IEDs

April 21, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Lance O. Eakes, 25, of Apex, North Carolina, died April 18 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 1132nd Military Police Company, North Carolina Army National Guard, Rocky Mount, N.C.

   » read more »

April 18, 2008 -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin has ordered all national and state flags displayed at state facilities lowered to half-staff Sunday, April 20, and Saturday, April 26, in commemoration of the distinguished life and service of United States Army Staff Sergeant Jesse Adam Ault.

Staff Sgt. Ault was born in Wheeling, W.Va., grew up in Middlebourne, Tyler County, and was a 1998 graduate of Tyler Consolidated High School.

Staff Sgt. Ault, 28, died on Wednesday, April 9, in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries sustained during a convoy mission in Tunnis, Iraq.

He served two tours in Iraq during his nearly 10-year career in the military.    » read more »

4/17/2008 -- (HELENA) – Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer has ordered that the National flag and State flag be flown at half-staff beginning Friday morning, April 18th until sundown Saturday April 19th in honor of United States Navy Seaman Recruit Drew Murray who died while in service to his country on April 10th, 2008

Governor's Proclamation:

State of Montana
Governor’s Proclamation

I hereby order all flags flown in the State of Montana to be lowered on Friday morning, April 18th until sundown Saturday April 19th to honor the memory of U. S. Navy Seaman Recruit Drew Murray, who died while in service to his country on April 10th, 2008.

Dated this 17th day of April, 2008.

Brian Schweitzer, Governor

Source: Montana Governor

April 15, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Arturo Huerta-Cruz, 23, of Clearwater, Florida, died April 14 in Tuz, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 10th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

Source: DOD

April 15, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Joseph A. Richard III, 27, of Lafayette, Louisiana, died April 14 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), located at Fort Polk, La.

Source: DOD

April 15, 2008 -- SANTA FE – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson ordered flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Air Force Staff Sergeant Travis Griffin, 28, who lost his life while serving his country in Baghdad, on Thursday, April 3, 2008.

Staff Sergeant Griffin was a native of Dover, Delaware. He had served in the Air Force for 9 years. Griffin was on his 4th deployment to Iraq and was expected to return in 15 days.

Staff Sgt. Griffin was assigned to the 377th Security Forces Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. He had been stationed at Kirtland since 2004 and is the second airmen from the base killed in Iraq since the war began.    » read more »

April 14, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. William E. Allmon, 25, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, died April 12 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

Source: DoD

Honoring Illinois' Fallen

April 14, 2008 -- The Department of Central Management Services has received notice from Illinois Governor Blagojevich’s Office to fly the flags at State occupied buildings at half-staff on behalf of:

Army PFC Shane D. Penley
United States Army
Hometown: Sauk Village, Illinois

Please immediately lower the United States flags and the State flags at all buildings occupied by your agency’s personnel from:

Sunrise, Tuesday, April 15, 2008 until
Sunset, Thursday, April 17, 2008

Source: Illinois Governor

14 April 2008 -- Iraqi police say a bomb has exploded in central Baghdad, killing at least four people and wounding several others. Police say the blast Monday was caused by a roadside bomb.

In northern Iraq, U.S. forces say they found a mass grave containing up to 30 bodies. A news release Monday says the grave was found Sunday near the town of Muqdadiyah in restive Diyala province, north of Baghdad.

The statement says the bodies were badly decomposed and appeared to have been buried about eight months ago.

Last week, Iraqi authorities uncovered about 40 bodies from a mass grave south of Baghdad. The bodies were believed to have been buried for more than a year.

Source: VOA News

April 11, 2008 -- FRANKFORT, KY – Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half-staff in honor of a Fort Campbell soldier who died April 9 supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Specialist Jacob J. Fairbanks, 22, of Saint Paul, Minn., died in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of the funeral, for which arrangements are pending.    » read more »

April 11, 2008 -- (Des Moines) -- Iowa Governor Chet Culver ordered today that all flags in the state be flown at half staff on Monday, April 14, 2008, from 8 a.m. (CST) until sunset in honor of Maj. Stuart Wolfer, 36, who died on April 6, 2008 while serving in Iraq. Wolfer served in Des Moines from May 1994 through November 1996 with the Army Reserve's 19th Theatre Army Area Command of Fort Des Moines. Funeral services were held Friday, April 11.    » read more »

04/11/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today released the following statement regarding the death of Tech. Sgt. Anthony L. Capra, of Hanford, CA:

"California mourns the loss of Technical Sergeant Anthony Capra, a dedicated patriot who sacrificed his life for the cause of freedom. Flag at half staff: Photo by Steven2005 (CC)We are eternally grateful to Anthony for his valor, leadership and service to this country. On behalf of all Californians, Maria and I extend our deepest condolences to Anthony's family and friends during this difficult time."    » read more »

April 11, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Jesse A. Ault, 28, of Dublin, Virginia, died April 9 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered in Tunnis, Iraq, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 429th Brigade Support Battalion, Virginia Army National Guard, Roanoke, Va.

Source: DOD

April 10, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Shaun P. Tousha, 30, of Hull, Texas, died April 9 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Source: DOD

April 10, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Tech. Sgt Anthony L. Capra, 31, of Hanford, California, died April 9 near Golden Hills, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to Detachment 63, 688 Armament Systems Squadron, Indian Head City, Md.

Source: DOD