Other Deaths

The Defense Department last week also identified the following American military personnel killed in Afghanistan, the Philippines and Iraq:

Moses E. Armstead, 44, of Rochester, N.Y.; sergeant first class, Army. Armstead died Oct. 6 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of a non-combat-related illness identified Oct. 5 as he was returning from leave and preparing to redeploy to Afghanistan. Armstead was assigned to the 16th Ordnance Battalion at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

Sergio H. Escobar, 18, of Pasadena; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Escobar died Oct. 9 of injuries from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Escobar’s unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Troy S. Ezernack, 39, of Lancaster, Pa.; staff sergeant, Army. Ezernack died Oct. 9 in Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained that day when his combat patrol was attacked by enemy forces using a grenade. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy.

Eric A. Fifer, 22, of Knoxville, Tenn.; sergeant, Army. Fifer died in Al Asad, Iraq, of injuries sustained in Haqlaniyah on Oct. 7, when his dismounted patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Benny S. Franklin, 19, of Hammond, La.; private first class, Army. Franklin died Oct. 7 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained that day in Helmand when he stepped on a land mine during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Donald D. Furman, 30, of Burton, S.C.; sergeant, Army. Furman was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday in Balad, Iraq, when their military vehicle collided with a civilian vehicle and overturned. He was assigned to the 24th Transportation Company, 541st Maintenance Battalion at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Nicholas J. Greer, 21, of Monroe, Mich.; private first class, Army. Greer died in Haqlaniyah, Iraq, of injuries sustained Oct. 7 when his dismounted patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

James T. Grijalva, 26, of Burbank, Ill.; specialist, Army National Guard. Grijalva died Wednesday in Baghdad, Iraq, of a non-combat-related injury. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment in Urbana, Ill.

Gary R. Harper Jr., 29, of Virden, Ill.; staff sergeant, Army. Harper died Oct. 9 in Baghdad when his reconnaissance mission was attacked by enemy forces. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Jeremy M. Hodge, 20, of Ridgeway, Ohio; specialist, Army National Guard. Hodge died Monday in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. He was assigned to the 612th Engineer Battalion in Tiffin, Ohio.

Kenneth E. Hunt Jr., 40, of Tucson; master sergeant, Marine Corps. Hunt died Wednesday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio from wounds received July 24 when the vehicle he was riding in struck an antitank mine while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Taqaddum, Iraq. Hunt was assigned to Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz.

Leon G. James II, 46, of Sackets Harbor, N.Y.; lieutenant colonel, Army. James died Monday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., of injuries sustained Sept. 26 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 314th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 78th Division at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Leon M. Johnson, 28, of Jacksonville, Fla.; sergeant, Army. Johnson was one of two soldiers killed Monday in Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley fighting vehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Matthew A. Kimmell, 30, of Paxton, Ind.; staff sergeant, Army. Kimmell died Tuesday in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group at Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Scott J. Mullen, 22, of Tucson; specialist, Army. Mullen died Friday in Makati City, Philippines, of injuries sustained there in a non-combat-related accident Thursday. Mullen was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group, U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Timothy J. Roark, 29, of Houston; staff sergeant, Army. Roark died Oct. 2 in Balad, Iraq, of a non-combat-related injury. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska.

Lorenzo Ponce Ruiz, 26, of El Paso; sergeant, Army. Ruiz was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday in Balad, Iraq, when their military vehicle collided with a civilian vehicle and overturned. He was assigned to the 24th Transportation Company, 541st Maintenance Battalion at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Brandon K. Sneed, 33, of Norman, Okla.; sergeant first class, Army. Sneed was one of two soldiers killed Monday in Ramadi when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley fighting vehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Robert W. Tucker, 20, of Hilham, Tenn.; specialist, Army National Guard. Tucker died Thursday in Dujayl, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Jamestown, Tenn.

Source: Department of Defense