In Memoriam

[Grace]

From TIME magazine -

On Saturday Nov. 27, the United States and its allies will reach a grim milestone: they will have been in Afghanistan a day longer than the Soviet Union had been when it completed its 1989 withdrawal. What's more, the U.S. announced during last weekend's NATO summit that it intends to spend at least four more years, and possibly longer, in the Hindu Kush. Even then, many Afghans — perhaps even the president installed by the U.S. invasion — appear to doubt that the Americans will succeed where their erstwhile Cold War nemesis failed.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...#ixzz16LbcX6uu

[Bonny]

A U.S. soldier that was interviewed over there said in the short term the war will not seem to gain much but in the long term of things it should? It is a thought to ponder.

[Grace]

24 November 2010

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

Lance Cpl. Ardenjoseph A. Buenagua, 19, of San Jose, Calif., died Nov. 24 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

[Grace]

Canada

Nov 26, 2010
Death of Canadian Forces Member Recognized as Afghanistan Casualty


OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 26, 2010) - Following a review of the Canadian Forces' casualty policy, the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Walt Natynczyk, today announced his decision to add the name of Captain Francis (Frank) Cecil Paul to the official list of Canadian Forces (CF) casualties sustained in support of the mission in Afghanistan. Capt Paul died in Canada last February while on leave from Kandahar.

"Although his death came suddenly while on leave from his deployment in Afghanistan, he was still on duty and considered part of the mission, and therefore his death is no less important than any other CF member who served and died while in Afghanistan," said Gen Natynczyk. "It is important that his name be added to the list of fallen."

Following his death, Capt Paul was awarded the sacrifice medal and his name was added to the seventh book of remembrance. His family was also presented with the Memorial Cross.

Following today's announcement, Capt Paul's photo has been placed on the CF's Fallen Canadians web site and a minute of silence will be observed throughout Department of National Defence and CF facilities in the National Capital Region on Monday, November 29.

Capt Paul died of natural causes in Canada while on leave from deployment on 10 February 2010. He was a member of 28 Field Ambulance in Ottawa. While deployed in operations, he was the adjutant for the health services support unit of Joint Task Force Afghanistan. The number of fallen is now established at 153.

[Grace]

25 November 2010

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

1st Lt. William J. Donnelly IV, 27, of Picayune, Miss., died Nov. 25 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

[Grace]

27 November 2010

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

Pvt. Devon J. Harris, 24, of Mesquite, Tex., died Nov. 27 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with a rocket-propelled grenade. He was assigned to the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, at Ft. Polk, La.

[cassiesmom]

I heard this story on the news this morning. It makes me really mad that the businessman wanted to sell the items instead of returning them to the family.

Businessman to turn over slain Marine's belongings
NORTHWEST INDIANA | 'I want them to go to the right place'

December 1, 2010

BY JON SEIDEL Post-Tribune
A Northwest Indiana businessman said he plans to return the personal items of a fallen soldier to her family.

Hobart resident Mark Perko said he wants to return the items today to the family of the late Marine Sgt. Jeannette Winter -- the first U.S. servicewoman killed in Afghanistan.

"I just want them to go to the right place," Perko said. "I will take a loss on the items."

Perko, who says he has been pressured over the belongings, had planned to cash in on the items. Perko purchased the former property of Winters from a delinquent storage unit at least four years ago. As part of an attempt to resolve the matter, Perko attempted to call her brother Matthew Winters Jr. but he was visiting the woman's grave at Calumet Park Cemetery in Merrillville.

"I don't know what the guy wants," Winters said earlier in the day.

Because of pressure over Perko's original plan to profit off of the soldier's collections, the businessman also had said he didn't feel safe returning to his furniture outlet store in Lake Station after the story broke.

At stake was a collection of Sgt. Winters' former property, including her funeral flag, dog tags, military records and medals, personal photographs and letters from dignitaries. The Winters family said they put it in a storage unit for safekeeping after someone broke into a family home during her funeral in 2002.

But her father became ill years later and missed payments. Its contents were purchased by Perko, who said he makes several purchases from storage units each year.

Sgt. Winters, of Gary, was killed in the war in Afghanistan when a tanker plane hit a mountain in Pakistan in January 2002.

A Chicago radio station even offered on the air on Tuesday to reimburse Perko for the contents of the storage unit if he could say how much he paid. He said it cost between $1,000 and $5,000.

"You can't put me on the spot like this," Perko had said. "I have no idea."