Nine Soldiers Killed in Iraq; Defense Department Identifies Additional Casualties

American Forces Press Service
May 20, 2007 – One soldier was killed and three were wounded yesterday when their patrol was struck by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad, according to Defense Department officials.

In another incident, a 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) soldier was killed and two soldiers were wounded in an improvised explosive device attack against their tactical vehicle near Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq, near midnight yesterday, officials reported. The wounded soldiers were evacuated to a nearby military medical treatment facility.

The weekend incidents followed a difficult day May 18 that claimed seven U.S. lives. On May 18, two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed and two others wounded when their combat security patrol was hit by an IED and engaged by small-arms fire in a northwestern section of Baghdad. In addition, one soldier was killed by small-arms fire during combat operations south of Baghdad.

Three Task Force Lightning soldiers were killed in Diyala province when an explosion occurred near their vehicle. A soldier assigned to Multinational Force West was killed during combat operations in Anbar province. The names of the troops killed are being withheld until their families are notified.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the names of additional servicemembers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among them was

Sgt. Anthony J. Schober, who has previously been listed as "duty status whereabouts unknown." Schober, 23, of Reno, Nev., died May 12 in Al Taqa, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. In addition.

-- Pfc. Jonathan V. Hamm, 20, of Baltimore, Md., died May 17 in Baghdad, of wounds sustained when his forward operating base received indirect enemy fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

-- Sgt. Steven M. Packer, 23, of Clovis, Calif., died May 17 in Rushdi Mullah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his dismounted patrol encountered an IED. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

-- Pfc. Aaron D. Gautier, 19, of Hampton, Va., died May 17 in Baghdad, of wounds suffered when his mounted patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and an IED. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

-- Sgt. Christopher N. Gonzalez, 25, of Winslow, Ariz., died May 14 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an IED and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.

-- Staff Sgt. Joshua R. Whitaker, 23, of Long Beach, Calif., died May 15 in Qalat, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from enemy small-arms fire. Whitaker was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Division North news releases.)