Posts Tagged ‘counting the dead of war’

The moon is full, bright in the sky to shine on new headstones. Raise a glass, honor the fallen; cry for the bereaved.

Lt. Douglas Dalzel, 27, of Bershire, England, died in Afghanistan on his birthday on 18 February, when an IED detonated and fatally wounded him.

LSgt. DAvied Walker, 36 of Glasgow, Scotland, was killed in a firefight on 18 February in Afghanistan during a ground domination patrol.

US Army Sgt. Michael D. Cardenaz, 29, of Corona, California was killed in Afghanistan on 20 February, when his unit was attacked with RPG fire.

SGM Florin Badiceanu, 31, of Romania, died in Afghanistan on February 23 when an IED detonated beneath his humvee.

US Army Cpl. Daniel T. O’Leary, 23, of Youngsville, N.C., died Feb. 23 in Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over.

US Army Sgt. William C. Spencer, 40, of Tacoma, Wash., died Feb. 25 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained Feb. 20 while supporting combat operations in Iraq.

US Army Staff Sgt. William S. Ricketts, 27, of Corinth, Miss., died Feb 27 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.

Another week, the moon is a sweet crescent in the clear winter sky. It is the sort of shape ancient cultures interpreted as the boat that carried the souls of the dead away to an afterlife. I hope all the families and friends of the fallen troops on this list can find some comfort in a belief of a welcoming better place. Soon, it will be warm enough to put the 6200 counting beads back on the monument. And sadly, soon, it will be time to add another strand of 220 more.

Kingsman Sean Dawson, 19, of Manchester, England, died in Afghanistan when he was shot to death during an ambush on February 14.

Rifleman Mark Marshall, 29, of Exeter, England, was killed in Afghanistan by an IED detonation on February 14.

Sapper Guy Mellors, 20, of Coventry, England, was in killed in Afghanistan on February 15 when an IED exploded as he worked in explosive ordinance removal in Afghanistan.

US Marine PFC Jason H. Estopinal, 21, of Dallas, Ga., died Feb. 15 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Noah M. Pier, 25, of Charlotte, N.C., died Feb. 16 while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan.

The following three US Army men died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device Feb. 13 in Afghanistan:

Staff Sgt. John A. Reiners, 24, of Lakeland, Fla.;
Sgt. Jeremiah T. Wittman, 26, of Darby, Mont.; and
Spc. Bobby J. Pagan, 23, of Austin, Texas.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Alejandro J. Yazzie, 23, of Rock Point, Ariz., died Feb. 16 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Sean L. Caughman, 43, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Feb. 16, while supporting operations in Kuwait in support of the war in Afghanistan.

US Marine PFC. Eric D. Currier, 21, of Londonderry, N.H., died Feb. 17 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Army Pfc. Charles A. Williams, 29, of Fair Oaks, Calif., died Feb. 7 in Afghanistan, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations. (No idea of why there was such a delay on the release of the name.)

US Marine Pfc. Kyle J. Coutu, 20, of Providence, R.I., died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Larry M. Johnson, 19, of Scranton, Pa., died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Kielin T. Dunn, 19, of Chesapeake, Va., died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Sgt. Jeremy R. McQueary, 27, of Columbus, Ind., died Feb. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan

US Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua H. Birchfield, 24, of Westville, Ind., died Feb. 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Cpl. Gregory S. Stultz, 22, of Brazil, Ind., died Feb. 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Eckard, 30, of Hickory, N.C., died Feb. 20 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Adam D. Peak, 25, of Florence, Ky., died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Matthias N. Hanson, 20, of Buffalo, Ky., died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Eric L. Ward, 19, of Redmond, Wash., died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Army PFC. JR Salvacion, 27, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, died Feb. 21 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

The following US Army pilots died when their helicopter crashed in Iraq on February 21:
Capt. Marcus R. Alford, 28, of Knoxville, Tenn.

Chief Warrant Officer Billie J. Grinder, 25, of Gallatin, Tenn.

US Army Sgt. Marcos Gorra, 22, of North Bergen, N.J., died Feb. 21 in Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations.

The moon goes dark, the winter storms lash the homelands of soldiers in harm’s way far away. American soldiers had a relatively death-free week; but England’s forces and others suffered more losses. Remember those lost in our cause!

US Army Sgt. Dillon B. Foxx, 22, of Traverse City, Mich., died Feb. 5 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Capt. John Palmlov, 28, of Sundbyberg, Sweden and
Lt. Gunnar Anderson, 31, of Stockholm, Sweden both died in Afghanistan in a firefight on February 7th.

Cpl Johnathan Moore, 22, of Lanarkshire, Scotland and
Pvt Sean McDonald, 27, of Edinborough, Scotland both died in Afghanistan of wounds from an IED detonation on February 7th.

WO2 David Markland, 36, of East Lancashire, England died in Afghanistan on February 8th, when an IED exploded.

Pvt Enguerrand Libaert, 20, of Lyon, France died February 9th, in a firefight in Afghanistan.

US Army Sgt. Adam J. Ray, 23, of Louisville, Ky., died Feb. 9 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. (local post soldier)

US Army Pfc. Adriana Alvarez, 20, of San Benito, Texas, died Feb. 10 in Baghdad, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations.

Late additions:
LCpl Darren Hicks, 29 of Cornwall, England, died in Afghanistan on February 11 when an IED detonated.

Cpl Joshua Caleb-Baker, 24 of Edmonton, Canada, died in Afghanistan in a training range accident on February 12.

LSgt Dave Greenhalgh, 25, of Derbyshire, England, died in Afghanistan on February 13, when his vehicle hit an IED.

US Marine Cpl. Jacob H. Turbett, 21, of Canton, Mich., died Feb. 13 while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan.

The full moon rides the clouds, lighting up the billows of vapour carrying snow to my mountains. The bright light keeps me awake nights. And gives me, like those mourning the fallen below, too much time to think about the losses of the wars. Too much time to wonder what these men’s lives bought, for all they lost. May wisdom prevail….and soon!

US Marine Lance Cpl. Jeremy M. Kane, 22, of Towson, Md., died Jan. 23 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Rifleman Peter Aldridge, 19, of Folkestone in Kent, England, died in Afghanistan on January 22, from wounds caused by an IED detonating near his patrol.

The following US Marines died Jan. 24 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan:

Sgt. Daniel M. Angus, 28, of Thonotosassa, Fla.

Lance Cpl. Timothy J. Poole, 22, of Bowling Green, Ky.

Lance Cpl. Zachary D. Smith, 19, of Hornell, N.Y.

Soldier Claes Jochim Olsson, 22, of Gressvik, Norway, died in Afghanistan on January 25, when his vehicle hit an IED.

LCpl Daniel Cooper, 22, of Hereford, England, died in Afghanistan on January 24, of wounds resulting from an IED explosion.

US Army Sgt. Carlos E. Gill, 25, of Fayetteville, N.C., died Jan. 26 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of an illness. He was evacuated from Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, Dec. 19, 2009, where he was supporting combat operations. He was a member of the local Ft. Lewis, WA Stryker Bde.

US Army Pfc. Scott G. Barnett, 24, of Concord, Calif., died Jan. 28 in Iraq, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations.

The moon is half filled, the caskets are more full yet. My condolences to families, friends, and comrades.

US Army Staff Sgt. Anton R. Phillips, 31, of Inglewood, Calif., died Dec. 31, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Methar Lam, Afghanistan. Circumstances of his death are under investigation. (I don’t know why this name was so long being released; perhaps it took this long to find family for notification.)

Rifleman Luke Farmer, 25, of Pontefract, England, and
Cpl Lee Brownson, 30, of Bishop Auckland, England died on January 15 in Afghanistan, as a result of the explosion of an IED near their patrol.

Sgt John Faught, 44, of Ontario, Canada, died on 15 January in Afghanistan when an IED exploded as he patroled.

US Army Spc. Robert Donevski, 19, of Sun City Arizona, died in Afghanistan on January 16 when his unit was attacked with small arms fire.

US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam K. Ginett, 29, of Knightdale, N.C., died Jan. 19 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device.

US Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael P. Shannon, 52, of Canadensis, Pa., died Jan. 17, in Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

US Army Capt. Paul Pena, 27, of San Marcos, Texas, died Jan. 19 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

US Army Staff Sgt. Thaddeus S. Montgomery, 29, of West Yellowstone, Mont., died Jan. 20 in Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

US Army Pfc. Gifford E. Hurt, 19, of Yonkers, N.Y., died Jan. 20, in , Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related accident.

US Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Xin Qi, 25, of Cordova, Tenn., died Jan. 23, while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan.

It is also the appointed day, “Suicide Saturday” when it is time to announce the monthly statistics for the December suicides and attempts. The following is quoted from the monthly Dept of Defense letter:

+++ The Army released suicide data today for the month of December. Among active-duty soldiers, there were ten potential suicides: one has been confirmed as suicide, and nine remain under investigation. For November, the Army reported 11 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, three have been confirmed as suicides, and eight remain under investigation.

There were 160 reported active-duty Army suicides during 2009. Of these, 114 have been confirmed, and 46 are pending determination of manner of death. During 2008, there were 140 suicides among active-duty soldiers.

During December 2009, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were six potential suicides. For the year 2009, among that same group, there were 78 total suicides. Of those, 49 were confirmed as suicides and 29 are pending determination of the manner of death. For 2008, there were 57 suicides among reserve soldiers who were not on active duty.+++

For the names I may never see, for their grief-stricken loved ones and comrades, my sincere sympathies.

Running late on a rainy, sodden, cold week. The month turns in this new year, and the death count grows. Same sh*t, different day, we used to say. I’d like to say something inspiring, but bitter grief weighs my words. I can only bow my head in sorrow and salute those who are finished with the wars.

US Army Spc. Brushaun X. Anderson, 20, of Columbus, Ga., died Jan. 1 in Iraq, of wounds suffered from a non-combat related incident. He died of wounds suffered when attacked by an unknown assailant.

US Air Force Senior Airman Bradley R. Smith, 24, of Troy, Ill., died Jan. 3 in Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations

The following three US Army personnel died Jan. 3, in Afghanistan, when their position was attacked with multiple IEDs and small arms fire:

Sgt. Joshua A. Lengstorf, 24, of Yoncalla, Ore.

Spc. Brian R. Bowman, 24, of Crawfordsville, Ind.

Pvt. John P. Dion, 19, of Shattuck, Okla.

Pvt. Robert Hayes, 19, of England, died Jan. 3 in Afghanistan, when an IED exploded as his security patrol passed.

US Army Spc. David A. Croft Jr., 22, of Plant City, Fla., died Jan. 5 in Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.

The last day of 2009, the second full moon in the month—as some call it, a “blue moon” but here, every moon full-sailing cross the clouds carrying a mental list of fallen soldiers is blue for me. And I am sure the shades of grief are deeper still for the families and loved ones facing a New Year that will never be the same.

LCpl Christoper Roney, 23, of England, died in Afghanistan of wounds from a firefight on Dec 21st.

US Army Staff Sgt. David H. Gutierrez, 35, of San Francisco, Ca., died Dec. 25 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his dismounted patrol with an improvised explosive device .

US Army Spc. Jason M. Johnston, 24, of Albion, N.Y., died Dec. 26 in , Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Canadian Lt. Andrew Nuttall, 30, of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, was killed by a roadside bomb during a routine foot patrol in the Panjwaii district of southern Afghanistan.

LCpl Tommy Brown, of England, died in Afghanistan when an IED exploded where he was on foot patrol.

US Army Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, of Waterbury, Conn., died Dec. 29 in , Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot while unloading supplies

The following four Canadian soldiers died Dec 30 in Afghanistan, when their vehicle hit an IED. A Canadian journalist died as well:

* Sgt. George Miok, 28, of Edmonton.
* Cpl. Zachery McCormack, 21, of Edmonton.
* Sgt. Kirk Taylor, 28, of Yarmouth, N.S.
* Pte. Garrett William Chidley, 21, of Langley, B.C.

(Journalist Michelle Lang)

And at least seven CIA agents died in an explosion in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber struck. I am searching for their names, which have not thus far been released. Five were regular CIA agents, including the chief of the agency’s Khost base—a mother of three; two were contractors hired from the former Blackwater business now known as Xe.

Also, a Captain from the small military contingent from Jordan died in Afghanistan, but his name has not been released yet.

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.

The nights seem darker in the absence of moonlight, do they not? As dark, perhaps as the holiday season must seem for the families and friends of the fallen—-for whom this month can only be a memory of a beloved light blowing out in the wind of war.

US Army Sgt. Elijah J. Rao, 26, of Lake Oswego, Ore., in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device

US Marine Cpl. Xhacob Latorre, 21, of Waterbury, Conn., died of wounds sustained while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

US Army Staff Sgt. Dennis J. Hansen, 31, of Panama City, Fla., died at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.

US Marine Sgt. Ralph Anthony Webb Frietas, 23, of Detroit, Mich., died as a result of unknown causes in Iraq.

US Army Pfc. Jaiciae L. Pauley, 29, of Austell, Ga., died in Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

US Army Pvt. Jhanner A. Tello, 29, of Los Angeles, Calif., died in Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

LCpl Adam Drane, 23, of England was killed in Afghanistan while carrying out security duties at a checkpoint.

US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Anthony C. Campbell Jr., 35, of Florence, Ky., died of wounds suffered from the detonation of an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.

I have no names newly released. There may indeed be service men and women who have died this past week since the moon began to wane; but their names lag behind. So instead, I give you an overview of the sacrifices made on war’s altar. And yes, I feel grim this December—30,000 more will go into harm’s way and too soon.

The counts are rough, and from CNN, but in Iraq the dead include: 4,370 Americans, two Australians, one Azerbaijani, 179 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, five Georgians, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, three Latvians, 22 Poles, three Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, one South Korean, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians.

And in Afghanistan thus far, since 2001 the losses include: 927 Americans, 11 Australians, one Belgian, 236 Britons, 133 Canadians, three Czech, 28 Danes, 21 Dutch, six Estonians, one Finn, 36 French, 31 Germans, two Hungarians, 22 Italians, three Latvian, one Lithuanian, four Norwegians, 15 Poles, two Portuguese, 11 Romanians, one South Korean, 26 Spaniards, two Swedes and two Turks.

Not exactly going to fit in the lyrics of the Twelve Days of Christmas, is it?