Military Deaths

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

Derek Argel, 28, of Lompoc, Calif.; captain, Air Force. Argel was among four airmen killed Monday in the crash of an Iraqi air force surveillance plane during a training mission northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Michael S. Barnhill, 39, of Folsom, Calif.; first sergeant, Marine Corps Reserve. Barnhill was killed May 28 when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device near Haqlaniya, Iraq, northwest of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group, Marine Corps Reserve in Eugene, Ore. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Force Service Support Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Virgil R. Case, 37, of Mountain Home, Idaho; staff sergeant,

Army National Guard. Case

died of noncombat-related injuries Wednesday in Kirkuk, Iraq.

He was assigned to the 145th Support Battalion, 116th Brigade Combat Team, Army National Guard in Mountain Home,

Idaho.

Victor M. Cortes III, 29, of Erie, Pa.; staff sergeant, Army. Cortes died of noncombatrelated injuries May 29 in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 703rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Casey Crate, 26, of Spanaway, Wash.; staff sergeant, Air Force. Crate was among four airmen killed Monday in the crash of an Iraqi air force surveillance plane during a training mission northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

William Downs, 40, of Winchester, Va.; major, Air Force. Downs was among four airmen killed Monday in the crash of an Iraqi air force surveillance plane during a training mission northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 6th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Charles A. Drier, 28, of Tuscola, Mich.; sergeant, Army. Drier was among three soldiers killed May 24 when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Phillip C. Edmundson, 22, of Wilson, N.C.; specialist, Army. Edmundson was killed Wednesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley fighting vehicle in Ramadi, Iraq, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Dustin C. Fisher, 22, of Fort Smith, Ark.; specialist, Army. Fisher was among three soldiers killed May 24 when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Jeremy Fresques, 26, of Clarkdale, Ariz.; captain, Air Force. Fresques was among four airmen killed Monday in the crash of an Iraqi air force surveillance plane during a training mission northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Steven M. Langmack, 33, of Seattle; sergeant first class, Army. Langmack died Tuesday of injuries suffered when he was attacked with small-arms fire in Al Qaim, Iraq, near the Syrian border. The Green Beret was assigned to Headquarters, Army Special Operations Command at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Louis E. Niedermeier, 20, of Largo, Fla.; private first class, Army. Niedermeier was killed Wednesday when he was attacked with small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Miguel A. Ramos, 39, of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico; sergeant, Army Reserve. Ramos was killed Tuesday in a rocket attack in Baghdad. He was assigned

to the 807th Signal Company,

35th Signal Battalion, Army Reserve in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico.

Phillip N. Sayles, 26, of Jacksonville, Ark.; specialist, Army. Sayles was killed May 28 when an improvised explosive device detonated near him in Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Albert E. Smart, 41, of San Antonio; lieutenant colonel, Army Reserve. Smart died of a noncombat-related illness May 28 in Doha, Qatar, a key Persian Gulf logistics hub for U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was assigned to the 321st Civil Affairs Brigade, Army Reserve in San Antonio.

Jeffrey B. Starr, 22, of Snohomish, Wash.; corporal, Marine Corps. Starr was killed Monday when he was attacked with small-arms fire near Ramadi, Iraq, west of Baghdad. 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).

Jeffrey R. Wallace, 20, of Hoopeston, Ill.; private first class, Army. Wallace was among three soldiers killed May 24 when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Sources: Department of Defense, Associated Press