Military deaths

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

Christian M. Adams, 26, of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; specialist, Army. Adams died of noncombat-related injuries June 11 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Brian M. Anderson, 24, of Harrisonburg, Va.; specialist, Army. Anderson was killed June 12 when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Za Khel in northeast Afghanistan’s Kunduz province, which borders Tajikistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Michael C. Bailey, 29, of Park Hills, Mo.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Bailey was killed Wednesday when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Michael P. Cassidy, 41, of Simpsonville, S.C.; captain, Army. Cassidy died of noncombat-related injuries Thursday in Mosul, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Matthew R. Catlett, 23, of Houston; specialist, Army. Catlett was among five soldiers killed June 7 when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in the Dangam district of eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Robert J. Fike, 38, of Conneautville, Pa.; sergeant first class, Army National Guard. Fike was one of two soldiers killed June 11 in a suicide bomb attack at Forward Operating Base Bullard in southern Afghanistan’s Zabol province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment in Connellsville, Pa.

Bryan A. Hoover, 29, of West Elizabeth, Pa.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Hoover was one of two soldiers killed June 11 in a suicide bomb attack at Forward Operating Base Bullard in southern Afghanistan’s Zabol province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment in Connellsville, Pa.

Charles S. Jirtle, 29, of Lawton, Okla.; specialist, Army. Jirtle was among five soldiers killed June 7 when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in the Dangam district of eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Joshua A. Lukeala, 23, of Yigo, Guam; sergeant, Army. Lukeala was among five soldiers killed June 7 when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in the Dangam district of eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Israel P. O’Bryan, 24, of Newbern, Tenn.; sergeant, Army. O’Bryan was one of two soldiers killed June 11 by a suicide car bomber in Jalula, Iraq, north of Baghdad. O’Bryan was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Christopher W. Opat, 29, of Spencer, Iowa; specialist, Army. Opat died of noncombat-related injuries Tuesday in Baqubah, Iraq, northeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

William Ortega, 23, of Miami; seaman, Navy. Ortega was killed Friday when a roadside bomb exploded near him in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned as a hospital corpsman to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

Benjamin D. Osborn, 27, of Queensbury, N.Y.; specialist, Army. Osborn was killed Tuesdayn when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in the Shigalwashheltan district of eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Blaine E. Redding, 22, of Plattsmouth, Neb.; specialist, Army. Redding was among five soldiers killed June 7 when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in the Dangam district of eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Mario Rodriguez, 24, of Smithville, Texas; sergeant, Army. Rodriguez was killed June 11 when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Powrak in central Afghanistan’s Logar province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 264th Clearance Company, 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Jeffrey R. Standfest, 23, of St. Clair, Mich.; corporal, Marine Corps. Standfest was killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb exploded near him while he was on foot patrol in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

William C. Yauch, 23, of Batesville, Ark.; specialist, Army. Yauch was one of two soldiers killed June 11 by a suicide car bomber in Jalula, Iraq, north of Baghdad. Yauch was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Sources: Department of Defense and the Associated Press