In Memoriam

[Grace]

23 January 2010

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

Petty Officer 2nd Class Xin Qi, 25, of Cordova, Tenn., died Jan. 23, while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. Qi was assigned to Fourth Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Marine Expeditionary Brigade – Afghanistan.

[Grace]

UNITED KINGDOM

24 January 2010

It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Lance Corporal Daniel Cooper, 21, from 3rd Battalion The Rifles.

He was leading a resupply patrol, near Sangin, in Helmand province, when an improvised explosive device detonated critically injuring him. He later died of his wounds.

[Grace]

Afghanistan

There have been 1,587 coalition deaths --
961 Americans,
11 Australians,
one Belgian,
250 Britons,
139 Canadians,
3 Czech,
29 Danes,
21 Dutch,
7 Estonians,
one Finn,
39 French,
31 Germans,
2 Hungarians,
22 Italians,
3 Latvian,
one Lithuanian,
4 Norwegians,
16 Poles,
2 Portuguese,
11 Romanians,
one South Korean,
27 Spaniards,
2 Swedes,
2 Turks
and one NATO/ISAF-- in the war on terror as of January 24, 2010, according to a CNN count.

At least 4,829 U.S. personnel have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon. In addition to the military deaths, one Jordanian and 11 U.S. intelligence operatives have died in Afghanistan.

[Grace]

Iraq

There have been 4,694 coalition deaths --
4,377 Americans,
2 Australians,
one Azerbaijani,
179 Britons,
13 Bulgarians,
one Czech,
7 Danes,
2 Dutch
2 Estonians,
one Fijian,
5 Georgians,
one Hungarian,
33 Italians,
one Kazakh,
3 Latvians,
22 Poles,
3 Romanians,
5 Salvadoran,
four Slovaks,
one South Korean,
11 Spaniards,
2 Thai and
18 Ukrainians -- in the Iraq war as of January 24, 2010, according to a CNN count.

The list also includes 13 U.S. Defense Department civilian employees. At least 31,633 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon.

[Grace]

Vermont assumes a heavy burden in Iraq war

By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer

BENNINGTON, Vt. – Vermont, a bastion of ex-hippies and Ben & Jerry liberals, has another distinction seemingly at odds with its peace-loving, tie-dyed politics: It has suffered more deaths per capita in the Iraq war than any other state.

Beginning with Chief Warrant Officer 4th Class Erik Halvorsen on April 2, 2003, a total of 22 Vermont men have perished in roadside bombings, firefights, sniper attacks and helicopter crashes during the six-year-long war.

"The losses we've had in Vermont have touched most of the state because we're so close-knit," said Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, commander of the Vermont National Guard. "Almost everyone knows someone — or they know someone who knows someone — who's been affected by our losses."

The casualties give Vermont, pop. 621,000, a rate of 3.54 deaths per 100,000 people.

The high rate speaks more to Vermont's small size than it does to the actual number of deaths. With such a small population, it doesn't take a large number of deaths to produce a high per-capita rate. Vermont is followed on the list by Montana (2.87), Wyoming (2.57), Nebraska (2.50), and South Dakota (2.46).



The state has lost only one soldier in Afghanistan, ranking 45th in per-capita losses for that war.

link to entire article

[Grace]

23 January 2010

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

Lance Cpl. Jeremy M. Kane, 22, of Towson, Md., died Jan. 23 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

[Grace]

24 January 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of three Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

The following 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.

Angus and Smith were assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Poole was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.