Military Deaths

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

Timothy R. Boyce, 29, of North Salt Lake, Utah; sergeant, Army. Boyce died Dec. 15 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany of a brain aneurysm suffered a day earlier during physical training at Camp Tiger in northern Iraq. He was assigned to the Maintenance Troop, Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Michael J. Cleary, 24, of Dallas Township, Pa.; first lieutenant, Army. Cleary was one of two soldiers killed Tuesday when a roadside bomb exploded near their Humvee in Taji, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Adam R. Fales, 21, of Cullman, Ala.; corporal, Marine Corps. Fales died Dec. 16 when he was shot in the back of the head while sleeping in his quarters in Fallouja, west of Baghdad. Military officials said his death remains under investigation. He was assigned to Combat Service Support Detachment 21, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, N.C.

Johnnie V. Mason, 32, of Rio Vista, Texas; staff sergeant, Army. Mason was killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee in Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 717th Ordnance Company, 184th Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group (Explosive Ordnance Detachment) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Richard Junior D. Naputi, 24, of Talofofo, Guam; specialist, Army. Naputi was one of two soldiers killed Tuesday when a roadside bomb exploded near their Humvee in Taji, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Samuel Tapia, 20, of San Benito, Texas; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Tapia was killed Dec. 18 by small-arms fire while on patrol in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Sources: Department of Defense, Associated Press