard. Kalladeen was one of two soldiers who died Monday in Baghdad of injuries sustained Aug. 7, when their Humvee was struck by two bombs and they received small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, 256th Brigade Combat Team in New York City.

Christopher M. Katzenberger, 25, of St. Louis; specialist, Army. Katzenberger died Tuesday in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained earlier that day in Ghazni, Afghanistan, when a bomb exploded near his Humvee during convoy operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Kurt E. Krout, 43, of Spinnerstown, Pa.; specialist, Army National Guard. Krout was one of two soldiers killed Aug. 6 near Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad, when they were conducting convoy operations and a bomb exploded near their Humvee. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) in Philadelphia.

John Kulick, 35, of Harleysville, Pa.; specialist, Army National Guard. Kulick was one of four guardsmen killed Tuesday in Bayji, Iraq, south of Mosul, when a mine exploded and enemy forces attacked using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) in Philadelphia.

Ryan S. Ostrom, 25, of Liberty, Pa.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Ostrom died Tuesday in Taqaddum, Iraq, west of Baghdad, of injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire earlier in Habbaniya, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment in Williamsport, Pa.

Gennaro Pellegrini Jr., 31, of Philadelphia; specialist, Army National Guard. Pellegrini was one of four guardsmen killed Tuesday in Bayji, Iraq, south of Mosul, when a mine exploded and enemy forces attacked using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) in Philadelphia.

Seferino J. Reyna, 20, of Phoenix; specialist, Army. Reyna died Aug. 7 in Taji, Iraq, north of Baghdad, when a bomb exploded near his military vehicle. He was assigned to the 70th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Hernando Rios, 29, of Queens, N.Y.; private first class, Army National Guard. Rios was one of two soldiers who died Monday in Baghdad of injuries sustained Aug. 7, when their Humvee was struck by two bombs and they received small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, 256th Brigade Combat Team in New York City.

Francis J. Straub Jr., 24, of Philadelphia; sergeant, Army National Guard. Straub was one of four guardsmen killed Tuesday in Bayji, Iraq, south of Mosul, when a mine exploded and enemy forces attacked using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) in Philadelphia.

Nils G. Thompson, 19, of Confluence, Pa.; private first class, Army. Thompson died Aug. 4 in Mosul, Iraq, when he was struck by enemy fire while on a routine patrol at an Iraqi police station. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Brett E. Walden, 40, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; sergeant first class, Army. Walden was one of two soldiers killed Aug. 5 in Rubiah, Iraq, when a civilian fuel truck collided with their Humvee while performing a convoy mission. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

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Source: Department of Defense