DOD announces casualties
A Multinational Corps Iraq soldier was
killed while conducting a patrol yesterday south of Balad, U.S. military
officials in Iraq reported.
The soldier was part of a team conducting counter-makeshift bomb
operations when the patrol was attacked by small-arms fire and
rocket-propelled grenades.
The name of the soldier is being withheld pending notification of next
of kin.
Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the names a soldier, sailor
and three Marines who died in Iraq or Afghanistan:
- Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Lee Hamilton Deal, 23, of West Monroe,
La., died May 17 as a result of enemy action in Anbar province. He was
operationally assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, 1st Marine
Expeditionary Force (Forward), and permanently assigned to 2nd Marine Division,
Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
- Army Staff Sgt. Christian Longsworth, 26, of Newark, N.J., died May
19 in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when his
convoy came under enemy small-arms fire. Longsworth was assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
- Marine Sgt. David R. Christoff, 25, of Rossford, Ohio, and Marine
Lance Cpl. William J. Leusink, 21, of Maurice, Iowa, died May 22 from
wounds suffered while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in
Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine
Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine
Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
- Marine Lance Cpl. Benito A. Ramirez, 21, of Edinburg, Texas, died May
21 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar
province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st
Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif
