In Memoriam

[Grace]

Great Britain

It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that Lance Corporal Michael Taylor from Charlie Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines, serving as part of Combined Force Sangin, was killed in Afghanistan on Tuesday 22 June 2010.

Lance Corporal Michael Taylor was killed during an exchange of fire with insurgent forces in the Sangin district of Helmand province. He was manning one of the sangars in the patrol base when the incident occurred.

Lance Corporal Michael Taylor was 30 years old and lived in Rhyl with his partner Sonia and their three children; Ethan, Wesley and Charlton. A former British Army soldier, he joined the Royal Marines on the 26 April 2004. After passing for duty as a Royal Marines Commando he joined 45 Commando, based in Arbroath, Scotland.

[Grace]

June 2010 - the deadliest month of the war in Afghanistan - with 6 days still to come.

June deadliest month for NATO troops since Afghan war began

By Ernesto Londoño
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 24, 2010; 10:17 AM

KABUL -- Four British troops were killed in a vehicle accident Wednesday in southern Afghanistan, making June the deadliest month for the U.S.-led NATO force since it began deploying in Afghanistan in 2002.

At least 79 NATO troops have died in Afghanistan so far this month, surpassing the previous record reached last August, when 76 troops were killed, according to a tally by icasualties.org. At least 46 of the service members killed this month were American.

Last October was the deadliest month for U.S. troops, with 59 casualties.

Thursday's grim milestone was reached on the day the top U.S. general in Afghanistan was relieved of command as a result of a magazine profile that portrayed him and his aides as dismissive of senior Obama administration officials.

President Obama on Wednesday nominated Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command, to replace ousted Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal.

In addition to the British soldiers killed in the vehicle accident Wednesday -- the British Defense Ministry said the four were members of a police training team in Helmand Province-- six other NATO troops were killed in bombings and a shooting earlier in the day. They included one American, two Romanians, one Briton and two service members whose nationalities were not immediately disclosed.

The spike in casualties comes as the U.S. military is deploying an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. The U.S.-led coalition has met stiff resistance in the Taliban strongholds that it is trying to secure.

link

[Grace]

22 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

1st Sgt. Eddie Turner, 41, of Fort Belvoir, Va., died June 22 at Camp Clark, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 626th Brigade Support Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

[Grace]

21 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died June 21 at Lar Sholtan Village, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when a suicide bomber attacked their unit. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Killed were:

Pfc. David T. Miller, 19, of Wilton, N.Y.

Spc. Andrew R. Looney, 22, of Owasso, Okla.

[Grace]

22 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Claudio Patino IV, 22, of Yorba Linda, Calif., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.

[Grace]

Australia

Pvt. Scott Travis Palmer

From: Australia
Age: 27
Unit: 2nd Commando Regiment
Died: June 21, 2010

One of three Australian soldiers killed when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province, Afghanistan

[Grace]

Australia

Pvt. Benjamin Adam Chuck

From: Atherton, Queensland
Age: 27
Unit: 2nd Commando Regiment
Died: June 21, 2010

One of three Australian soldiers killed when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

[Grace]

Australia

Pvt. Timothy James Aplin

From: Australia
Age: 38
Unit: 2nd Commando Regiment
Died: June 21, 2010

One of three Australian soldiers killed when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

[Grace]

England

Marine Richard Hollington

From: Petersfield, Hampshire
Age: 23
Unit: Company B, 40 Commando, Royal Marines
Died: June 20, 2010

Died on June 20, 2010, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England, of wounds sustained when a roadside bomb detonated during a patrol south of Patrol Base Ezeray in Sangin district, Helmand province, Afghanistan, on June 12, 2010

[Grace]

England

Sgt. Steven William Darbyshire

From: Wigan, England
Age: 35
Unit: Company A, 40 Commando, Royal Marines
Died: June 23, 2010

Killed by small arms fire during a firefight with insurgent forces during a security patrol in the Sangin district of Helmand province, Afghanistan.

[Grace]

22 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto, 23, of San Jose, Calif., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, IMarine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.

[Grace]

22 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Joshua R. Dumaw, 23, of Spokane Valley, Wash., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Nimruz province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.

[Grace]

Canada

OTTAWA — One Canadian soldier was killed after an improvised explosive device detonated during a foot patrol, about 20 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City, in the Panjwa’i District, at approximately 8:00 a.m. Kandahar time on 21 June 2010.

Killed in action was Sergeant James Patrick MacNeil from 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ontario. Sergeant MacNeil was serving with 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group.

[Grace]

23 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Anthony T. Justesen, 22, of Wilsonville, Ore., died June 23 at Ganjkin village, Pusht Rod district, Farah province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to Troop B, 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

[Grace]

23 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Russell E. Madden, 29, of Dayton, Ky., died June 23 at Charkh district, Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with rocket fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Conn Barracks, Germany.