Army soldier from S.F. killed in Afghan bombing


Monday, December 28, 2009

 A San Francisco soldier and father of three was killed Christmas Day in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when insurgents bombed his patrol, the Department of Defense announced Sunday.

Army Staff Sgt. David H. Gutierrez, 35, was deployed to Afghanistan in July with his brigade based at Fort Lewis, Wash.

"We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Staff Sgt. Gutierrez," said Fort Lewis spokesman Joe Kubistek.

Gutierrez earned numerous service medals and commendations, and he was a decorated player for his amateur football team, the South Sound Shockers, in Lacey, Wash.

In October, the Shockers honored Gutierrez with an award for teamwork and leadership. The 5-foot-10, 240-pound fullback was slated to receive the Black Lion Award at a ceremony in January.

"I wish I had an entire team of Guties," said his coach, Steve Matychowiak. "He never complains. ... He's always working hard. He does anything we ask him to do. Team before individual."

Gutierrez's wife and sons were frequently seen on the Shockers sidelines, according to the team Web site, and his wife served as the team photographer.

Gutierrez was born in San Jose, attended San Jose City College and married his wife, Patty Smith, in 1996. His first son, Andrew, was born in 1997.

After enlisting in the Army in 1998, Gutierrez was stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., until he was sent to Korea in 2000.

On Sept. 11, 2001 - the day of the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington - Gutierrez was flying back to the United States for an assignment at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. While there, he and his wife housed two Japanese orphans in their home, his family said.

In 2003, his second son, Jeremiah, was born. A month later, Gutierrez was deployed to Iraq, where he remained for one year. His third son, Gabriel, was born in 2005.

Concord soldier killed in Iraq

Posted: 01/29/2010 09:01:18 PM PST



A 24-year-old Concord soldier was killed Thursday in Iraq, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Friday evening.

Army Pfc. Scott G. Barnett, 24, died from combat injuries in Tallil, which is in southern Iraq.

Barnett was assigned to the 412th Aviation Support battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade.

According to his MySpace page, he attended Concord High School and Olympic Continuation High School. He enjoyed traveling, hunting and playing video games.

He is survived by his wife, Nikki.

LAPD officer killed in Afghanistan roadside bomb attack


March 25, 2010 |  4:20 pm


A member of the Los Angeles Police Department’s elite SWAT unit, who also served as a U.S. Marine, was killed Wednesday in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb, LAPD officials said.

Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Cottle, 45, was traveling with three other Marines in the Marja region of the country, which has been the focus of an intense U.S.-led offensive against Taliban forces in recent weeks, said LAPD Capt. John Incontro, who oversees SWAT operations.

Their armored vehicle struck an improvised explosive device, killing Cottle and another Marine and seriously wounding the two others, Incontro said. No other details of the incident were available. Cottle, who joined the LAPD in 1990 and won one of the coveted SWAT positions six years later, is the first active LAPD officer to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, police officials said.

A veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq, Cottle had deployed to Afghanistan in August last year and was scheduled to return home this summer.

A somber mood fell over the department’s Elysian Park training academy Wednesday afternoon, as members of the tightly knit SWAT unit were summoned to receive news of Cottle’s death from command staff. Officers recalled a friend who stood out even in the rarefied air of SWAT for the intensity he brought to the LAPD’s most demanding assignment and the care he showed for other officers who had turned him into one of the unit’s leaders.


Incontro remembered the night in 2008 when another SWAT officer, Randall Simmons, was killed during a prolonged standoff with a man who had killed several people and then barricaded himself in a house. After Simmons was shot and rushed to a hospital, Cottle went from one SWAT officer to the next, helping to calm them and keep them focused on the still-unfolding situation.

“He was a very, very special guy,” Incontro said. “He is going to be missed.”

Arnold Marine Killed In Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Gavin Brummund Died In Helmand Province

POSTED: 3:51 pm PDT June 11, 2010
UPDATED: 4:25 pm PDT June 11, 2010


SACRAMENTO, Calif. –– A Marine from Calaveras County died in Afghanistan on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Defense said.

Lance Cpl. Gavin R. Brummund died in combat operations in Helmand province. he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Brummund, of Arnold, was 22 years old. He graduated in 2006 from Bret Harte High School.

Marine corporal from San Jose dies in Afghanistan

Friday, June 25, 2010


(06-25) 13:24 PDT San Jose, Calif. (AP) ––


The aunt of a 23-year-old Marine corporal from San Jose who was killed in Afghanistan says the family worried about him and told him about the dangers of military service.

But she says Kevin Cueto would respond that if he was going to die, he "wanted to go out for his country and for his family."

The Defense Department says Cueto died Tuesday in the southwestern province of Helmand when a roadside bomb went off.

Cueto, a rifleman, was on his second combat deployment since he joined the Marines in 2005 after graduating from Westmont High School in Campbell. He served in Iraq in 2009.

Cueto was assigned to a unit based at Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County.

His aunt, Maria Cueto, says Kevin's father is in Delaware on Friday awaiting the arrival of his son's body.

Soldier from Monterey killed in Afghanistan

Friday, July 09, 2010

 
SAN FRANCISCO –– Military officials say a soldier from Monterey is one of three soldiers killed this week in an attack by insurgents in Afghanistan.


The Department of Defense says 26-year-old Army Spc. Roger Lee died Tuesday from wounds sustained when an improvised device exploded near his vehicle.

Also killed in the attack was 30-year-old Staff Sgt. Marc Arizmendez of Anaheim and 19-year-old Pfc. Michael ridham of Louisville, Ky.

The attack took place in Qalat, a provincial capital about 200 miles southwest of Kabul.

All three soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, out of Hohenfels, Germany.

Placer soldier's death in remote Afghan outpost is told in log pubished by WikiLeaks

Published Friday, Jul. 30, 2010


Scores of enemy soldiers were streaming toward the U.S. base on a bleak October morning in Afghanistan. Coalition troops, including Army Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt, 24, a former Placer High football star, were pinned down by enemy gunshots and rocket-propelled grenades. There was no sanctuary.

"Everyone at the police station is shooting at us," a soldier warned over the communications system.

The Battle of Kamdesh on Oct. 3, 2009, was one of the bloodiest and costliest of the war in Afghanistan. Eight U.S. troops, including Hardt, were killed as scores of enemy fighters nearly overran Combat Outpost Keating and Observation Post Fritsche.

Of the thousands of pages of war documents published over the weekend by WikiLeaks, few read as dramatically as the lengthy communications log from the battle where Hardt died. They tell the story of U.S. soldiers facing a relentless, coordinated ambush during an action that army investigators would later determine was facilitated by "inadequate measures taken by the chain of command."

The battle has been well documented, but the classified logs give a tick-tock summary of events from the perspective of the soldiers fighting it and the pilots rushing support to them. The logs paint a picture of chaos, frustration and, ultimately, loss.

For Hardt's wife, Olivia, they add another account to the many, sometimes-conflicting stories she has heard from the military and the media, and from letters she's received from her husband's fellow soldiers. She still struggles to piece together a narrative of what happened to her husband of two years at the Battle of Kamdesh.

"The battle was so controversial," Olivia Hardt said. "I can't tell you the amount of letters I have gotten."

Combat Outpost Keating was tucked deep in a crevice about 150 miles northeast of Kabul, the Afghan capital. Observation Post Fritsche provided watch for Keating. They were manned by Joshua Hardt's unit, roughly 60 soldiers who were part of B Troop in the 3rd Squadron of the 61st Calvary Regiment, and a contingent of Afghan soldiers and guards.

The Army planned to evacuate the outposts but had not done so by October 2009, according to a subsequent, official military inquiry. Intelligence had indicated that an attack on the base was imminent, but those warnings were discounted.

Early on Oct. 3, insurgents told the villagers of Kamdesh, located near Combat Outpost Keating, that they were about to attack, according to subsequent media reports. The villagers kept that information to themselves.

About three hours later, about 300 insurgent troops launched a coordinated assault on Keating and Fritsche. Recognizing they were outmanned, coalition troops immediately called for air support.

"We need it now," reads the classified electronic communication log from the battle, quoted verbatim. "We have mortars pinned down and fire coming from everywhere … Wee need something … We are taking heavy saf (small arms fire) and rpgs (rocket propelled grenades) … GET SOMETHING UP."

Air support, however, was far away. About 20 minutes into the battle, a soldier told communications that both outposts were surrounded. Ten minutes later, he reported that the enemy had the high ground. Shots were even coming from the police station near the base.

The soldier told communications that his comrades were about to detonate mines around the outpost because the enemy was close to breaking through its defenses.

"ENEMUY IN THE WIRE ENEMY IN THE WIRE!!!" came the call from the ground about 10 minutes later, according to the communications log.

Around this time, superiors warned Hardt that it was too dangerous to leave a building on the base and go out into the battle, his wife said survivors have told her.

"He just said, 'No, I have to get out there and help them,' " Olivia Hardt said.

Joshua Hardt gathered other troops into a vehicle and went out in search of casualties, resupplying soldiers along the way, she said. The vehicle was apparently hit by enemy fire, though, scattering Hardt and the other soldiers riding in it.

About an hour into the battle, air support arrived. According to the classified logs, it wasn't sufficient. "Keating is at their last fighting position they are getting over ran and need cas (air support) as much as possible."

Ninety minutes into the battle, the first casualty reports came in: two U.S. soldiers killed; one urgently wounded; six others with lesser wounds.

Coalition soldiers desperately tried to retake strategic buildings within the base. They made progress but, about four hours into the battle, reported they couldn't "push any further due to lack of manpower."

Six hours into the battle, coalition soldiers reported at least five U.S. soldiers were dead.

"Every move draws enemy fire," the classified log notes.

Air support was by then playing a huge role, but the outpost was decimated. "Only one building left that is not on fire," the logs read. "Have consolidated all casualties at that location."

Finally, after roughly nine hours of fighting, the assault ended. The tally: 23 U.S. soldiers and nine friendly Afghan soldiers wounded; eight U.S. soldiers and one friendly Afghan soldier killed. About 150 enemy troops were killed, the military later reported.

The Keating and Fritsche outposts were subsequently abandoned by American forces.

It's unclear precisely when Hardt died or his role in the battle because the classified logs do not name any soldiers. Olivia Hardt said she was told by military officials that her husband's body was not discovered until several hours after the battle ended.

Hardt was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for his actions that day, and the later, official report by military investigators said Hardt and his fellow soldiers had acted "with conspicuous gallantry, courage and bravery."

But the report had harsh words for command. It said the outpost had "no tactical or strategic value," was overdue to be closed and was poorly protected, even though it had been attacked almost 50 times in the preceding five months.

Olivia Hardt plans to travel to Colorado next week to meet with soldiers who fought with her husband – and others who lost loved ones at the Battle of Kamdesh.

She has mixed emotions about attending what may be one of the last military remembrances of her husband and his comrades.

"You want it to be over, but a big part of you, in another way, just doesn't want it to end," said Olivia Hardt. "You worry that you are going to forget."

Fiancee recalls Granite Bay Marine killed in Afghanistan












Published Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010


With her fiancé stationed in Afghanistan, 20-year-old Courtney Gold continued to write in her diary as if she were talking to him in person.

Gold said she planned to give him the entries once he returned home to Granite Bay.

The couple had been engaged for less than two months when she received an unexpected visit at school Wednesday from her fiancé's mother. Pfc. Victor Dew, a Marine and Gold's fiancé, had died that day after a roadside bomb exploded outside his military vehicle during a combat mission in the Helmand province of Afghanistan.

"They both fell to the floor screaming," said her mother, Amber Gold. "It was the most excruciating thing, watching your child hurt and to know that such a wonderful young man wasn't coming home."

Her daughter hasn't written a journal entry since Dew's death.

Dew, 20, an anti-tank assault specialist, was one of four Marines killed in the blast. It was his first combat deployment; he had been overseas only about three weeks.

Also killed in the explosion were Cpl. Justin J. Cain, 22, of Manitowoc, Wis.; Lance Cpl. Phillip D. Vinnedge, 19, of Saint Charles, Mo.; and Lance Cpl. Joseph E. Rodewald, 21, of Albany, Ore.

"He was the kind of guy that would give his last breath to you if you needed it," said Dew's fiancé, a student at Boston Reed College in Roseville.

On Friday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger offered his condolences to the victims' families, friends and fellow service members.

"These four Marines gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country and their service will forever be remembered and honored," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

Flags at the state Capitol were flown at half-staff.

Tim Healy, athletic director at Granite Bay High School, said Dew played football for two years and as a senior belonged to the campus Random Act of Kindness club.

"He had a great spirit, a really neat kid," said Healy. "He was a kid other students gravitated toward. His disposition was so pleasant."

Healy taught Dew in government and economics classes. It did not surprise him that Dew decided to join the service, because the young man had such a giving nature.

"He was one of those kids who cut across every clique," said Healy. "He fit in everywhere."

Dew's fiancé said they met through friends, and she was attracted to his smile and humor. They had known each other about six years before they started dating.

In August, after they'd dated nine months, he popped the question during a family trip to Disneyland. Posing for a photo in front of the amusement park, he asked Gold, "Are you ready for your magical experience? How would you like to make it more magical?" before he got down on one knee.

"From the first time he told me he loved me, I knew I wanted to marry him," said Gold, who on Friday was wearing her engagement ring on one hand and a bracelet that read "Young Love August 26, 2010" on the other. She wore his military dog tags around her neck.

After he was deployed to Afghanistan, Gold said, she sensed at times Dew was nervous about serving overseas, but she recalled he always wanted to be a Marine. He had a Marine flag hanging above the desk in his bedroom for years, she said. "He felt like it was his duty to serve his country."

After the Marine Corps, Dew wanted to become a nurse or emergency medical technician, Gold said.

Friday, Gold received a letter Dew had written before his death. The last paragraph read:

"I miss you, babe and I can't wait to hold you close. I can't wait to say 'I do.' There's so much to think about, a lot of emotion, however I'm calm and clear. I will be fine, baby girl."

On her closet door hangs a wedding dress Gold bought before Dew left for Afghanistan. She plans to take a photo of herself in the dress and place it in Dew's casket.

"He was meant to see me in that dress," she said. "He was the honest-to-God hero to me and my family."

San Jose bomb squad soldier killed disarming device in Afghanistan, leaves son and pregnant wife

By Lisa Fernandez [email protected]
Posted: 03/07/2011 10:39:38 AM PST
Updated: 03/07/2011 10:20:47 PM PST

Army Staff Sgt. Mark C. Wells used to play the bagpipes at the funerals of fellow comrades.

Now, someone will have to play at his.

Wells died Saturday in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, as the San Jose native was trying to disarm an improvised explosive device and stepped on a hidden bomb, according to his family.

"He was a fearless member of the bomb squad," his father, Burl Wells, said en route to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware with his wife, Sharon, to pick up the body of their 31-year-old son. "It was the most important thing to him. He always said, 'Dad, if anything ever happens to me, remember that I love doing this.' "

Wells leaves behind his wife, Danielle, who is eight months pregnant, and their 2-year-old son, Finnegan.

He left for Afghanistan in August, his family said, after serving a 14-month tour in Iraq. He had been assigned to the 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Wells joined the Army shortly after graduating from Leigh High School in San Jose.

"He was very patriotic," said Wells' aunt, Patti Stewart of Carson City, Nev. "He loved his country. He believed in serving. My father was that way too."

Stewart also credited her nephew with being a "good husband and a great father." Wells was also the youngest in the family, with three older sisters.

Wells loved Ireland, his father said. So on March 17, St. Patrick's Day, a service
celebrating his life will be held in Phoenix, where his wife has been living with her relatives.

Wells' family isn't worried about finding someone who will want to play the bagpipes.

"Oh," his father said, "there will be plenty of pipers there."

Alameda soldier reported killed in Afghanistan


By Peter Hegarty
Staff Writer
Posted: 03/11/2011 04:14:00 PM PST
Updated: 03/11/2011 04:14:00 PM PST


ALAMEDA –– An American soldier who died in Afghanistan on Thursday was from Alameda, the Department of Defense said.

Staff Sgt. Eric S. Trueblood was killed in Kandahar province when his unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device, according to a military statement.

The 27-year-old soldier was assigned to the 391st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, which operated out of Spinelli Barracks in Mannheim, Germany.

Other details about the attack were not disclosed.

Trueblood is believed to be the first service member from Alameda to die in Afghanistan since Army reservist Sgt. 1st Class Merideth Howard, 52, was killed when a bomb detonated near her vehicle in Kabul in September 2006. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Paul, 43, of Oregon died in the same attack.

In Iraq, two Alameda residents have died since Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March 2003, according to the military.

Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron Boyles, 24, was killed in Al Anbar Province in September 2004, and Army Cpl. Michael Manibog, 31, was killed in Taji in February 2008.

Honors for fallen Pleasanton soldier


SACRAMENTO –– Flags were ordered flown at half staff over the state capitol Friday in honor of Army Spc. Jameson Lindskog of Pleasanton.

Lindskog, a 23-year-old Army medic, was killed with two others March 29 in the eastern Konar province near Pakistan. His mother, Donna Walker, said he died while helping other soldiers who had been shot. A total of six soldiers died that day in a large offensive operation designed to disrupt a spring enemy buildup.

Lindskog, who was born in San Mateo, attended Pleasanton Middle School and Amador Valley High. A memorial service is scheduled for April 30, but other details have not been made available. Lindskog's family will receive a letter of condolence from Governor Jerry Brown.

Santa Rosa Man Killed During Shooting At Airport In Afghanistan
April 29, 2011 2:39 PM





SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — A Santa Rosa man was one of nine Americans killed in Afghanistan when an Afghan pilot opened fire near Kabul International Airport.

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports that 55-year-old James McLaughlin Jr. had been working as a civilian contractor when he and eight U.S. soldiers died in the shooting early Wednesday.

His wife Sandy McLaughlin says she was notified her husband had been killed but was not told of the circumstances.

The newspaper reports that McLaughlin began working as a contractor after he retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Army in 2007 after 25 years of military service. He had lived in Sonoma County since 1987.

Wednesday’s attack occurred during a meeting between American and Afghan officers in a military compound near the Kabul airport.

Modesto Soldier Dies In Afghanistan



WASHINGTON D.C. –– The Department of Defense announced Monday the death of a Modesto Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lt. Col. Benjamin Palmer, 43, died while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

The incident is currently under investigation.

Citrus Heights Airman Dies In Afghanistan

Airman Was Supporting Operation Enduring Freedom


WASHINGTON D.C. –– The Department of Defense announced Friday the death of a Citrus Heights airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Tech. Sgt. Kristoffer M. Solesbee, 32, died Thursday in the Shorabak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Staff Sgt. Joseph J. Hamski, 28, of Iowa, was also killed in the attack.

Solesbee was assigned to the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron in Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

Oroville soldier killed in Iraq, authorities announce



Published Tuesday, Jun. 28, 2011


The U.S. Department of Defense announced today the death of an Oroville soldier deployed in Iraq.

Army Staff Sgt. Russell J. Proctor, 25, of Oroville, was one of two soldiers killed Sunday in Diyala province, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device, a department news release states.

Also killed was Pfc. Dylan J. Johnson, 20, of Tulsa, Okla., the department reported.

They were assigned to the 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas.

Proctor entered active-duty service in June 2005 as a cavalry scout, a Fort Hood news release states.

He was serving his third tour in Iraq, having twice deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the release states.

He was deployed to Iraq under Operation New Dawn in May, the release states.

22-year-old Visalia soldier killed in Afghanistan



Published: Wednesday, Jun. 22, 2011 - 5:29 pm


VISALIA, Calif. –– A 22-year-old Tulare County soldier has died in Afghanistan.

The U.S. Department of Defense says Lance Cpl. Jared C. Verbeek of Visalia died Tuesday in Helmand province from injuries received during combat.

The department's announcement Wednesday offered no further details about the circumstances surrounding Verbeek's death.

Verbeek was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, based at California's Camp Pendleton.

Marine dies of wounds from Afghanistan combat



Published: Saturday, Jun. 25, 2011 - 12:00 am



A Marine from the Sacramento area has died in combat while fighting in Afghanistan.

Cpl. Gurpreet Singh, 21, of Antelope died Wednesday from wounds suffered in combat operations in Helmand province, the Department of Defense announced Friday.

Singh, an infantryman, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton.

The Marines said Singh enlisted Nov. 5, 2007. He served two combat deployments.

His service awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.

"The Marines and sailors of the 1st Marine Division mourn the loss of Cpl. Singh," stated a Camp Pendleton news release. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family."

Soldier from Daly City killed in Afghanistan while clearing roadside bombs












Posted: 08/02/2011 03:49:41 PM PDT
Updated: 08/02/2011 05:30:26 PM PDT


Army Sgt. William GrossPaniagua worked perhaps the most dangerous job a soldier can perform aside from actual combat –– he cleared roadside bombs.

On Sunday, the grim odds of that assignment caught up with him in the rugged, mountainous Kunar Province of northeastern Afghanistan. GrossPaniagua, 28, of Daly City died in the early morning hours when an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle.

"Sgt. Gross' job was very difficult and oftentimes nerve-racking, but the importance of it was immeasurable," Army spokesman Maj. David Eastburn said in an interview Tuesday from Afghanistan. "He made the roads safe for not only the U.S. military and Afghan security forces to travel but also the good people of Afghanistan. His dedication to his job and belief in the cause is something that will never be forgotten."

GrossPaniagua was part of "the route-clearance package" that removes IEDs from roads to allow humanitarian aid to pass through an area safely, Eastburn said.

The soldier was driving a mine-resistant, ambush-protected armored vehicle when the bomb exploded, Eastburn said. Two other soldiers were injured.

GrossPaniagua belonged to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team in the 25th Infantry Division based at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

At his Daly City home, a grieving sibling answered the door.

"We just want people to pray for the whole family," said a woman who identified herself as his


sister but declined to give her name. "He was a good guy everybody loved. He was a sweet guy."

Fort Knox soldier killed in Afghanistan




Posted: 07/08/2011 12:21:25 PM PDT
Updated: 07/08/2011 03:15:56 PM PDT


LOUISVILLE, Ky.—A Fort Knox soldier has been killed in an attack in Afghanistan.
The Department of Defense says 36-year-old Sgt. Nicanor Amper IV of San Jose, Calif., died Tuesday in Khowst of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket-propelled grenade.

Amper was a cavalry scout assigned to the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

Fort Knox says Amper began military service as a Marine in 1995 and transferred to the Army in 2005. He arrived at Fort Knox in January 2010.

Amper was on his first combat deployment.

California Soldier Dies from Rabies


9:07 AM PDT, September 5, 2011

FORT DRUM, New York



A soldier from Northern California has died after contracting rabies, however Military officials are not sure how he got the illness.

Specialist Kevin R. Shumaker, from Livermore, was most recently based at Fort Drum, New York. The 24-year-old died at a hospital last week from complications from rabies.

Shumaker joined the Army in 2009, and was stationed in Germany before serving as a cook with the 615th Military Police Company supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from May 2010 to May 2011.

Last month, he was stationed at Fort Drum.

The Military is still trying to figure out how Shumaker got rabies, however their investigation so far determined he did not contract the illness in New York State.

Mom wants to know why soldier-son died of rabies

Friday, September 16, 2011

(09-16) 14:26 PDT Castro Valley, Calif. (AP) ––

The California mother of a soldier who died from rabies wants the Army to explain why her son died of a preventable disease.

Spc. Kevin Shumaker, 24, was bitten on the hand by a stray dog while breaking up a dog fight at a remote Afghanistan base in January. Eight months later, the Livermore soldier died from rabies in a New York hospital near Fort Drum, making him the only person to die of the disease in the United States this year.

Shumaker told his parents he was treated for rabies at the base, but said the series of injections was not completed.

His mother, Elaine Taylor of Castro Valley, told the Contra Costa Times ( http://bit.ly/qmQl0F) that her son would be alive if he were given proper treatment. She questioned whether her son received any rabies injections.

"I would not be without my son if the proper treatment was given to Kevin," Taylor told this newspaper this week. "Rabies is 100 percent preventable with the right vaccine, but without that treatment, you die.

"If he would have died from an enemy attack, we would've been devastated, but we knew he was in harm's way when he was deployed."

U.S. Central Command was investigating how Shumaker contracted rabies and his "treatment in theater," said Jaime Cavazos, a spokesman for Army Medical Command.

"Additionally, we've undertaken a multi-phases approach to identify, notify, and, if necessary, treat soldiers who have or suspect they have been exposed to rabies," Cavazos said. "This is a sad and tragic event, and we too feel this loss deeply. We are fully committed to providing the highest quality medical care to all soldiers when and where it is needed via the best means possible."

Shumaker enlisted in the Army at 21 and had been deployed to Afghanistan since May 2010. He was bitten as he tried to stop a pair of strays that had attacked the base's two pet dogs, and told his mother the animal that bit him had tested negative for rabies.

He also said he thought he had gotten rabies shots, but received only three of the required vaccines because the remaining doses were expired. His first symptoms arose in August when he was on his way to a new assignment at Fort Drum.

He died 15 days after he was diagnosed.

"The incubation for this disease can be long and variable," said Tom Skinner, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It depends on the wound and the amount of virus secreted by the animal and the location of the wound. ... In developing countries, it's not uncommon at all to die of rabies."

2 soldiers from California killed in Afghanistan


The Associated Press
Published Friday, Sep. 09, 2011


SAN FRANCISCO –– Two soldiers from California have been killed in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense says Pfc. Douglas Jeffries Jr. and Specialist Koran Contreras died after an explosive device blew up near their unit in Kandahar on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Jeffries was from Springville, a small community in Tulare County.

The 21-year-old Contreras was from Lawndale, a city in Los Angeles County.

Both men were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, in Fort Drum, N.Y.

Soldier From Napa County Killed in Afghanistan


September 29, 2011 11:08 AM



FORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — Army officials say a Fort Riley soldier from Napa County has died of his wounds from an attack with a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

Fort Riley said Thursday that 21-year-old Spc. Garrett A. Fant of American Canyon in southern Napa County died Monday after his unit was attacked by enemy forces in Helmand province. Fant died of his wounds after he was taken to Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan.

Fant was a member of the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division. This was his first deployment. Fant joined the Army in March 2009 as an indirect fire infantryman.

Fant’s awards include the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, NATO Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star and the Army Service Ribbon.

To date, 181 soldiers assigned to Fort Riley have died in either Iraq or Afghanistan, including 139 soldiers assigned to the 1st Infantry Division

Rep. Hunter asks that combat awards be upgraded to Medal of Honor


October 4, 2011




Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine), who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine officer, has asked the new secretary of Defense to consider upgrading the medals given to several service personnel for combat bravery to Medals of Honor.

In a letter Tuesday to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Hunter said that it was a "common complaint that the current award submission process for the Medal of Honor is so onerous and intimidating" that commanders routinely recommend only a lesser award.

Among the cases that Hunter said should be reviewed is that of a Marine from San Diego killed in combat in Fallouja, Iraq, in November 2004.

Sgt. Rafael Peralta, 25, died from a grenade blast while Marines were storming houses where insurgents were barricaded.

Marines at the battle said Peralta was attempting to smother a grenade to protect his fellow Marines. Marine brass nominated him for the Medal of Honor.

But Panetta's predecessor, Robert Gates, decided instead to award Peralta the Navy Cross because of a medical dispute about whether Peralta's action was voluntary or whether he was already dead from a gunshot wound when the grenade exploded.

The Peralta family, grief stricken that the Medal of Honor recommendation was not approved, has declined to accept the Navy Cross.

"There is no amount of time or difficulty that should prevent us from ensuring we properly recognize the heroism and sacrifice of this generation's combat heroes," Hunter wrote.

Ione soldier dies in Qatar


Decorated officer part of Operation New Dawn


By Jordan Guinn
October 13, 2011
Record Staff Writer



Chief Warrant Officer James B. Wilke, 38, of Ione, died Monday from injuries sustained in a noncombat incident in Doha, Qatar, the Department of Defense said Wednesday. He was participating in Operation New Dawn, the mission to stabilize the Iraqi government.

Wilke was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command out of Fort Bliss, Texas.

The cause of his death is under investigation, and the Department of Defense would not comment on how long an investigation could take.

Wilke enlisted in the Army in June 1992 and arrived at Fort Bliss in January 2007, according to the Department of Defense. He was deployed to Qatar in January, but the Army did not disclose his role in Operation New Dawn.

During his time in the service, Wilke received numerous awards and commendations. He was awarded with the Meritorious Service Medal; the Army Achievement Medal; the Air Force Achievement Medal; the Army Commendation Medal; the National Defense Service Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; the Korean Defense Service Medal; the Parachutist Badge; the Army Good Conduct Medal; and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Wilke is the 33rd service member with ties to this area who has died in the War on Terror. He is survived by his wife, Monia, and his mother, whose name was not released. Multiple attempts at contacting Monia Wilke on Wednesday afternoon were unsuccessful

Danville Marine, 19, Dies In Afghanistan


November 21, 2011 2:15 PM


A marine from Danville has been killed in action while serving in the Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense.

Lance Cpl. Joshua D. Corral, 19, died on November 18 while conducting combat operations in the Helmand province as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Corral graduated from San Ramon High School in 2010.

He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif

Quoted:







http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2011/11/21/danville-marine-19-dies-in-afghanistan/

Air Force Captain From Vacaville Killed In Southwest Asia


March 29, 2012 4:19 PM





VACAVILLE (CBS13) – An Air Force captain from Vacaville was killed when his fighter jet crashed in Southwest Asia on Wednesday.

The Department of Defense announced Thursday the death of Capt. Francis D. Imlay, 31.


Captain Francis Imlay enjoys a ride with his son in this courtesy photo posted to the Mountain Home Air Force Base website.
Imlay sustained fatal injuries in an accident involving an F-15 aircraft near a base in Southwest Asia. He was assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

The Southwest Asia region includes Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran and Imlay was deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

More than 300 Mountain Home airmen are currently deployed to support F-15E overseas missions designed to deliver combat air power for joint operations and to meet ground commander requirements.

The Idaho Statesman newspaper in Boise reported that the jet Imlay was piloting crashed and that another crew member suffered minor injuries.

“It is with a heavy heart I inform you we lost a valued member of the Gunfighter family yesterday,” said Col. Ron Buckley, 366th Fighter Wing commander, in a press release Thursday.

“Today we mourn the loss of one of our warriors, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and coworkers during this time. He was a true professional and his dedication to the Gunfighter family will not soon be forgotten.”

Imlay was married and had at least one young son.

California Soldier Killed in Afghanistan


12:01 p.m. PDT, May 8, 2012

A Northern California soldier is the latest U.S. casualty in Afghanistan, according to a release by the Department of Defense.

Staff Sgt. Thomas K. Fogarty died Sunday from injuries sustained from an improvised explosive device that struck his unit.

Fogarty, 30, was from Alameda. He was based in Alaska and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

The fatal attack occurred in Ahmad-Kheyl, Aftghanistan. about 100 miles Southeast of Kabul.

Army Spc. Manuel J. Vasquez

Died April 24, 2012 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom


Spc.Vasquez 22, of West Sacramento, Calif.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany; died April 24 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of unspecified causes.

Sgt. Jose Rodriguez

Mar 26, 1990 - Jun 19, 2012


Sgt Jose Rodriguez, 22 of Modesto passed away Tuesday June 19th while serving his county in Maiwand, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

Mr. Rodriguez was a native of San Jose, CA and was a resident of Modesto and previously lived in Gustine, CA. He graduated from Gustine High School in 2008, served in the United States Army where he received the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal Combat  Service, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non Commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, NATO Medal, Certificate of Achievement and Combat Infantry Badge.

Mr. Rodriguez is survived by his wife, Maria Rodriguez of Modesto; son, Octavian Roriguez of Modesto; parents, Margarita Rodriguez of Newman, Augustine Rodriguez of Mexico; brothers, Ruben Rodriguez of Newman, Edgar Rodriguez of Keyes, Jonathon Rodriguez of Santa Nella, Julian Rodriguez of Newman; sisters, Judith Rodriguez of Santa Nella and Jacqueline Rodriguez of Newman.
A Vigil Service will be held at 4:00 pm, Monday, July 2nd followed by a Rosary at 7:00 pm at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Gustine. A Visitation will be held at 9:00 am, Tuesday, July 3rd followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 am at the Shrine of Our Lady of Miracles in Gustine. Interment to follow at 1:00 pm at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Gustine.
Services conducted by Hillview Funeral Chapel, Gustine.

War in Afghanistan claims 2 area soldiers




SACRAMENTO, CA - The U.S. Department of Defense says a Redding soldier died from injuries he suffered when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in Khakrez, Afghanistan where he served.

Sean R. Jacobs, 23, held the rank of 1st lieutenant. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

The incident took place last Thursday.

Friday, Spc. Benjamin C. Pleitez, 25, from Turlock died in Mazar E Sharif, Afghanistan.

A California National Guardsman, Pleitez was assigned to the 1072nd Transportation Company, 746th Combat Support Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade, Van Nuys.

Redding soldier dies of Afghan blast wounds


Published: Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012 - 12:00 am |



A 23-year-old soldier from Redding was killed last week in Afghanistan.
The Department of Defense announced the death of 1st Lt. Sean R. Jacobs, who died Thursday near Khakrez, Tsagay province, of wounds sustained from an enemy improvised explosive device. Jacobs was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Jacobs entered active Army duty in May 2010 after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He received artillery officer training at Fort Sill, Okla., before being assigned to the Washington base and was deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in April. This was his first deployment, according to a Department of Defense news release.

His father, Robert Jacobs, told the Redding Record Searchlight that his son was a platoon leader and was about halfway through his deployment.

He said his son attended Foothill High School in the Redding area and was nominated in 2006 by Rep. Wally Herger, R-Marysville, to attend West Point.

Injured Local Soldier Gets Hero’s Welcome Home At Sacramento Airport



November 1, 2012 12:07 AM



SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A local soldier is home after losing both his legs in Afghanistan.

A large crowd of his friends, family and veterans greeted him at Sacramento International Airport Wednesday evening.

This will be the first time the Doug Harrris’ friends and family will see him since his accident, losing part of his legs and learning to walk all over again on prosthetics.

“I’m just glad to have him home,” Doug’s father Charles Harris said. “This has been a little overwhelming.”

The homecoming for army specialist Doug was an especially emotional one for his father.

“This is my hunting buddy, my friend,” said Charles of his son.

It’s been five months since Charles and Lisa Garris got the call that their son lost his legs from the knees down.

“That phone call was one of the worst calls I think I’ve ever taken,” said Lisa.

It’s a call, Lisa says, that plays over and over in her head, everyday.

“He remembers being on patrol,” said Lisa.”

Their 22-year-old son had been in Afghanistan for just a few months.

“He remembers stepping on an IED,” said Lisa.

Wounded but alive, the fight for freedom turned into a fight to survive.

“From that point, the two boys were helping each and neither of the boys realized how injured they were 55,” said Lisa.

Since then, Doug has been recovering at Walter Reed Hospital, as well as waiting and wanting to come back home.

“It was a little overwhelming but it means a lot. It means a lot that there’s so many people standing behind me,” said Doug. “You know, push me keeping me going, it’s really motivating.”

“To see him come home is just awesome, awesome,” said friend Johnny Dagostini.

Those who know him say it’s this soldier’s positive attitude that’s kept him going. Nothing, he says, will ever stop him.

“From day one, I just knew, ‘just hey keep going. What happened, happened,’ you know, ‘just keep pushing forward,’ said Doug.

“We’ve been out fishing. He’s been out hunting on them. It’s not slowing him down at all,” said Charles.

His mom says she just wants her son to be a kid while he’s home.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
           Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin R. Ebbert, 32, of Arcata, Calif., died Nov. 24 while supporting stability operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.  Ebbert was assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit in Virginia Beach, Va.  

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.