In Memoriam

[Grace]

6 September 2009

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



Staff Sgt. Michael C. Murphrey, 25, of Snyder, Texas, died Sept. 6 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

[Grace]

6 September 2009

OTTAWA– Two Canadian soldiers were killed and five injured when an improvised explosive device detonated near their armoured vehicle in the vicinity of Dand District, approximately 14 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City at around 12:00 p.m., Kandahar time, on 6 September 2009.

Killed in action was Corporal Jean-François Drouin from 5e Régiment du génie de combat serving as a member of the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group based in Valcartier, Quebec.

Killed in action was Major Yannick Pépin also from 5e Régiment du génie de combat serving as a member of the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group based in Valcartier, Quebec.

[Grace]

8 September 2009

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1st Lt. Joseph D. Helton, 24, of Monroe Ga., died Sept. 8 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive devise. He was assigned to the 6th Security Forces Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

[Grace]

5 September 2009

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

Capt. Joshua S. Meadows, 30, of Bastrop, Texas, died Sept. 5 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

[Grace]

United Kingdom - one was saved, two were lost.

9 September 2009

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has issued a statement on an operation in Afghanistan to free hostage Stephen Farrell, a journalist of dual British/Irish nationality.

The Prime Minister said:

"Last night, Stephen Farrell, a journalist of dual British/Irish nationality, was freed from Taliban captivity in a British operation supported by the Afghan authorities and our NATO allies.

"He is now safe and well, receiving support from embassy staff and undergoing medical checks. Sadly, we were unable to rescue Stephen's Afghan interpreter, Sultan Munadi, and we send his family our condolences.

"It is with very deep sadness that I must also confirm that, while acting with the greatest of courage in this most dangerous mission, one member of the British Armed Forces lost his life.

"His family has been informed, and our immediate thoughts are with them. His bravery will not be forgotten.

"This operation was carried out after extensive planning and consideration. Those involved knew the high risks they were running. That they undertook it in such circumstances showed breathtaking heroism. I also want to thank the Afghan authorities and our NATO allies for their support.

"Hostage taking is never justified, and the UK does not make substantive concessions, including paying ransoms. But whenever British nationals are kidnapped, we and our allies will do everything in our power to free them.

"As we all know, and as last night once again demonstrated, our Armed Forces have the skill and courage to act. They are truly the finest among us, and all of us in Britain pay tribute to them, and to the families and communities who sustain them in their awesome responsibilities."

[Daisy and Delilah]

When will this all end?

[Grace]

8 September 2009

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

Petty Officer 3rd Class James R. Layton, 22, of Riverbank, Calif., died Sept. 8 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. He was assigned to an embedded training team with Combined Security Tranisiton Command in Afghanistan.

[Grace]

The United Kingdom soldier, mentioned in post #139, has been identified.

It is with deep sadness that the Ministry of Defence confirms that Corporal John Harrison from The Parachute Regiment was killed in Afghanistan in the early hours of Wednesday 9 September 2009.

Corporal Harrison, aged 29, was part of an operation to free hostages from Taliban captivity. Stephen Farrell, a journalist of dual British/Irish nationality, was freed in the operation, which was supported by the Afghan authorities and our NATO allies. Sadly, it was not possible to rescue Mr Farrell's Afghan interpreter, Sultan Munadi.

[Grace]

It's not just IEDs that are killing our troops. For some, it is by their own hand.

Army Releases August Suicide Data

The Army released suicide data for the month of August today. Among active duty soldiers, there were 11 potential suicides, all of which are pending determination of the manner of death. In July, the Army reported no confirmed suicides and eight potential suicides among active duty soldiers. However, since the release of the July report, an additional four potential suicides have been reported, each of which is pending determination of the manner of death. As a result, for the month of July, there were 12 potential suicides. Two of those have been confirmed as suicides and ten remain under investigation.

There were 110 reported active duty Army suicides from January 2009 through August 2009. Of those, 71 have been confirmed, and 39 are pending determination of manner of death. For the same period in 2008, there were 89 suicides among active duty soldiers.

During August 2009, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were six potential suicides. Among that same group, from January 2009 through August 2009, there were 20 confirmed suicides. Thirty-four potential suicides are currently under investigation to determine the manner of death. For the same period in 2008, there were 36 suicides among reserve soldiers who were not on active duty.

[Killearn Kitties]

Grace, I'm sorry to say that this is the first time I have opened this thread. Because it was started at the same time as a bunch of celebrity deaths, I kind of thought that that was what was going to be in it.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I really appreciate you paying tribute to our soldiers and others as well as your own.

I am so pleased, if amazed, to see mention of Henry Allingham and Harry Patch in this thread. I am pretty surprised that their deaths would be reported at all in the States.

Thank you.

[Grace]

Grace, I'm sorry to say that this is the first time I have opened this thread. Because it was started at the same time as a bunch of celebrity deaths, I kind of thought that that was what was going to be in it.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I really appreciate you paying tribute to our soldiers and others as well as your own.

I am so pleased, if amazed, to see mention of Henry Allingham and Harry Patch in this thread. I am pretty surprised that their deaths would be reported at all in the States.

Thank you.

Thank you for the kind words. Your soldiers were not mentioned specifically in this country - that I'm aware of. I check the Departments of Defense/Defence websites for the U.S.A., Canada and United Kingdom at least once a day. That's where I get all my information.

I feel it's only fair to mention your troops, as they've been with ours - from the beginning.