Other deaths

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

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David J. Babineau, 25, of Springfield, Mass.; specialist, Army. Babineau died June 16 in the Baghdad area, when he and two other soldiers were manning a checkpoint and came under enemy small-arms fire. The bodies of the other two soldiers were found early last week. Babineau was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

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Riley E. Baker, 22, of Pacific, Mo.; corporal, Marine Corps. Baker died Thursday while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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Paul A. Beyer, 21, of Jamestown, N.D.; private first class, Army. Beyer was one of two soldiers killed Friday in the vicinity of Baghdad as a result of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

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Mario J. Bievre, 34, of Illinois; staff sergeant, Army. Bievre was one of two soldiers killed Friday in the vicinity of Baghdad as a result of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

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Brian J. Bradbury, 22, of St. Joseph, Mo.; private first class, Army. Bradbury died Wednesday in the vicinity of Naray, Afghanistan, when he encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades during combat operations. He was assigned to the 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

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Jason J. Buzzard, 31, of Ukiah, Calif.; sergeant, Army. Buzzard died Wednesday in Baghdad of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his cargo truck during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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Heathe N. Craig, 28, of Severn, Md.; staff sergeant, Army. Craig died Wednesday when his helicopter hoist malfunctioned while attempting to evacuate a wounded soldier during combat operations near Naray, Afghanistan. The wounded soldier also died. Craig was assigned to the 159th Air Ambulance Medical Company in Wiesbaden, Germany.

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Sirlou C. Cuaresma, 25, of Chicago; sergeant, Army. Cuaresma died Wednesday in Baghdad from a noncombat-related cause. Cuaresma was assigned to the 68th Engineer Company, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 13th Containment Command (Expeditionary) at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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Forrest P. Ewens, 25, of Washington state; first lieutenant, Army. Ewens was one of two soldiers killed June 16 in the Pech River Valley, Afghanistan, when their all-terrain vehicle struck an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

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Robert L. Jones, 22, of Milwaukie, Ore.; specialist, Army. Jones was one of two soldiers killed June 17 in Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during combat operations. He was assigned to the 40th Engineer Battalion in Baumholder, Germany.

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Brent W. Koch, 22, of Morton, Minn.; specialist, Army. Koch died June 16 in Diwaniyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. He was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 136th Infantry Combined Arms Battalion in Hutchinson, Minn.

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Christopher D. Leon, 20, of Lancaster; corporal, Marine Corps. Leon was one of four Marines killed Tuesday while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan.

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Patrick L. Lybert, 28, of Ladysmith, Wis.; staff sergeant, Army. Lybert was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday in Gowardesh, Afghanistan, when they encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 71st Calvary, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

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Kristian Menchaca, 23, of San Marcos, Texas; private first class, Army. Menchaca was one of two soldiers who died in the vicinity of Baghdad from injuries sustained on or about June 16. Menchaca and two other soldiers came under enemy small-arms fire while manning a checkpoint during combat operations. One soldier died at the scene, and Menchaca and another soldier were taken by enemy forces. Their bodies were found early last week. Menchaca was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

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Jared C. Monti, 30, of Raynham, Mass.; sergeant first class, Army. Monti was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday in Gowardesh, Afghanistan, when they encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 71st Calvary, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

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Reyes Ramirez, 23, of Willis, Texas; sergeant, Army. Ramirez was one of two soldiers killed June 17 in Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee during combat operations. He was assigned to the 40th Engineer Battalion in Baumholder, Germany.

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Ian T. Sanchez, 26, of Staten Island, N.Y.; sergeant, Army. Sanchez was one of two soldiers killed June 16 in Pech River Valley, Afghanistan, when their all-terrain vehicle struck an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

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Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore.; private first class, Army. Tucker was one of two soldiers who died in the vicinity of Baghdad from injuries sustained on or about June 16. Tucker and two other soldiers came under enemy small-arms fire while manning a checkpoint during combat operations. One soldier died at the scene, and Tucker and another soldier were taken by enemy forces. Their bodies were found early last week. Tucker was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

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Brandon J. Webb, 20, of Swartz Creek, Mich.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Webb was one of four Marines killed Tuesday while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

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Christopher N. White, 23, of Southport, N.C.; private first class, Marine Corps. White was one of four Marines killed Tuesday while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

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Nicholas J. Whyte, 21, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Whyte died Wednesday while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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Benjamin D. Williams, 30, of Orange, Texas; staff sergeant, Marine Corps. Williams was one of four Marines killed Tuesday while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

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Source: Department of Defense