In Memoriam

[Grace]

July 16, 2009

From the Canadian Department of Defence -

OTTAWA – Our fallen soldier, Private Sébastien Courcy from 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment based in Quebec City, Quebec, returns home to Canada Sunday.

Where: 8 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.
When: Sunday, July 19, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

What: At the request of the family, media will be permitted on the tarmac.

Present to pay their respects will be the Minister of National Defence, The Honourable Peter MacKay, Chief of Defence Staff, General Walt Natynczyk and other dignitaries.

Pte Courcy died while conducting operations in the Panjwayi District. The incident occurred approximately 17 kilometres south-west from Kandahar City at around 6:00 a.m., Kandahar time, on July 16, 2009.

Pte Courcy was serving as a member of the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment Battle Group.

[Grace]

July 16, 2009

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died July16 in Basra of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using indirect fire.

Killed were:

Spc. Daniel P. Drevnick, 22, of Woodbury, Minn.;

Spc. James D. Wertish, 20, of Olivia, Minn.; and

Spc. Carlos E. Wilcox IV, 27, of Cottage Grove, Minn.

All three soldiers were assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard, Stillwater, Minn.

[Grace]

July 17, 2009

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died July 17 in a F-15E crash near Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.

Killed were:

Capt. Thomas J. Gramith, 27, of Eagan, Minn. He was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

Capt. Mark R. McDowell, 26, of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

[Grace]

This one is not In Memoriam - but keep him in your prayers.

The Department of Defense announced today the identity of a soldier listed as Missing-Captured on July 3 while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl, 23, of Ketchum, Idaho, was declared Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN) on July 1 and his status was changed to "Missing-Captured” on July 3.

Pfc. Bergdahl is a member of 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.