In Memoriam

[Grace]

25 October 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation New Dawn.

Sgt. 1st Class David G. Robinson, 28, of Winthrop Harbor, Ill., died Oct. 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was assigned to the U.S. Army Support Activity, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Article and picture from the Chicago Tribune.

[Grace]

Today, in Kabul - at least 5 Americans and a Canadian killed in a suicide bombing.

3 Australians in another incident.

Details when they are posted.

[Grace]

26 October 2011

26-year-old US Army Sgt. John A. Lyons, from Seaside Park, New Jersey was killed in action in Ghazni province on 26th October 2011. He died during an exchange of fire with enemy forces.

Sgt. Lyons served with the 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade based at Fort Hood in Texas. He joined the Army in February 2009 as a combat engineer and deployed to Afghanistan in December 2010 on a one year mission.

His awards and decorations include the NATO Medal, three Army Achievement Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and Combat Action Badge.

Article from local paper.

[Grace]

27 October 2011

Japan-based US Marine Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Dunning was killed on 27th October while attempting to disarm a homemade bomb that had been buried by insurgents in Helmand province.

31-year-old SSgt Dunning, from Milpitas, California, served with the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, based in Okinawa. He had served in the military for almost 13 years. This was his second combat deployment to Afghanistan.

[Grace]

Silver Star awarded

US Army Spc. Jesse A. Snow, who was killed in action in Afghanistan last year on 14th November, has been posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

Spc. Snow's family received the award for "his courageous and selfless actions in saving the lives of three fellow brothers in arms and solely denying the enemy the ability to capture any American soldiers," the US Air Force said at the ceremony at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Article from local paper.

[Grace]

27 October 2011

Canadian Sgt. Janick Gilbert, 34, died in Nunavut, Canada on 27th October while attempting to rescue two men in trouble in a boat 25km east of Igloolik. Sgt. Gilbert was a Search and Rescue (SAR) technician with 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron.

Article with photo from CBC.

[Grace]

Canada

Canadian Army Master Corporal Byron Greff, from the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, was killed in Kabul on 29th October 2011 when the vehicle he was in was rammed by a suicide bomber driving a car packed with explosives.

M-Cpl. Greff was serving as a mentor and trainer advising Afghan National Army trainers who provide recruit training to Afghan soldiers. He is the first Canadian soldier to be killed since Canada ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in July, and launched its current operation to train Afghan troops.

He joined the Canadian Forces in 2001 and had been serving with the Third Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry since 2002. In his free time, he enjoyed hunting and hockey, and in typical paratrooper fashion, he was extremely fit. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan.