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The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Oct. 23 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

Spc. Eric N. Lembke, 25, of Tampa, Fla.

Pfc. Kimble A. Han, 30, of Lehi, Utah.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/

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The Department of Defense announced today the death of four Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

The following Marines died Oct. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Cpl. Gregory M.W. Fleury, 23, of Anchorage, Alaska.

Capt. Eric A. Jones, 29, of Westchester, N.Y.

Capt. David S. Mitchell, 30, of Loveland, Ohio.

Capt. Kyle R. Van De Giesen, 29, of North Attleboro, Mass.

Fleury, Jones and Van De Giesen were assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Mitchell was assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Sgt. Eduviges G. Wolf, 24, of Hawthorne, Calif., died Oct. 25 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked her vehicle with a rocket propelled grenade. She was assigned to the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Pfc. Devin J. Michel, 19, of Stockton, Ill., died Oct. 24 in Zhari province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

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Maj. David L. Audo, 35, of Saint Joseph, Ill., died Oct. 27 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 22nd Military Police Battalion, 6th Military Police Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.

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Spc. Brandon K. Steffey, 23, of Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., died Oct. 25 in Laghman province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 178th Military Police Detachment, 89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

Lance Cpl. Cody R. Stanley, 21, of Rosanky, Texas, died Oct. 28 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Seven soldiers died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Luis M. Gonzalez, 27, of South Ozone Park, N.Y.

Sgt. Fernando Delarosa, 24, of Alamo, Texas.

Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29, of Terre Haute, Ind.

Sgt. Issac B. Jackson, 27, of Plattsburg, Mo.

Sgt. Patrick O. Williamson, 24, of Broussard, La.

Spc. Jared D. Stanker, 22, of Evergreen Park, Ill.

Pfc. Christopher I. Walz, 25, of Vancouver, Wash.

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Spc. Robert K. Charlton, 22, of Malden, Mo., died Oct. 27 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident Oct. 23 in Wardak, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

Seven soldiers died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

Killed were five soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.:

Chief Warrant Officer Michael P. Montgomery, 36, of Savannah, Ga.

Chief Warrant Officer Niall Lyons, 40, of Spokane, Wash.

Staff Sgt. Shawn H. McNabb, 24, of Terrell, Texas.

Sgt. Josue E. Hernandez Chavez, 23, of Reno, Nev.

Sgt. Nikolas A. Mueller, 26, of Little Chute, Wisc.

Also killed were two soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.:

Sgt. 1st Class David E. Metzger, 32, of San Diego.

Staff Sgt. Keith R. Bishop, 28, of Medford, N.Y

*

Spc. Joseph L. Gallegos, 39, of Questa, N.M., died Oct. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 720th Transportation Company, New Mexico Army National Guard, in Las Vegas, N.M.

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Pfc. Brian R. Bates, Jr., 20, of Gretna, La., died Oct. 27 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Frank R. Walker, 66, of Oklahoma City, Okla., died of non-combat related medical causes Oct 28 at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 72nd Civil Engineering Directorate, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.

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***

quote:

Spc. Brandon K. Steffey, 23, of Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., died Oct. 25 in Laghman province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 178th Military Police Detachment, 89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

Brandon's MWC Macy was also lost.

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Spc. Adrian L. Avila, 19, of Opelika, Ala., died Oct. 29 at Khabari Crossing, Kuwait, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related accident. He was assigned to the 1343rd Chemical Company, 151st Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Battalion, 115th Fires Brigade of the Alabama Army National Guard, in Fort Payne, Ala.

Pfc. Lukas C. Hopper, 20, of Merced, Calif., died Oct. 30, southeast of Karadah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Spc. Christopher M. Cooper, 28, of Oceanside, Calif., died Oct. 30 in Babil province, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Schweinfurt, Germany.

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We shall never forget...this now...more than ever...as Veterans Day approaches...

Prayers UP!

Sgt. Cesar B. Ruiz, 26, of San Antonio, Texas, died Oct. 31 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans.

quote:

Originally posted by strobelvets:
*************
We shall never forget...this now...more than ever...as Veterans Day approaches...

Prayers UP!

I don't pray, but I won't forget them, those who gave all so I wouldn't be forced to. I salute them all.

***

James Brinkman and Reginald Maisey. RVN 1968, USAF +++

Spc. Jonathon M. Sylvestre, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died Nov. 2 in Kut, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.

A tribute to the New Yorkers at 9/11

Navy To Commission Amphibious Transport Dock Ship New York

The Navy will commission the newest San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship New York, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in New York City.

The ship is named New York in honor of the state and the courage and heroism of New Yorkers during and after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. A unique characteristic of the ship is the use of 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center wreckage that was incorporated into the construction process. The steel was melted and formed to make the bow stem of the ship. Use of this steel symbolizes the spirit and resiliency of the people of New York. The ship's motto is "Strength forged through sacrifice. Never forget."

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver the ceremony’s principal address. Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, and Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, will also deliver remarks. Dotty England, wife of former secretary of the Navy and former Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, is serving as the ship’s sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will give the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

Designated as LPD 21, New York is the fifth amphibious transport dock ship in the San Antonio class. Four previous ships have been named New York. The first, a gondola that served in 1776; the second, a frigate that served 1800-1814; the third, an armored cruiser that served 1893-1938; and the fourth, a battleship that served 1914-1946.

As a critical element in future expeditionary strike groups, the ship will support the Marine Corps’ “mobility triad,” which consists of the landing craft air cushion (LCAC), the expeditionary fighting vehicle (EFV) and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (MV-22). The ship will provide improved warfighting capabilities including an advanced command-and-control suite, increased lift-capability in vehicle and cargo-carrying capacity and advanced ship-survivability features.

Cmdr. F. Curtis Jones, a native of Binghamton, N.Y., is the first commanding officer of the ship, leading a crew of approximately 360 officers and enlisted personnel and three Marines. The ship is capable of embarking a landing force of up to 800 Marines. Upon commissioning, New York will be homeported in Norfolk, Va., as a part of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

Built by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding - Avondale Operations in Louisiana, New York is 684 feet in length, has an overall beam of 105 feet, a navigational draft of 23 feet and displaces about 24,900 tons. Four turbo-charged diesel engines power the ship to sustained speeds of 24 knots.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/