I see that in nearly a decade and a half the total is several thousand more than I'd thought (I repeat, compared to that single day). Each loss in combat, of course, matters to the family and friends, and to others who feel sympathy for them. I lost a family member in a war myself, and it has greatly affected my own life, but to put the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in the context of other wars (and taking into account population):
[The American Prospect, whether a reliable site or not, the numbers are probably close enough to give an approximation]