Military deaths

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

Michael C. Balsley, 23, of Hayward, Calif.; private first class, Army. Balsley was one of two soldiers killed Jan. 25 when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Alejandro Carrillo, 22, of Los Angeles; sergeant, Marine Corps. Carrillo was killed in combat Tuesday in Al Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 7, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Cornell C. Chao, 36, of Fullerton; chief warrant officer, Army. Chao was one of two soldiers killed Jan. 28 when their Apache helicopter crashed near Najaf, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Matthew G. Conte, 22, of Mogadore, Ohio; hospitalman, Navy. Conte was one of two troops killed in combat Thursday in Al Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. In Iraq, he was serving as a hospital corpsman under the command of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Terry J. Elliott, 34, of Middleton, Tenn.; gunnery sergeant, Marine Corps. Elliott was one of two troops killed in combat Thursday in Al Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Adam Q. Emul, 19, of Vancouver, Wash.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Emul was killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near him while on foot patrol in Al Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Alexander H. Fuller, 21, of Centerville, Mass.; sergeant, Army. Fuller was one of two soldiers killed Jan. 25 when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Mickel D. Garrigus, 24, of Elma, Wash.; sergeant, Army. Garrigus was killed Jan. 27 when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Taji, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 543rd Military Police Company, 91st Police Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Alan R. Johnson, 44, of Yakima, Wash.; major, Army National Guard. Johnson was killed Jan. 26 when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee in Muqdadiya, northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 402nd Civil Affairs Battalion in Tonawanda, N.Y.

Anthony C. Melia, 20, of Thousand Oaks; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Melia was shot to death Jan. 27 while on foot patrol in Al Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

Michael C. Mettille, 44, of West St. Paul, Minn.; sergeant major, Army. Mettille was found dead Thursday after suffering an apparent heart attack or aneurysm in his barracks at Camp Adder in Tallil, southeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 134th Brigade Support Battalion in Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Mark T. Resh, 28, of Pittsburgh; captain, Army. Resh was one of two soldiers killed Jan. 28 when their Apache helicopter crashed near Najaf, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Jon B. St. John II, 25, of Neenah, Wis.; private first class, Army. St. John was among three soldiers killed Jan. 27 when the ambulance they were riding in rolled over a land mine as they picked up wounded troops in Taji, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Stephen D. Shannon, 21, of Guttenberg, Iowa; corporal, Army Reserve. Shannon died Wednesday in Balad of injuries suffered a day earlier when his armored vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 397th Engineer Battalion in Wausau, Wis.

William M. Sigua, 21, of Los Altos Hills, Calif.; sergeant, Army. Sigua was killed Wednesday when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire in Bayji, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Carla J. Stewart, 37, of Glendale; specialist, Army Reserve. Stewart was killed Jan. 28 when her convoy vehicle overturned in Tallil, southeast of Baghdad. She was assigned to the 250th Transportation Company in El Monte.

Timothy A. Swanson, 21, of San Antonio; corporal, Army. Swanson was among three soldiers killed Jan. 27 when the ambulance they were riding in rolled over a land mine as they picked up wounded troops in Taji, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

David T. Toomalatai, 19, of Carson; private first class, Army. Toomalatai was among three soldiers killed Jan. 27 when the ambulance they were riding in rolled over a land mine as they picked up wounded troops in Taji, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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Sources: Department of Defense, Times staff reports and the Associated Press