DoD Identifies 13 Casualties - June 3
By: United States Department of Defense
Published: Jun 3, 2006 at 08:45
The Department of Defense announced today the death of thirteen soldiers and marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Brock L. Bucklin, 28, of Grand Rapids, Mich., died May 31, in Balad, Iraq, of a non-combat related cause. Bucklin was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Sgt. Benjamin E. Mejia, 25, of Salem, Mass., died in Marez, Iraq, on May 31, of non-combat related causes. Mejia was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Cpl. Alexander J. Kolasa, 22, of White Lake, Mich., died in
Baghdad, Iraq, on May 31, of non-combat related causes. Kolasa was assigned to the 704th Main Support Battalion, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Spc. Bobby R. West, 23, of Beebe, Ark., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 30, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated during dismounted patrol operations. West was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Capt. James A. Funkhouser, 35, of Katy, Texas, died in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 29, of injuries sustained when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during reconnaissance patrol operations. Funkhouser was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Cpl. Richard A. Bennett, 25, of Girard, Kan. and
Capt. Nathanael J. Doring, 31, of Apple Valley, Minn. died May 30, following a non-hostile helicopter accident near Al Taqaddum, Iraq, on May 27. Both were assigned to Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron-169, Marine Aircraft Group-39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Spc. Jeremy M. Loveless, 25, of Estacada, Ore., died in Mosul, Iraq on May 29, when his Stryker came under enemy small arms fire during combat operations. Loveless was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Spc. J. Adan Garcia, 20, of Irving, Texas, died on May 27, when his convoy encountered small arms fire received while returning from an explosive ordinance mission. Garcia was assigned to the 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
Capt. Douglas A. Dicenzo, 30, of Plymouth, N.H. and
Spc. Robert E. Blair, 22, of Ocala, Fla. died in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 25, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.
Lance Cpl. Kevin A. Lucas, 20, of Greensboro, N.C., died May 26, while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Pfc. Caleb A. Lufkin, 24, of Knoxville, Ill., died on May 25, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., of injuries sustained on May 4, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his RG-31 Mine Protected Vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq. Lufkin was assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.