In Memoriam

[Grace]

29 October 2011

32-year-old American citizen Jarod Keith Cravens, from Texas, was killed in Kabul on 29th October 2011 when a suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into a NATO armored bus in which he was traveling.

Jarod Keith Cravens had served eight years in the Marine Corps but returned to work as a contractor, his wife Stephanie said.

The couple has a 12-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter.

Cravens had most recently been in North Texas just a few weeks ago on leave, where he was able to attend Game 4 of the World Series with family members, and the State Fair of Texas with his children.

[Grace]

Scotland
29 October 2011

Father-of-one David Quinn, from Airdrie in North Lanarkshire, was one of two Britons killed in the attack which claimed the lives of 17 people.

The Taliban suicide bomber targeted an armoured Nato vehicle as the convoy was passing the American University in Kabul, killing five coalition troops and eight civilian contractors.

Three Afghan civilians and one police officer also died in the attack. Eight other Afghans, including two children, were wounded, officials said.

Mr Quinn's family said they were "heartbroken" by his death and were too upset to speak about it.

The 34-year-old electrician was a keen flautist and his friends have paid tribute to him on a music website.

Whistling Willie, a contributor to Chiff & Fipple, an internet forum dedicated to flute and whistle playing, said: "David was a friend of mine, who was a true gentleman and a friend to all who knew him.

"So sad that he leaves behind a young family. RIP Davy."

Another post left by Fourstep said: "David was one of the contractors killed in Afghanistan. A sad, sad loss not only to the flute band scene in the UK but a true gent who would help anyone out when they came asking."

Other users told how they contacted their local folk music radio stations to ask for a piece of flute music to be played in Mr Quinn's honour.

Mr Quinn and Stephen Brown, who also died, were employed by US engineering and construction company Fluor Corp.

A spokesman for the Texas-based company said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of our co-workers.

"Right now our focus is on helping them deal with the situation."

Fluor is contracted by the US army to provide coalition forces with non-combat support services ranging from security to base-camp construction, housing, transportation, fuel and meals.

The company is building, as well as managing the expansion of, eight base camps in southern Afghanistan, including one to accommodate 20,000 US military personnel.

The UK is scheduled to withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan in 2014.

[Grace]

3 November 2011 in Iraq

First Lt. Dustin Vincent, 25, of Mesquite, Texas, was killed Thursday by small arms fire while leaving his vehicle. Vincent was on patrol in the Kirkuk Province.

Vincent was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, currently deployed as an advise and assist force in support of Operation New Dawn.

Vincent joined the Army in June 2009 as an artillery officer. This was his first deployment. Vincent’s awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, the Global War on Terror-Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.

[Grace]

England

British Army Private Matthew Haseldin from 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (2 MERCIAN) was killed in action in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand province 3rd November 2011. His patrol was attacked by enemy forces and Pvt. Haseldin was hit by small arms fire.

21-year-old Pvt. Haseldin, from Yorkshire, had only been in the Army since February this year and completed his training in August. He deployed to Afghanistan in September.

Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) Martyn Chatterley, Regimental Sergeant Major, 2 MERCIAN and Coalition Force Burma, said: "Private Matthew Haseldin was only 21 years old, still young, enthusiastic and eager to further his career. He was proud and enthusiastic with his fellow soldiers and his mates. For the short time I knew Matthew he made an instant impression. He will be sorely missed but we should be proud to have known him and to have fought alongside him. My most sincere condolences and thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. He will be sorely missed by all in 2 MERCIAN but never forgotten. Stand FIRM, Strike Hard."

Matthew's parents Alan and Jill said: "Matthew was a loving son and we are very proud of him. He had only been in the Army for a few months. Friends and family will miss him greatly. Rest in Peace."

[Grace]

Spain

35-year-old Spanish Army Staff Sgt. Joaquin Moya Espejo was killed in action on Sunday 6th November 2011 when insurgents attacked a group of Afghan troops being accompanied by Spanish military advisers near Ludina, Badghis province.

The attack occurred northwest of Ludina, where Afghan troops, Spanish military advisers and a sniper team had taken up position on a hill to protect troops moving through a valley. The soldiers came under small arms fire from a distant position and Staff Sgt. Moya Espejo, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, was hit in the chest.

He was airlifted to a military field hospital at Bala Morghab, but he went into cardio-respiratory arrest and was pronounced dead on arrival at the medical facility.

Staff Sgt. Moya Espejo served with Infantry Regiment Garellano 45 based in the Spanish city of Vitoria.

[Grace]

Vietnam

Soldiers Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Capt. Arnold E. Holm Jr. of Waterford, Conn.; Spc. Robin R. Yeakley of South Bend, Ind.; and Pfc. Wayne Bibbs of Chicago, will be buried as a group, in a single casket representing the entire crew, on Nov. 9, in Arlington National Cemetery. On June 11, 1972, Holm was the pilot of an OH-6A Cayuse helicopter flying a reconnaissance mission in Thua Thien-Hue Province, South Vietnam. Also on board were his observer, Yeakley, and his door gunner, Bibbs. The aircraft made a second pass over a ridge, where enemy bunkers had been sighted, exploded and crashed, exploding again upon impact. Crews of other U.S. aircraft, involved in the mission, reported receiving enemy ground fire as they overflew the crash site looking for survivors.

Between 1993 and 2008, joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), interviewed witnesses, investigated, surveyed and excavated possible crash sites several times. They recovered human remains, OH-6A helicopter wreckage and crew-related equipment—including two identification tags bearing Yeakley’s name.

Scientists from the JPAC used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence to identify the crew.

Today more than 1,600 American remain un-accounted for from the Vietnam War. More than 900 servicemen have been accounted for from that conflict, and returned to their families for burial with military honors since 1973. The U.S. government continues to work closely with the governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to recover all Americans lost in the Vietnam War.

[Grace]

5 November 2011

25-year-old US Marine Lance Cpl. Nickolas A. Daniels, from Elmwood Park, Illinois, was killed in action on 5th November 2011 while on combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

L-Cpl. Daniels served with the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, based at Twentynine Palms, California. His family told local news reporters that he had deployed to Afghanistan less than two months ago.

His sister, Kati, said that L-Cpl Daniels had joined the Marine Corps less than two years ago and was trained in bomb disposal.

"I just didn't believe it because he was only there for a month and a half and he just got an award for digging up a bomb, and then this happened. And I didn't want to believe it when (the Marines) came to our house," she told reporters.