Military deaths

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel who were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq or who died at a military hospital of their injuries:

Dane R. Balcon, 19, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; private first class, Army. Balcon was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near them in Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

David A. Cooper Jr., 36, of State College, Pa.; sergeant first class, Army. Cooper died of noncombat-related injuries Wednesday in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Kevin A. Gilbertson, 24, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; sergeant, Army. Gilbertson died Aug. 31 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany of injuries suffered two days earlier when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire while on foot patrol in Ramadi, Iraq, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany.

Jason J. Hernandez, 21, of Streetsboro, Ohio; specialist, Army. Hernandez died Friday of injuries suffered a day earlier when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Mosul, Iraq, north of Baghdad. Another soldier was killed in the blast, and a third also died of his injuries Friday. Hernandez was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Bliss, Texas.

Thomas L. Hilbert, 20, of Venus, Texas; specialist, Army. Hilbert died Friday of injuries suffered a day earlier when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Mosul, Iraq, north of Baghdad. Another soldier was killed in the blast, and a third also died of his injuries Friday. Hilbert was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Bliss, Texas.

Rodney J. Johnson, 20, of Houston; specialist, Army. Johnson was killed Tuesday when his unit came under a grenade attack while on foot patrol in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

David J. Lane, 20, of Emporia, Kan.; specialist, Army. Lane was among three soldiers killed Tuesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near them in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Patrick D. Magnani, 38, of Martinez, Calif.; master sergeant, Air Force. Magnani died of noncombat-related injuries Tuesday near Bagram, Afghanistan, north of Kabul. He was assigned to the 31st Medical Support Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy.

Mykel F. Miller, 19, of Phoenix; private first class, Army National Guard. Miller was killed in combat Thursday in southern Afghanistan’s Zabol province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment in Phoenix.

Joel L. Murray, 26, of Kansas City, Kan.; sergeant, Army. Murray was among three soldiers killed Tuesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near them in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Keith A. Nurnberg, 26, of McHenry, Ill.; specialist, Army. Nurnberg was killed Wednesday when his vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Christopher G. Patton, 21, of Lawrenceville, Ga.; specialist, Army. Patton died of noncombat- related injuries Sept. 1 in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Justin T. Sanders, 22, of Watson, La.; private, Army. Sanders died of noncombat-related injuries Aug. 29 in Taji, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Randol S. Shelton, 22, of Schiller, Park, Ill.; private, Army. Shelton was among three soldiers killed Tuesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near them in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.

Travis M. Virgadamo, 19, of Las Vegas; specialist, Army. Virgadamo died of noncombat-related injuries Aug. 30 in Taji, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

William T. Warford III, 24, of Temple, Texas; corporal, Army. Warford was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near them in Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Delmar White, 37, of Wallins, Ky.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. White was killed Sept. 2 when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery in Carrollton, Ky.

Lee C. Wilson, 30, of Chapel Hill, N.C.; sergeant, Army. Wilson was killed Thursday when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Mosul, Iraq, north of Baghdad. Two other soldiers died a day later of injuries suffered in the blast. Wilson was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Bliss, Texas.

Sources: Department of Defense, Times staff reports and the Associated Press