Military Deaths

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

Stephen P. Baldwyn, 19, of Saltillo, Miss.; private first class, Marine Corps. Baldwyn was killed Monday in an explosion during combat operations in Nasser Wa Salaam, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Michael J. Bordelon, 37, of Morgan City, La.; first sergeant, Army. Bordelon died Tuesday at Brooke Army Medical Center at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, of injuries suffered April 23 when a car bomb exploded near his Stryker military vehicle in Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Samuel T. Castle, 26, of Naples, Texas; staff sergeant, Army. Castle was killed Wednesday when an improvised explosive device detonated in Al Asad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 327th Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Brigade at Ft. Bragg. N.C.

Aaron N. Cepeda Sr., 22, of San Antonio; sergeant, Marine Corps Reserve. Cepeda was among three Marines killed May 7 in explosions during combat operations in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps Reserve in San Antonio.

Wesley G. Davids, 20, of Dublin, Ohio; lance corporal, Marine Corps Reserve. Davids was killed Wednesday in an explosion during combat operations in Karabilah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps Reserve in Columbus, Ohio. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his reserve unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Dustin A. Derga, 24, of Columbus, Ohio; corporal, Marine Corps Reserve. Derga was killed May 8 by small-arms fire during combat operations in New Ubaydi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps Reserve in Columbus, Ohio. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Gary A. Eckert Jr., 24, of Toledo, Ohio; sergeant, Army Reserve. Eckert died May 8 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered earlier that day when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Samarra, Iraq. He was assigned to the 983rd Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve in Monclova, Ohio.

Steven R. Givens, 26, of Mobile, Ala.; specialist, Army. Givens was killed May 8 by small-arms fire in Balad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Anthony L. Goodwin, 33, of Mount Holly, N.J.; staff sergeant, Marine Corps. Goodwin was killed Monday by small-arms fire during combat operations in the vicinity of Al Qaim, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lance T. Graham, 26, of San Antonio; lance corporal, Marine Corps Reserve. Graham was among three Marines killed May 7 in explosions during combat operations in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps Reserve in San Antonio.

Thor H. Ingraham, 24, of Murrysville, Pa.; staff sergeant, Army. Ingraham was one of two soldiers killed May 8 when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations in Khaldiya, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Greaves, South Korea.

Kendall H. Ivy II, 28, of Crawford, Ohio; staff sergeant, Marine Corps. Ivy was killed Wednesday in an explosion during combat operations in Karabilah, Iraq. He was assigned to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Andrew R. Jodon, 27, of Karthaus, Pa.; sergeant, Army. Jodon was killed Thursday when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle in Samarra, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Nicholas C. Kirven, 21, of Richmond, Va.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Kirven was one of two Marines killed May 8 as their squad was clearing a cave of suspected insurgents in Alishang, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Marcus Mahdee, 20, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Mahdee was killed Monday in an explosion during combat operations in the vicinity of Karmah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Michael A. Marzano, 28, of Greenville, Pa.; sergeant, Marine Corps Reserve. Marzano was killed May 7 in a suicide car bombing during combat operations in Haditha, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps Reserve in Phoenix. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Nicolas E. Messmer, 20, of Franklin, Ohio; private first class, Army. Messmer was one of two soldiers killed May 8 when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations in Khaldiya, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Greaves, South Korea.

Lawrence R. Philippon, 22, of Hartford, Conn.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Philippon was killed May 8 by small-arms fire during combat operations in the vicinity of Al Qaim, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Michael V. Postal, 21, Glen Oaks, N.Y.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Postal was among three Marines killed May 7 in explosions during combat operations in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Taylor B. Prazynski, 20, of Fairfield, Ohio; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Prazynski was killed in an explosion Monday during combat operations in Karmah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

John T. Schmidt III, 21, of Brookfield, Conn.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Schmidt died Wednesday of wounds suffered Jan. 30 in an explosion during combat operations in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

Richard P. Schoener, 22, of Hayes, La.; corporal, Marine Corps. Schoener was one of two Marines killed May 8 as their squad was clearing a cave of suspected insurgents in Alishang, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

John M. Smith, 22, of Wilmington, N.C.; sergeant, Army. Smith was killed Thursday when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Iskandariya, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Irwin, Calif.

Jeffery L. Wiener, 32, of Louisville, Ky.; petty officer third class, Navy. Wiener was killed by insurgents May 7 during a firefight after a suicide bombing near a hospital in western Iraq. He was a Navy hospital corpsman assigned to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force.

Kenneth E. Zeigler II, 22, of Dillsburg, Penn.; private first class, Army. Zeigler was killed Thursday when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Source: Department of Defense