In Memoriam

[Daisy and Delilah]

We seem to be losing more people than ever. Are we actually going to send more troops to Afghanistan? Please let this stop!!

I am beginning to wonder if this is ever going to end, for real. I don't hear any talk that indicates it's in the works. Bless these young people and their families. I can't say that enough.

[Grace]

Update post #228 -

It is with great regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Guardsman Jamie Janes, 20, of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, in Afghanistan on Monday 5 October 2009.


Guardsman Janes was killed as a result of an explosion that happened whilst on a foot patrol near to Nad e-Ali district centre in central Helmand province. He was mortally wounded by an improvised explosive device, which also wounded three of his colleagues. The explosion was followed up by an insurgent ambush which the patrol then had to fight off before evacuating the wounded soldiers.
Unfortunately Guardsman Janes died en route to hospital.

[Grace]

6 October 2009

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

Maj. Tad T. Hervas, 48, of Coon Rapids, Minn., died Oct. 6 at Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 34th Infantry Division, Rosemont, Minn.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

[Grace]

3 October 2009

The Department of Defense announced today the death of eight soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires. They were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Vernon W. Martin, 25 of Savannah, Ga.

Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos, 27, of Tucson, Ariz.

Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt, 24, of Applegate, Calif.

Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk, 30, of South Portland, Maine.

Sgt. Michael P. Scusa, 22, of Villas, N.J.

Spc. Christopher T. Griffin, 24, of Kincheloe, Mich.

Spc. Stephan L. Mace, 21, of Lovettsville, Va.

Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson, 22, of Reno, Nev.

5 of these men were mentioned in post #229.

[Grace]

4 October 2009

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

Spc. Kevin O. Hill, 23, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died Oct. 4 at Contingency Outpost Dehanna, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms and indirect fires. He was assigned to the 576th Mobility Augmentation Company, Fort Carson, Colo.

[Grace]

The conflict in Afghanistan started 8 years ago today, October 7th.


According to CNN, in Afghanistan alone, there have been 1,435 coalition deaths as of 6 October 2009 --

865 Americans,
11 Australians,
one Belgian,
219 Britons,
131 Canadians,
3 Czech,
25 Danes,
21 Dutch,
6 Estonians,
one Finn,
35 French,
30 Germans,
2 Hungarians,
20 Italians,
3 Latvian,
one Lithuanian,
4 Norwegians,
13 Poles,
2 Portuguese,
11 Romanians,
one South Korean,
25 Spaniards,
2 Swedes,
2 Turks
and one NATO/ISAF

[Grace]

In Iraq, according to CNN, there have been 4,668 coalition deaths since the beginning in May 2003 - as of 6 October 2009 -

4,351 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,
18 Ukrainians

The list also includes 13 U.S. Defense Department civilian employees.