Military Deaths

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel killed in Iraq and Kuwait.

Ramon A. Acevedo Aponte, 51, of Watertown, N.Y.; sergeant first class, Army. Acevedo Aponte was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday in Rustamiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee. He was assigned to the 3rd Forward Support Battalion, Division Support Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

George T. Alexander Jr., 34, of Clanton, Ala.; staff sergeant, Army. Alexander died Oct. 22 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio of injuries sustained Oct. 17 in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Kenneth J. Butler, 19, of Rowan, N.C.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Butler died Oct. 21 from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations against enemy forces near Al Amariyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Thomas H. Byrd, 21, of Cochise, Ariz.; specialist, Army. Byrd was among five soldiers killed Oct. 15 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley Fighting Vehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Benny G. Cockerham III, 21, of Conover, N.C.; corporal, Marine Corps. Cockerham was one of two Marines killed Oct. 21 when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device while they were conducting combat operations against enemy forces near Al Amariyah, Iraq. Their vehicle was traveling beside a canal when the attack occurred, and the Marines were thrown from the vehicle into the water. Cockerham was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Jeffrey W. Corban, 30, of Elkhart, Ind.; specialist, Army. Corban was among five soldiers killed Oct. 15 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley Fighting Vehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Seamus M. Davey, 25, of Lewis, N.Y.; corporal, Marine Corps. Davey died Oct. 21 from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the vicinity of Haqlaniyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve’s 4th Force Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division in Reno. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Jacob D. Dones, 21, of Dimmitt, Texas; sergeant, Army. Dones died Oct. 20 in Hit, Iraq, when his forward operating base was attacked by enemy forces using indirect fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Irwin, Calif.

Robert F. Eckfield Jr., 23, of Cleveland; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Eckfield was one of two Marines killed Thursday in an indirect fire explosion in Saqlawiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Richard A. Hardy, 24, of Newcomerstown, Ohio; specialist, Army. Hardy was among five soldiers killed Oct. 15 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley Fighting Vehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Benjamin D. Hoeffner, 21, of Wheat Ridge, Colo.; corporal, Army Reserve. Hoeffner died Tuesday in Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, of a non-combat-related cause. He was assigned to the 324th Psychological Operations Company in Aurora, Colo.

Jared J. Kremm, 24, of Hauppauge, N.Y.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Kremm was one of two Marines killed Thursday in an indirect fire explosion in Saqlawiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Daniel R. Lightner Jr., 28, of Hollidaysburg, Pa.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Lightner died Thursday in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division in Washington, Pa.

Michael J. Mackinnon, 30, of Helena, Mont.; captain, Army. Mackinnon died Thursday in Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during convoy operations. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Dennis P. Merck, 38, of Evans, Ga.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Merck died Oct. 20 in Baghdad of a non-combat-related injury. He was assigned to the 878th Engineer Battalion in Augusta, Ga.

Christopher T. Monroe, 19, of Kendallville, Ind.; specialist, Army Reserve. Monroe died Tuesday in Basra, Iraq, when his five-ton truck and a civilian vehicle crashed. He was assigned to the 785th Military Police Battalion in Fraser, Mich.

Evan S. Parker, 25, of Arkansas, Kan.; sergeant, Army Reserve. Parker died Wednesday at Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained in Balad, Iraq, on Oct. 23, when his dismounted patrol was attacked by enemy forces who threw an explosive device from their moving vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery Regiment, 20th Brigade Combat Team in Honolulu.

Michael T. Robertson, 28, of Houston; sergeant, Army. Robertson died Tuesday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio of injuries sustained Oct. 17 in Samarra, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Jonathan R. Spears, 21, of Molino, Fla.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Spears was killed Oct. 23 by small-arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Twentynine Palms. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Vincent E. Summers, 38, of South Haven, Mich.; staff sergeant, Army. Summers was among five soldiers killed Oct. 15 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley Fighting Vehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Tyler B. Swisher, 35, of Cincinnati; captain, Marine Corps. Swisher was one of two Marines killed Oct. 21 when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device while they were conducting combat operations against enemy forces near Al Amariyah, Iraq. Their vehicle was traveling beside a canal when the attack occurred, and the Marines were thrown from the vehicle into the water. Swisher was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Christopher W. Thompson, 25, of North Wilkesboro, N.C.; petty officer third class, Navy. Thompson was killed in action Oct. 21 when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. He was assigned to Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 8th Regimental Combat Team, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Forces Atlantic at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Thomas A. Wallsmith, 38, of Carthage, Mo.; master sergeant, Army. Wallsmith was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday in Rustamiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee.

He was assigned to the 3rd Forward Support Battalion, Division Support Brigade,

3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Timothy D. Watkins, 24, of San Bernardino; specialist, Army. Watkins was among five soldiers killed Oct. 15 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley Fighting Vehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

James Witkowski, 32, of Surprise, Ariz.; sergeant, Army Reserve. Witkowski died Wednesday near Ashraf, Iraq, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during convoy operations. He was assigned to the 729th Transportation Company in Fresno.

Source: Department of Defense