Military deaths

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

Cory J. Bertrand, 18, of Center, Texas; specialist, Army. Bertrand was one of three soldiers killed Tuesday in Qazi Bandeh, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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Michael K. Clark, 24, of Sacramento; sergeant, Army. Clark died Oct. 7 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he encountered small-arms fire while on dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

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Scott G. Dimond, 39, of Franklin, N.H.; private first class, Army National Guard. Dimond died Monday in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device and his patrol was engaged in a small-arms fire attack. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain), New Hampshire Army National Guard in Milford, N.H.

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Reuben M. Fernandez III, 22, of Abilene, Texas; sergeant, Army. Fernandez died Oct. 11 of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Majar Al Kabir, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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Stephen R. Fortunato, 25, of Danvers, Mass.; specialist, Army. Fortunato was one of three soldiers killed Tuesday in Qazi Bandeh, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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Geoffrey G. Johnson, 28, of Lubbock, Texas; specialist, Army. Johnson died Oct. 12 of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident in Baghdad. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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Christopher A. McCraw, 23, of Columbia, Miss.; private first class, Army. McCraw died Tuesday in Baghdad of wounds suffered when he encountered small-arms fire while on dismounted patrol in Nasar Wa Salam. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

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Preston R. Medley, 23, of Baker, Fla.; sergeant, Army. Medley was one of three soldiers killed Tuesday in Qazi Bandeh, Afghanistan, when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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John M. Penich, 25, of Beach Park, Ill.; sergeant, Army. Penich died Thursday in Karangol Village, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from indirect fire, a military term that usually refers to mortar or other artillery fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

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Source: Department of Defense

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On latimes.com

Remembering California’s war dead

“I was the First to get injured due to a bomb in the road and i stepped out of my vehicle and stood up and gave everyone the thumbs up that i was ok and when i stepped thats when some of my right leg separated from me and i fell and moved an little ways from the vehicle and thats when the first thing i saw was nick baseball slide to me and told me everything is ok and he talked to me and asked me how was my son doing and he kept me talking while i put on my tourniquet and it broke on me and Nick got his and put his on me and we joked still even though i was in pain but i refused to let them know i was really hurting that badly but we laughed and joked and still cracked jokes about everyone and then i was soon taken away from my guys to receive treatment but i never thought that that would be the last time i saw Nick and later on i found out he died in the line of duty by another bomb just a couple of yards from mine and i fell to pieces and i never got to thank Nick for being there for me when it really counted.”

-- Dortrie Jones,

posted Wednesday on Army Spec. Nicholas P. Steinbacher, 22, of La Crescenta, above, who was killed Dec. 10, 2006, when a bomb exploded near his Humvee while he was on a night patrol in Baghdad

Do you have a memory to share about one of California’s more than 500 fallen troops? Post your remembrances online at latimes.com/wardead. The Times’ database of Californians killed in Afghanistan and Iraq allows you to search by name, hometown, high school and more, as well as read hundreds of obituaries and view links to personal websites and other news reports.

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War casualties

Total U.S. deaths*:

* In and around Iraq: 4,185

* In and around Afghanistan: 543

* Other locations: 66

*Includes military and Department of Defense-employed civilian personnel killed in action and in nonhostile circumstances as of Friday

Source: Department of Defense