Soldiers Die in Iraq; DoD Identifies Four Other Fatalities

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2006 – Three U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq yesterday, and the Defense Department identified four servicemen who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since July 16.

A soldier assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, died yesterday due to enemy action while operating in Iraq's Anbar province.

A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed last night when terrorists attacked his patrol with small-arms fire south of Baghdad.

Earlier yesterday, another Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle in eastern Baghdad. The soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department identified four servicemen killed recently in Iraq and Afghanistan:


Army Cpl. Matthew P. Wallace, 22, of Lexington Park, Md., died July 21 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated July 16 near his Bradley fighting vehicle. Wallace was assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Marine Cpl. Julian A. Ramon, 22, of Flushing, N.Y., died July 20 while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Pfc. Derek J. Plowman, 20, of Everton, Ark., died July 20 in Baghdad from a gunshot wound. Plowman was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 142nd Fires Brigade, in Rogers, Ark. This incident is under investigation, officials said.

Army Staff Sgt. Eric Caban, 28, of Fort Worth, Texas, died July 19 in southern Afghanistan of injuries suffered when his combat reconnaissance patrol came in contact enemy small-arms fire July 18. Caban was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.