Posted on 06/14/2002 10:20:16 AM PDT by joan
KFOR unveils memorial to those who died serving as Kosovo peacekeepers
By Gregory Piatt, Kosovo bureau
European edition, Friday, June 14, 2002
Kosovo Force soldiers inaugurated a memorial in the capital, Pristina, this week for colleagues who died while serving in the peacekeeping mission since it began three years ago.
KFORs commander, French Lt. Gen. Marcel Valentin, soldiers from the contingents serving in the force and others attended the ceremony Tuesday at the NATO-led missions headquarters in the capital.
The memorial honors the 86 military personnel who have lost their lives since KFOR entered the province June 12, 1999. Most of the KFOR personnel died in accidents.
Currently, about 38,000 peacekeepers serve in KFOR, which includes 4,800 U.S. servicemembers.
Following are the 13 U.S. servicemembers who died while serving in KFOR:
¶ Army Spc. Anthony Gilman, July 4, 1999.
¶ Army Spc. Sherwood Brim, July 18, 1999.
¶ Army Sgt. William Wright, July 18, 1999.
¶ Army Spc. Igor Katz, July 28, 1999.
¶ Army Pfc. Benjamin McGill, Aug 1, 1999.
¶ Army Sgt. Jason Pringle, Oct. 1, 1999.
¶ Army Spc. Michael Robbins, Oct 21, 1999.
¶ rmy Staff Sgt. Joseph Suponcic, Dec. 15, 1999.
¶ Army Pfc. Donald Heatherly, Nov. 18, 2000.
¶ Army Spc. James Sakofski, Jun, 1, 2001.
¶ Army Spc. Jason Webber, Nov. 12, 2001.
¶ Army Pfc. Gary S. Kalinofski, March 4, 2001.
¶ Air Force Master Sgt. Thomas Palmer, May 29, 2002.
I don't know if 86 is a typo or the correct number because when I read about the memorial from another source - Central Europe Online - the other day, I thought it said 68.
The number may actually be 86 by now........the FR tally hasn't been updated for a while.
Can anyone make the case that it was worth those 13 soldier's lives to have protected the KLA ? Clinton got us into this mess , but GWB will get us out !
Also, the Stars and Stripes omits GM2C Burkhart, 11/24/00.
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