In Memoriam

[katladyd]

Sadly, they are in other countries, also. Our governments, US and Canada, do not reveal where a good majority of the soldiers are fighting now. I have a friend whose husband is in the Canadian army and she told me where her husband and many of his fellow Canadians, Americans, and Europeans are seeing action. She told me by mistake and said I cannot tell anyone where they are, so I won't, but they sure as heck are NOT in Afghanistan or Iraq.

[Grace]

Poland

Polish Sergeant Zbigniew Biskup died in the Intensive Care Unit of a Polish military hospital in Ghazni on 22nd December 2011. His cause of death is being investigated by Polish doctors but it was not connected to combat operations.

35-year-old Sgt. Biskup had been in Afghanistan for over two months. This was his fourth foreign mission. Previously he had served in Iraq from July 2005 to March 2006 and January to August 2008. He had also served in Afghanistan from May to November 2010. He was a senior helicopter technician with the 7th Air-Assault Group.

He leaves behind his wife and a son.

[Grace]

Christmas Day

The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Joseph J. Altmann, 27, of Marshfield, Wis., died Dec. 25, in Kunar province Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

From his local TV station -

MARSHFIELD (AP) - The military says an Army medic from Marshfield has died in Afghanistan of injuries suffered in an insurgent attack.

The Defense Department said Tuesday that 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Joseph J. Altmann died on Christmas Day in Kunar province. The military says he was hurt when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire.

His mother told The Associated Press by telephone the family was preparing to fly to Dover, Del., for the arrival of her son's body. Janice Altmann says the family is "devastated."

She says Altmann had served two tours in Iraq and just re-enlisted for another four years. She says he got married in February. He had no children.

Altmann was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

[Grace]

Will it never end . . . . .


France

Two non-commissioned officers of the French Foreign Legion were killed on 29th December 2011 during a joint French-Afghan operation in Kapisa. The two NCOs were shot and killed by a rogue Afghan Army soldier.

One of the Legionnaires has been named as CWO Mohammed El Gharrafa with 19 years of military service experience. The other man has not yet been identified. Both served with 2e REG (Foreign Engineering Regiment).

French Foreign Legion Chief Warrant Officer Mohammed El Gharrafa, age 39, was one of two Legionnaires killed by an Afghan soldier on 29th December 2011 in Kapisa.

The two non-commissioned officers, serving with the 2nd Foreign Engineering Regiment (2e REG), belonged to a French Mountain Commando Group. The attack took place during a joint French-Afghan operation in the Alassa Bedraou valley. A rogue Afghan National Army soldier shot and killed the two French Legionnaires.

CWO Gharrafa joined the Foreign Legion in December 1992. After his initial training in the 4th Foreign Regiment, he joined the 1st Foreign Engineering Regiment. In 1996 he began a two-year deployment with the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment in French Guiana. In 1999, he volunteered to serve in the 2nd Foreign Engineering Regiment and was involved in the formation of a Mountain Commando Group. He was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer on 1 December 2011.

CWO Gharrafa had deployed on several overseas operations: Bosnia, Tajikistan, Guyana, Lebanon, Djibouti. He deployed to Afghanistan in September.

He leaves a wife and four children.

[Grace]

England

British Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Anthony Downing, aged 34, died on 23rd December 2011 after the vehicle he was in struck a roadside bomb during an operation south of Kabul.

Squadron Leader Downing had been seriously wounded in the blast and was flown back to the UK where sadly, he died of his wounds at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. His family were with him when he died.

Known as Ant, Squadron Leader Downing was, by trade, an Engineering Officer in the Royal Air Force. His unassuming and modest demeanour belied a hugely professional officer and an extremely determined individual. His generous nature and interest in Afghanistan and her people, led to his intimate involvement in the planning and subsequent conduct of outreach patrols.

Ant was professionally respected and hugely appreciated for his skills, and built a strong rapport with the Afghan soldiers and their British mentors; his loss is felt greatly among both. He leaves behind his parents, a brother, a girlfriend and a dedicated following of friends, with whom this great loss is shared.

Killed in the same incident was Royal Marines Captain Tom Jennings.

British Royal Marines Commando Captain Tom Jennings was killed on 22nd December 2011 when the vehicle he was travelling in struck an explosive device whilst on an operation to the south of Kabul.

Capt Jennings, aged 29, was a true leader, selfless in his professional approach serving those who were his responsibility. Dedicated and humble, he was an archetypal Royal Marine with a keen sense of humour even when faced with adversity. Whilst working with the Afghan forces that he partnered, he displayed empathy and a broad cultural understanding that ensured he was highly valued by the Afghans as well as his Royal Marine brothers.

He was devoted to his wife and their two young sons whose loss cannot be portrayed in words. The Royal Marines have lost a brother, they have lost their world.

Squadron Leader Anthony Downing, Royal Air Force, was also killed in the same incident.

[Grace]

27 December 2011

Three US soldiers serving with 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, based at Fort Hood, Texas, were killed in action on 27th December 2011 when a bomb exploded beside their patrol unit in Paktia.

The three were identified as:

Sergeant Noah M. Korte
Specialist Kurt W. Kern
Private 1st Class Justin M. Whitmire

US Army Private 1st Class Justin M. Whitmire, from South Carolina, was killed on 27th December 2011 when a bomb detonated while he was on combat operations in Paktia.

20-year-old Pfc. Whitmire was one of three soldiers serving with the Texas-based 89th Military Police Brigade killed in the incident.

He had been in Afghanistan for just 19 days, his family told local news reporters. His father, Donnie Whitmire, said: "Justin was a 20 year old who loved to fish and had big plans for when he returned to Simpsonville. He said when I get back I have money to buy a brand new boat and go fishing all the time."

Pfc. Whitmire graduated from Hillcrest High School last year where he was on the debate team. Family members say he had offers to go to Harvard University but decided to join the military instead.

US Army Specialist Kurt W. Kern, from Texas, was killed on 27th December 2011 when a bomb detonated while he was on combat operations in Paktia.

24-year-old Spc. Kern was one of three soldiers serving with the Texas-based 89th Military Police Brigade killed in the incident. He had been in Afghanistan for less than one month.

Spc. Kern, a McAllen Memorial graduate, joined the armed forces in September 2009 as a military police officer after studying at the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin.

Spc. Kern's older brother, Keith, told local news reporters that his brother was "proud to be a soldier and really loved his job. Ever since he was little, he wanted to be a soldier. He finally went for it and loved it." His family said later that Spc. Kern had been "so intent on serving his country, that when his original deployment was canceled, he volunteered to deploy with another unit."

US Army Sergeant Noah M. Korte, from California, was one of three soldiers serving with the Texas-based 89th Military Police Brigade killed on 27th December 2011, when a bomb detonated while he was on combat operations in Paktia.

29-year-old Sgt. Korte joined the Army in 2003 and deployed to Afghanistan earlier this month. He served three tours of duty in Iraq — from January to April 2004, March 2005 to February 2006 and September 2007 to December 2008. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.

His awards and decorations included four Army Commendation medals, two Good Conduct ribbons, the National Defense Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Medal

[Grace]

England

19-year-old British Army Private John King of 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, was killed in action on 30th December 2011 during an operation in Helmand province.

While on a foot patrol, his unit came under fire from enemy forces. During the firefight Private King was caught in the blast from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and was killed, despite the best efforts of medics at the scene. The incident occurred near the village of Llara Kalay, in the Nahr-e Saraj district.

Private King, from Darlington, joined the Army in 2009 and served with B(FAMARS) Company of 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment. He deployed to Afghanistan as part of Combined Force Nahr-e-Saraj (North), commanded by the Danish Battle Group, in October 2011.

After joining the Army Private King attended the Combat Infantryman’s Course at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, before joining 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment in May 2010, based in Oxford Barracks, Münster, Germany.

The family of Private King said: "John was a tremendous son, brother and boyfriend. He was a devoted grandson, a loving family member, and a proud soldier who died doing a job he adored. He will be sadly missed by all his family, friends, and loyal German Shepherd dog Rex."

Private King leaves behind his mother Karen, father Barry, brothers Ian and Stephen, and girlfriend Kelly. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and all that knew him.