Gar Smith / Environmentalists Against War – 2006-01-31 10:31:59
http://www.envirosagainstwar.org/edit/index.php?op=edit&itemid=3141
A Memorial to the 73 Soldiers Who Died on Duty while the Commander-in-Chief Was on Vacation
58 Soldiers Died in Iraq from August 4-31.
They were: *
• Specialist Jason E. Ames Mosul – Ninawa. Non-hostile – unspecified cause
• Captain Lowell T. Miller II Iskandariyah (near) – Babil. Hostile – hostile fire
• Sergeant Monta S. Ruth Samarra (SE of) – Salah ad-Din. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Major Gregory J. Fester Iskandariyah – Babil. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• 2nd Lieutenant Charles R. Rubado Tall Afar – Ninawa. Hostile – hostile fire – sniper
• Chief Warrant Officer Dennis P. Hay Tall Afar – Ninawa. Hostile – hostile fire
• Sergeant 1st Class Obediah J. Kolath Landstuhl Reg. Med. Ctr. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Specialist Joseph L. Martinez Tall Afar – Ninawa. Hostile – hostile fire
• Master Sergeant Ivica Jerak Husaybah – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Corporal Timothy M. Shea Husaybah – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Sergeant 1st Class Trevor J. Diesing Husaybah – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Master Sergeant Chris S. Chapin Ramadi (Tamin Distr.) – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – sniper
• 1st Lieutenant Carlos J. Diaz Ba’qubah – Diyala Hostile – hostile fire – suicide bomber
• Private 1st Class Ramon Romero Fallujah (near) – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Specialist Hatim S. Kathiria Baghdad (southern part) Hostile – hostile fire – rocket attack
• Staff Sergeant Victoir P. Lieurance Samarra (SW of) – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Sergeant Joseph Daniel Hunt Samarra (SW of) – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• 2nd Lieutenant James J. Cathey Al Karmah (near) [nr. Fallujah] – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Private 1st Class Elden D. Arcand Tall Afar (near) – Ninawa. Non-hostile – vehicle accident
• Staff Sergeant Brian Lee Morris Tall Afar (near) – Ninawa. Non-hostile – vehicle accident
• Specialist Joseph C. Nurre Ad Dwar (near Tikrit) – Salah ad-Din. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Sergeant Willard Todd Partridge Baghdad Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Private 1st Class Timothy J. Seamans Samarra – Salah ad-Din. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Specialist Ray M. Fuhrmann II Samarra – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Sergeant Nathan K. Bouchard Samarra – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Staff Sergeant Jeremy W. Doyle Samarra – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Specialist Michael J. Stokely Baghdad (southwest part) Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Specialist Jose L. Ruiz Mosul (central part) – Ninawa Hostile – hostile fire
• Sergeant Paul A. Saylor Al Mahmudiyah – Babil Non-hostile – vehicle accident (drowning)
• Specialist Joshua P. Dingler Al Mahmudiyah – Babil Non-hostile – vehicle accident (drowning)
• Sergeant Thomas J. Strickland Al Mahmudiyah – Babil Non-hostile – vehicle accident (drowning)
• Specialist Toccara R. Green Ar Rutbah (E of) [nr. Jordan border] – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Specialist Gary L. Reese Jr. Tuz Khurmatu [nr. Tikrit] – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire
• Sergeant Shannon D. Taylor Tuz Khurmatu [nr. Tikrit] – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire
• Staff Sergeant Asbury F. Hawn II Tuz Khurmatu [nr. Tikrit] – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire
• Specialist Brian K. Derks Baghdad (western part) Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Specialist Rusty W. Bell Taji (NW of Baghdad) Non-hostile – weapon discharge
• 1st Lieutenant David L. Giaimo Tikrit (near) – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Lance Corporal Evenor C. Herrera Ramadi – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Sergeant 1st Class Michael A. Benson Bethesda Naval Hosp., MD Hostile – hostile fire – car bomb
• Staff Sergeant Ryan S. Ostrom Camp Taqaddum (nr. Al Habbaniyah) – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire
• Sergeant Francis J. Straub Jr. Bayji (near) – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire
• Private 1st Class Nathaniel E. “Nate” Detample Bayji (near) – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire
• Specialist John Kulick Bayji (near) – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire
• Specialist Gennaro Pellegrini Jr. Bayji (near) – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire
• Specialist Miguel Carrasquillo Baghdad (central part) Hostile – hostile fire – suicide car bomb
• Private 1st Class Hernando Rios Baghdad Hostile – hostile fire
• Specialist Anthony N. Kalladeen Baghdad Hostile – hostile fire
• Staff Sergeant Ramon E. Gonzales Cordova Ramadi – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire
• Private 1st Class Seferino J. Reyna Taji (NW of Baghdad) Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Lance Corporal Chase Johnson Comley Amiriyah (S of Fallujah) – Anbar Hostile – hostile fire – suicide car bomb
• Sergeant Brahim J. Jeffcoat Samarra – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Specialist Kurt E. Krout Samarra – Salah ad-Din Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Sergeant 1st Class Brett Eugene Walden Al Kasik Military Base (near) – Ninawa Non-hostile – vehicle accident
• Gunnery Sergeant Terry W. Ball Jr. Bethesda Naval Hosp., MD Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
• Sergeant 1st Class Robert V. Derenda Al Kasik Military Base (near) – Ninawa Non-hostile – vehicle accident
• Private 1st Class Nils George Thompson Mosul – Ninawa Hostile – hostile fire – sniper
• Staff Sergeant Chad J. Simon Fitchburg, WI Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack
15 Died in Afghanistan
• Damion G. Campbell, (23) Army Staff Sergeant, 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Reg., 173rd Airborne Brigade. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack. Khayr Kot District [Paktika Prov.]. Baltimore, Maryland
• Christopher L. Palmer, (22) Army Private, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Reg., 173rd Airborne Brigade. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack. Deh Chopan (S of), Zabul Province. Sacramento, California
• Michael R. Lehmiller, (23) Army Sergeant. 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Reg., 173rd Airborne Brigade. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack. Deh Chopan (S of), Zabul Province. Anderson, South Carolina
• Joshua M. Hyland, (31) Army 1st Lieutenant. 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Reg., 173rd Airborne Brigade. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack. Deh Chopan (S of), Zabul Province. Missoula, Montana
• Blake W. Hall, (20) Army Specialist, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Reg., 173rd Airborne Brigade. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack. Deh Chopan (S of), Zabul Province. East Prairie, Missouri
• Phillip C. George,(22) Marine Lance Corporal, 2nd Bat., 3rd Marines, 3rd Mar. Div., III Mar. Exped. Force Hostile – hostile fire. Taleban (near) [Kunar Province]. Houston, Texas
• Robert G. Davis, (23) Army Sergeant, 864th Engineer Bat., 555th Maneuver Enhancement Brig. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack. Kandahar (N of). Jackson, Missouri
• Laura M. Walker, (24) Army 1st Lieutenant, 864th Engineer Bat., 555th Maneuver Enhancement Brig. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack, Kandahar (N of). Not reported yet. Texas
• Jeremy A. Chandler, (30) Army Captain, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. Non-hostile – explosives accident. FOB Ripley (at Tarin Kowt) [Oruzgan P.]. Clarksville, Tennessee
• Edward R. Heselton, (23) Army Reserve Sergeant. 391st Engineer Battalion, 415th Chemical Brigade. Hostile – hostile fire., Paktika Province (eastern part). Easley, South Carolina
• Christopher M. Katzenberger, (25) Army Specialist, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack. Bagram Air Base. St. Louis, Missouri
• Christopher M. Falkel, (22) Army Staff Sergeant, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. Hostile – hostile fire. Deh Chopan (SW of), Zabul Province Highlands Ranch Colorado
• John M. Henderson Jr., (21) Army Private, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Non-hostile – vehicle accident (drowning). Kunar River (NE of Jalalabad). Columbus, Georgia
• Damian J. Garza, (19) Army Private 1st Class, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Non-hostile – vehicle accident (drowning). Kunar River (NE of Jalalabad). Odessa, Texas
• Theodore Clark Jr., (31) Marine Gunnery Sergeant. 1st Combat Engr. Bat., 1st Marine Div., I Mar. Exped. Force. Hostile – hostile fire – IED attack. Orgun-E (near) [Paktika Province]. Emporia, Virginia
Wounded in Iraq: 593
• 3-Aug-9-Aug-05
63 (Wounded) 45 (Returned to Duty)
• 10-Aug- 16-Aug-05 45 99
45 (Wounded) 99 (Returned to Duty)
• 17-Aug- 23-Aug-05 11 88
11 (Wounded) 88 (Returned to Duty)
• 24-Aug- 30-Aug-05 38 107
38 (Wounded) 107 (Returned to Duty)
• 31-Aug- 07-Sep-05 5 92
5 (Wounded) 92 (Returned to Duty)
*
A Letter from a Soldier’s Family
EAW received the following letter on January 23, 2006:
To:
Subject: fallen soldier
My brother, Lcpl Phillip C. George, is on your list of fallen. I would appreciate you removing his name from your site. He knew what he signed up for and why he was fighting. If you have a problem with the war, debate the point on other facts, but leave my brother out of it. You cheapen his sacrifice and our loss when you use his name to further a cause he would not support.
— Aaron George
EAW’s Web editor responds:
Dear Aaron George,
Thank you for your note.
While I cannot alter the history of the war that claimed your brother’s life by making it appear that his sacrifice never happened, I can honor your request by posting your letter on our Web site.
My personal feeling is that it was the Commander-in-Chief’s decision to take a four-week vacation — while American soldiers were risking their lives in combat — that constituted “cheapening the sacrifice” of those who died. I’m sure that your brother wanted to see an honorable end to this conflict. So do we all.
I’m deeply sorry for your loss.
— Gar Smith
Environmentalists Against War
