It is winter in Afghanistan, and a cold place it is. As cold as the caskets coming home, greeted by tears on wintry faces—here in the US, in England, and in Poland.

US Marine Pfc. Serge Kropov, 21, of Hawley, Pa., died as a result of a non-hostile incident in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Army Sgt. Albert D. Ware, 27, of Chicago, Ill., died in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Omar G. Roebuck, 23, of Moreno Valley, Calif., died , as a result of a non-hostile incident in Helmand province, Afghanistan

LCpl Michael Pritchard, 22, of England, died in Afghanistan of wounds from small arms fire—which may have been friendly fire.

Cpl Simon Hornby, 29, of England, died in Afghanistan of wounds from an IED explosion.

PFC Michal Kolek, 22, of Poland, died in Afghanistan under attack with small arms fire and RPGs. (I do not know if I transliterated this name correctly—if any of you know it is wrong, please contact me that I may make a correction.)

And although unrelated to this war, another hero has passed beyond this vale of wartime tears: Medal of Honor recipient Col. Robert L. Howard has died. May he rest at peace, at long last.