12 U.S. Troops Die in Iraq; Previous Casualties Identified

American Forces Press Service

May 6, 2007 – Twelve U.S. servicemembers lost their lives over the past few days while serving in Iraq, and the Defense Department has identified eight pervious casualties.

-- Six Task Force Lightning soldiers and a civilian journalist died after an improvised explosive device attack on their vehicle in Iraq's Diyala province today. Two soldiers were wounded in the attack and were taken to a coalition medical facility for treatment.

-- A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed and two others were wounded today when their vehicle was struck by two IEDs north of Baghdad. The unit was conducting a clearing operation in the area when the attack occurred.

-- Another Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed today while conducting when an IED struck the unit's vehicle during a combat patrol in a southern section of the Iraqi capital. Another soldier was wounded.

-- A Task Force Lightning soldier died today in a non-combat related incident.

-- Two Marines assigned to Multinational Force West were killed yesterday while conducting combat operations in Anbar province.

-- A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed and four others were wounded May 4 when an improvised explosive device detonated in a western section of the Iraqi capital. Their names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department has released the identities of seven soldiers and a Marine killed recently supporting U.S. operations abroad.

-- Army Pfc. Joseph G. Harris, 19, of Sugar Land, Texas, died May 3 at Forward Operating Base Warrior, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

-- Army Spc. Matthew T. Bolar, 24, of Montgomery, Ala., died May 3 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

-- Army Spc. Andrew R. Weiss, 28, of Lafayette, Ind., died May 3 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

-- Army Sgt. Felix G. Gonzalez-Iraheta, 25, of Sun Valley, Calif., and Army Pfc. John D. Flores, 21, of Barrigada, Guam, died of wounds suffered when their unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire May 3. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

-- Army Staff Sgt. Coby G. Schwab, 25, of Puyallup, Wash., and Army Spc. Kelly B. Grothe, 21, of Spokane, Wash., died May 3 in Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their armored personnel carrier was struck by an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to Company B, 321st Engineer Battalion of the U.S. Army Reserve, Hayden Lake, Idaho.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. Johnathan E. Kirk, 25, of Belhaven, N.C., died May 1 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations on April 23 in Iraq's Anbar province. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq, Multinational Corps Iraq and Defense Department news releases.)