Sunday, August 13, 2006

Soldiers Killed in Iraq, Afghanistan; Previous Casualties Identified

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2006 – Five soldiers were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent days, another two were wounded, and the Defense Department has identified four earlier casualties who died supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed yesterday when a roadside bomb struck their dismounted patrol south of Baghdad.

Three coalition soldiers were killed and two were wounded Aug. 11 during a battle with Taliban extremists in northeastern Afghanistan. The soldiers became engaged with the extremists while conducting operations in the Waygal district of Nuristan province. The soldier's names and nationalities are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

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

-- Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeremy Z. Long, 18, of Sun Valley, Nev., died Aug. 10 while conducting combat operations in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

-- Army Sgt. Steven P. Mennemeyer, 26, of Granite City, Ill., and Army Sgt. Jeffery S. Brown, 25, of Trinity Center, Calif., died Aug. 8 when their UH-60 Blackhawk crashed into a lake near Korean Village in Rubtbah, Iraq. Both soldiers were assigned to the 82nd Medical Company (Air Ambulance), Fort Riley, Kan.

-- Army Staff Sgt. Tracy L. Melvin, 31, of Seattle, died of injuries suffered Aug. 6 when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq. Melvin was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

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