Military Deaths

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

Howard E. Babcock IV, 33, of Houston; petty officer first class, Navy. Babcock died Oct. 13 in a motorcycle accident in Bahrain. He was assigned to the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station there.

Debra A. Banaszak, 35, of Bloomington, Ill.; first lieutenant, Army National Guard. Banaszak died Oct. 28 at Camp Victory, Kuwait, from noncombat-related injuries. She was assigned to the 1035th Maintenance Company, Army National Guard at Jefferson Barracks, Mo.

Gerald M. Bloomfield II, 38, of Ypsilanti, Mich.; major, Marine Corps. Bloomfield was one of two Marines killed Wednesday when their Super Cobra helicopter crashed while flying in support of security and stabilization operations near Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

William J. Byler, 23, of Ballinger, Texas; specialist, Army. Byler was among four soldiers killed Monday in Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Joel P. Dameron, 27, of Ellabell, Ga.; staff sergeant, Marine Corps. Dameron died Oct. 30 from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations near Amiriya, Iraq. He was assigned to the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Allan M. Cundanga Espiritu, 28, of Oxnard; petty officer second class, Navy. Espiritu died Tuesday from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations near Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Force Service Support Group (Forward), 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Dennis J. Ferderer Jr., 20, of New Salem, N.D.; specialist, Army. Ferderer died Wednesday in Duluiya, Iraq, when enemy forces threw a hand grenade at his Humvee during convoy operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Lewis J. Gentry, 48, of Detroit; staff sergeant, Army. Gentry died Oct. 26 in Mosul, Iraq, from a noncombat-related cause. He was assigned to the 94th Engineer Battalion in Vilseck, Germany.

Shaker T. Guy, 23, of Pomona; sergeant, Army National Guard. Guy was one of two guardsmen killed Oct. 29 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard in Modesto.

Raymond D. Hill II, 39, of Turlock, Calif.; captain, Army National Guard. Hill was one of two guardsmen killed Oct. 29 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard in Modesto.

Michael P. Hodshire, 25, of North Adams, Mich.; sergeant, Marine Corps. Hodshire died Oct. 30 of wounds suffered a day earlier from an improvised explosive device during combat operations near Nasser Wa Salaam, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Derence W. Jack, 31, of Saipan, Mariana Islands; specialist, Army Reserve. Jack was one of two reservists killed Monday in Balad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, 29th Brigade Combat Team, Army Reserve in Barrigada, Guam.

Adam R. Johnson, 22, of Clayton, Ohio; private, Army. Johnson was among four soldiers killed Monday in Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Dillon M. Jutras, 20, of Fairfax Station, Va.; private first class, Army. Jutras died Oct. 28 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, from injuries suffered while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Matthew R. Kading, 32, of Madison, Wis.; sergeant first class, Army Reserve. Kading died Monday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio of injuries suffered near Tikrit, Iraq, on Oct. 19, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his convoy vehicle. He was assigned to the 983rd Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve in Monclova, Ohio.

Wilgene T. Lieto, 28, of Saipan, Mariana Islands; staff sergeant, Army Reserve. Lieto was one of two reservists killed Monday in Balad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, 29th Brigade Combat Team, Army Reserve in Barrigada, Guam.

Tyler R. MacKenzie, 20, of Evans, Colo.; private first class, Army. MacKenzie was among three soldiers killed Wednesday near Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

David J. Martin, 21, of Edmond, Okla.; private first class, Army. Martin was among four soldiers killed Monday in Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Michael D. Martino, 32, of Fairfax, Va.; captain, Marine Corps. Martino was one of two Marines killed Wednesday when their Super Cobra helicopter crashed while flying in support of security and stabilization operations near Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Joshua J. Munger, 22, of Maysville, Mo.; specialist, Army. Munger was among three soldiers killed Wednesday near Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Travis W. Nixon, 24, of St. John, Wash.; staff sergeant, Army. Nixon died Oct. 29 from injuries suffered north of Lwara, Afghanistan, when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Robert C. Oneto-Sikorski, 33, of Bay St. Louis, Miss.; first lieutenant, Army National Guard. Oneto-Sikorski died Monday in Iskandariya, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry, Army National Guard in Biloxi, Miss.

Daniel J. Pratt, 48, of Youngstown, Ohio; sergeant first class, Army National Guard. Pratt died of noncombat-related injuries Thursday in Nasiriya, Iraq. He was assigned to the 211th Maintenance Company, Army National Guard in Newark, Ohio.

Mark J. Procopio, 28, of Stowe, Vt.; second lieutenant, Army National Guard. Procopio died Wednesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard in Jericho, Vt.

Kenny D. Rojas, 21, of Pembroke Pines, Fla.; private first class, Army. Rojas died Oct. 29 near Bayji, Iraq, while his unit was conducting a combat patrol and a land mine exploded near his Humvee. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Benjamin A. Smith, 21, of Hudson, Wis.; specialist, Army. Smith was one of three soldiers killed Wednesday near Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Jonathan Tessar, 36, of Simi Valley; sergeant first class, Army. Tessar was among four soldiers killed Monday in Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Daniel A. Tsue, 27, of Honolulu; sergeant, Marine Corps. Tsue died Tuesday from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations near Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Force Service Support Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Kyle B. Wehrly, 28, of Galesburg, Ill.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Wehrly died Thursday in Ashraf, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery, Army National Guard in Macomb, Ill.

William W. Wood, 44, of Panama City, Fla.; colonel, Army. Wood died Oct. 27 in Baghdad as he directed security operations in response to the detonation of an improvised explosive device. During this response, a second improvised explosive device detonated near Wood’s position. He was a regular Army soldier assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment in Modesto.

Source: Department of Defense