Casulaties in August 2004
Total Coalition Casualties -1103
the death of two soldiers supporting Operation
Iraqi Freedom. They died Aug. 1, in Samarra,
Iraq, when an improvised explosive device
exploded near their guard post. Both soldiers
were assigned to the Army’s 1st Squadron,
4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division,
Schweinfurt, Germany. Killed were:
Spc. Anthony J. Dixon, 20, of Lindenwold, N.
J.
Spc. Armando Hernandez, 22, of Hesperia,
Calif.
The incident is under investigation.
For further information related to this release,
contact Army Public Affairs at (703) 692-2000.
Sgt. Juan Calderon Jr., 26, of Weslaco,
Texas, died Aug. 2 due to enemy action in Al
Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expaditionary Force,
Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Sgt. Tommy L. Gray, 34, of Roswell, N.M.,
died Aug. 3 in Taji, Iraq, when he became
caught between two motor pool vehicles.
Gray was assigned to the Army’s 215th
Forward Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Capt. Gregory A Ratzlaff, 36, of Olympia,
Wash., died Aug. 3 due to a non-combat
related incident at Forward Operating Base
Duke, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine
Medium Helicopter Squadron 166, Marine
Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft
Wing, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San
Diego, Calif.
The Department of Defense announced the
death of two soldiers supporting Operation
Iraqi Freedom. Both were killed in Baghdad,
Iraq, when an improvised explosive device
detonated near the vehicle they were traveling in
while on patrol. Spc. Onwordi died on Aug. 2
and Pfc. Shondee died on Aug. 3 from injuries
sustained from the incident. Both were assigned
to the Army’s 2nd Battalion, 12th Armored
Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:
Spc. Justin B. Onwordi, 28, of Chandler, Ariz.
Pfc. Harry N. Shondee, Jr., 19, of Ganado,
Ariz.
Cpl. Dean P. Pratt, 22, of Stevensville, Mont.,
died Aug. 2 due to enemy action in Al Anbar
Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force,
Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Gunnery Sgt. Elia P. Fontecchio, 30, of
Milford, Mass., died Aug. 4 from injuries
received from enemy action in Al Anbar
Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I
Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air
Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Joseph L. Nice, 19, of Nicoma
Park, Okla., died Aug. 4 due to enemy action in
Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to
3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine
Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine
Palms, Calif.
Spc. Donald R. McCune, 20, of Yplsilanti,
Mich., died August 5, in Landstuhl,
Germany, of injuries sustained when an
improvised explosive device detonated near
his patrol on August 4 in Balad, Iraq. McCune
was assigned to the Army National Guard’s
1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, 81st
Brigade Combat Team, Moses Lake, Wash.
Sgt. Moses D. Rocha, 33, of Roswell, N.M.,
died August 5 due to injuries received from
enemy action in An Najaf, Iraq. He was
assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th
Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Larry L. Wells, 22, of Mount
Hermon, La., died August 6 due to enemy
action in An Najal Province, Iraq. He was
assigned to Unit Battalion Landing Team 1/4,
11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Spc. Joshua I. Bunch, 23, of Hattiesburg,
Miss., died Aug. 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, when
individuals using small arms fire and rocket-
propelled grenades attacked his vehicle.
Bunch was assigned to the 91st Engineer
Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas.
Pfc. Raymond J. Faulstich Jr., 24, of
Leonardtown, Md., died Aug. 5 in Najaf, Iraq,
when individuals using small arms fire and
rocket-propelled grenades attacked his
convoy. Faulstich was assigned to the 89th
Transportation Company, 6th
Transportation Battalion, 7th
Transportation Group, Fort Eustis, Va.
The Department of Defense announced the
death of two Marines who were supporting
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Yadir G. Reynoso, 27, of Wapato,
Wash., died Aug. 5 due to enemy action in An
Najaf Province, Iraq.
Cpl. Roberto Abad, 22, of Los Angeles, Calif.,
died Aug. 6 due to enemy action in An Najaf
Province, Iraq.
Both Marines were assigned to Battalion
Landing Team 1/4, 11th Marine
Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Jonathan W. Collins, 19, of
Crystal Lake, Ill., died Aug. 8 due to enemy
action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Capt. Andrew R. Houghton, 25, of Houston,
Texas, died on Aug. 9 at Walter Reed Army
Medical Center in Washington, D.C., of
injuries sustained on July 10 in Ad Dhuha,
Iraq, when a rocket propelled grenade
detonated near his vehicle. Houghton was
assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st
Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
The Department of Defense announced the
death of a Department of the Air Force civilian
who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Rick A. Ulbright, 49, of Waldorf, Md., was
assigned to the 33rd Field Investigative
Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
He died Aug. 8 at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, from
wounds received during a mortar attack.
Capt. Michael Yury Tarlavsky, 30, of
Passaic, N.J., died August 12 in Najaf, Iraq,
when his unit came under small arms fire and
grenade attack. Tarlavsky was assigned to 1st
Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, from
Fort Campbell, Ky.
Lance Cpl. Kane M. Funke, 20, of
Vancouver, Wash., died August 13 as result of
enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He
was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines,
1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air
Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms,
Calif.
Lance Cpl. Nicholas B. Morrison, 23, of
Carlisle, Penn., died August 13 due to hostile
action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine
Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
1st Lt. Neil Anthony Santoriello, 24, of
Verona, Penn., died August 13 in Khalidiyah,
Iraq, when an improvised explosive device
detonated near his mounted reconnaissance
patrol vehicle. Santoriello was assigned to 1st
Battalion, 34th Armor, 1st Brigade, 1st
Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Pfc. Brandon R. Sapp, 21, of Lake Worth,
Fla., died August 15 in Najaf, Iraq, when his
M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle hit an improvised
explosive device. Sapp was assigned to the
Army’s 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry
Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas.
Sgt. Daniel Michael Shepherd, 23, of Elyria,
Ohio, died August 15 in Ar Ramabi, Iraq,
when his M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle hit an
improvised explosive device. Shepherd was
assigned to the Army’s 1st Battalion, 16th
Infantry Regiment from Fort Riley, Kan.
The Department of Defense announced today the
death of two Marines who were supporting
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. John R. Howard, 26, of Covington, Va.
Lance Cpl. Tavon L. Hubbard, 24, of Reston, Va.
Both Marines died August 11 in a helicopter
crash in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
Howard was assigned to Marine Medium
Helicopter Squadron 166 (Reinforced), 11th
Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station
Miramar, Calif.
Hubbard was assigned to the Command Element,
11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp
Pendleton, Calif.
The incident is under investigation.
For further information related to Staff Sgt. Howard,
contact the MCAS Miramar Public Affairs Office at
(858) 577-6000. For further information related to
Lance Cpl. Hubbard, contact the Camp Pendleton
Public Affairs Office at (760) 725-5044.
2nd Lt. James Michael Goins, 23, of Bonner
Springs, Kan., died as a result of hostile fire on
August 15 in Najaf, Iraq.Goins was assigned to the
Army’s 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment,
1st Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, Texas.
Spc. Mark Anthony Zapata, 27, of Edinburg,
Texas, died August 15 in Najaf, Iraq as a result of
hostile fire. Zapata was assigned to the Army’s
2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st
Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, Texas.
The Department of Defense announced the death of
two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
Pfc. Fernando B. Hannon, 19, of Wildomar,
Calif., died Aug. 15 from injuries received from
enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
Pfc. Geoffrey Perez, 24, of Los Angeles, Calif.,
died Aug. 15 due to enemy action in Al Anbar
Province, Iraq.
They were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine
Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Sgt. David M. Heath, 30, of LaPorte, Ind., died
August 16 in Sadr City, Iraq, when his patrol
came under small arms and rocket-propelled
grenade attack. Heath was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 41st Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade,
1st Armored Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Spc. Brandon T. Titus, 20, of Boise, Idaho, died
Aug. 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised
explosive device detonated near his checkpoint.
Titus was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain
Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
Pfc. Henry C. Risner, 26, of Golden, Colo., died
Aug 18 in Baghdad, Iraq, when his checkpoint
came under enemy small arms fire. Pfc. Risner was
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry
Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain
Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
Spc. Jacob D. Martir, 21, of Norwich, Conn.,
died Aug 18 in Sadr City, Iraq, when his patrol
came under enemy small arms fire. Spc. Martir
was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry
Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood,
Texas
Lance Cpl. Caleb J. Powers, 21, of Manfield,
Wash., died Aug 17 due to enemy action in Al
Anbar Province, Iraq. Lance Cpl. Powers was
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment,
1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Dustin R. Fitzgerald, 22, of Huber
Heights, Ohio, died Aug 18, in a non-combat
related vehicle incident in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
Lance Cpl. Fitzgerald was assigned to Battalion
Landing Team 1/2, 24th Marine Expeditionary
Unit, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Sgt. Harvey E. Parkerson III, 27, Yuba City,
Calif., died Aug 18 due to enemy action in Al
Anbar Province, Iraq. Sgt. Parkerson was
assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th
Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations
Capable), Camp Pendleton, Calif.
For further information related to Lance Cpl. Powers
and Sgt. Parkerson, contact the Camp Pendleton
Public Affairs Office at (760) 725-5044. For further
information related to Lance Cpl. Fitzgerald, contact
the 2nd Marine Division Public Affairs officer at
(910) 451-9033.
Cpl. Brad P. McCormick, 23, of Overton, Tenn.,
died Aug. 19 from enemy action in Al Anbar
Province, Iraq. Cpl. McCormick was assigned to
the Marine Corps Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division,
Nashville, Tenn.
The Department of Defense announced the death of
two soldiers supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
They died Aug. 20 near Samarra, Iraq, when an
improvised explosive device exploded near their
vehicle. Both were assigned to the Army National
Guard’s 216th Engineer Battalion, Hamilton,
Ohio.
Killed were:
1st Lt. Charles L. Wilkins III, 38, of Columbus,
Ohio.
Pfc. Ryan A. Martin, 22, of Mount Vernon, Ohio.
Pfc. Kevin A. Cuming, 22, of North White Plains,
N.Y., died August 21 in Baghdad, Iraq, when his
patrol came under rocket-propelled grenade
attack. Cuming was assigned to the 1st Squadron,
7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas.
Cpl. Nicanor Alvarez, 22, of San Bernardino,
Calif., died Aug. 21 from injuries received from to
enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.
Alvarez was assigned to 1st Combat Engineer
Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Sgt. Jason Cook, 25, of Okanogan, Wash., died
Aug. 21 from injuries received due to enemy action
in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Cook was assigned to
1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion,
1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Seth Huston, 19, Perryton, Texas,
died Aug. 21 due to enemy action in Al Anbar
Province, Iraq. Huston was assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Pendleton, Calif.
Pfc. Nachez Washalanta, 21, of Bryan, Okla.,
died Aug. 21 from injuries received due to enemy
action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Washalanta
was assigned to 1st Light Armored
Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division,
I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton,
Calif.
Cpl. Christopher Belchik, 30, of Brighton, Ill.,
died Aug. 22, due to enemy action in Babil
Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion,
2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.
C.
2nd Lt. Matthew R. Stovall, 25, of Horn Lake,
Miss., died Aug. 22 in Mosul, Iraq, when an
improvised explosive device exploded near his
vehicle. Stovall was assigned to the Army National
Guard’s 367th Maintenance Company, 298th
Corps Support Battalion, Philadelphia, Miss.
Gunnery Sgt. Edward T. Reeder, 32, of Camp
Verde, Ariz., died Aug. 21 in a non-combat
related vehicle incident in Al Anbar Province,
Iraq. Reeder was assigned to Headquarters and
Service Battalion, 1st Force Service Support
Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Pendleton, Calif.
Sgt. Richard M. Lord, 24, of Jacksonville, Fla.,
died Aug. 18 from injuries received due to enemy
action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment,
2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Staff Sgt. Robert C. Thornton Jr., 35, of
Rainbow City, Ala., died Aug. 23 in Baghdad,
Iraq, when his patrol came under rocket-propelled
grenade attack. Thornton was assigned to the 1st
Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Staff Sgt. Donald N. Davis, 42, of Saginaw,
Mich., died August 24 in Fallujah, Iraq, when an
M915A tractor and an M106A2 tanker trailer
rolled over an embankment. Staff Sgt Davis was
assigned to the U.S. Army Reserve's 660th
Transportation Company, Zanesville, Ohio.
Lance Cpl. Jacob R. Lugo, 21, of Flower Mound,
Texas, died Aug. 24 as result of enemy action in
Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force,
Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center
Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Alexander S. Arredondo, 20, of
Randolph, Mass., died Aug. 25 as result of enemy
action in An Najaf, Iraq. He was assigned to
Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th Marine
Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations
Capable), I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine
Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Spc. Charles L. Neeley, 19, of Mattoon, Ill., died
Aug. 25 in Tikrit, Iraq, when his tractor-trailer
rolled over as he attempted to access a pontoon
bridge. Neeley was assigned to the Army Reserve’
s 454th Transportation Company, Columbus,
Ohio.
Spc. Marco D. Ross, 20, of Memphis, Tenn., died
Aug. 25 in Baghdad, Iraq, when enemy mortars
attacked his camp. Ross was assigned to the
Army's 115th Forward Support Battalion, 1st
Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Cpl. Barton R. Humlhanz, 23, of Hellertown,
Pa., died Aug. 26 from injuries received due to
enemy action in Babil Province, Iraq. He was
assigned to Marine Expeditionary Unit Service
Support Group 24, 24th MEU, Camp Lejeune, N.
C.
Pfc. Luis A. Perez, 19, of Theresa, N.Y., died
Aug. 27 in Fallujah, Iraq, when his convoy vehicle
hit an improvised explosive device. Perez was
assigned to the Army Reserve’s 223rd
Transportation Company, Norristown, Pa.
Spc. Omead H. Razani, 19, of Los Angeles, Calif.,
died Aug. 27 in Habbaniyah, Iraq, of non-combat
related injuries. Razani was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 2nd
Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Greaves,
Korea.
Staff Sgt. Aaron N. Holleyman, 26, of Glasgow,
Mont., died Aug 30 in Khutayiah, Iraq, when his
military vehicle hit an improvised explosive
device. Holleyman was assigned to the Army's 1st
Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort
Campbell, Ky.
Airman 1st Class Carl L. Anderson Jr., 21, of
Georgetown, S.C., died Aug. 29 as result of
enemy action near Mosul, Iraq. He was assigned
to the 3rd Logistics Readiness Squadron,
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.
The Department of Defense announced the death of
three Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi
Freedom.
Pfc. Nicholas M. Skinner, 20, of Davenport, Iowa,
died Aug. 26 from injuries received due to enemy
action in An Najaf, Iraq. Skinner was assigned to
Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th Marine
Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations
Capable), I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Pendleton, Calif.
Lance Cpl. Nickalous N. Aldrich, 21, of Austin,
Texas, died Aug. 27 from a non-hostile vehicle
accident in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Aldrich was
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment,
1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Sgt. Edgar E. Lopez, 27, of Los Angeles, Calif.,
died Aug. 28 due to enemy action in Babil
Province, Iraq. Lopez was assigned to 1st
Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine
Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
For further information related to Pfc. Skinner or
Lance Cpl. Aldrich, contact the Camp Pendleton
Public Affairs Office at (760) 725-5044. For further
information related to Sgt. Lopez, call the 2nd
Marine Division Public Affairs Officer at Camp
Lejeune, N.C. at (910) 451-9033.
