U.S Army Specialist Omar Soltero

Omar Soltero

U.S Army Specialist Omar Soltero, aged 28, died on 31st January 2011, in the Wardak province of eastern Afghanistan from the blast of a hidden roadside bomb.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

Spc. Soltero was one of four children and had two young sons. He was due home on leave in May 2011 for his 29th birthday.

He had previously served two tours in Kosovo.

U.S Army Specialist Joshua Campbell

Joshua Campbell

U.S Army Specialist Joshua Campbell, aged 22, from Bennett, Colorado, was killed on 29th January 2011 in Helmand province when Taliban insurgents detonated a hidden roadside bomb as his patrol unit passed.

Spc. Campbell was assigned to the 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade at Fort Bragg.

He joined the Army in February 2008 and was assigned to his brigade in December 2008. He served as a heavy wheel vehicle driver and deployed to Afghanistan in October 2010. It was his first overseas deployment.

U.S Army Specialist, Shawn Muhr

Shawn A. Muhr

U.S Army Spc. Shawn A. Muhr, aged 26, from Coon Rapids, Iowa, died on 29th January 2011 in Helmand province, from the blast of an improvised explosive device (IED).

Spc. Muhr was assigned to the 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade at Fort Bragg.  He had returned home on leave just after Christmas 2010 and returned to Afghanistan on 12th January 2011.

Spc. Muhr had been in the Army for six years and had previously served in South Korea and Iraq. He deployed to Afghanistan in October 2010.

U.S Army Sergeant 1st Class, Anthony Venetz Jr

Anthony Venetz Jr.

U.S Army Sergeant 1st Class, Anthony Venetz Jr., aged 30, from Long Island, NY, died on 28th January 2011, in Parwan province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained in a non-combat incident. 

He was a Special Forces engineer assigned to 2nd Battalion 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
 

He joined the Army in February 2001 in Prince William, Virginia, as an infantryman, and attended Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Sgt. Venetz had previously served in Cuba and Iraq.

In 2007, he volunteered for Special Forces and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in March 2009.

British Para, Martin Bell, dies helping injured colleague

Pvt. Martin Bell

A soldier who became Britain's 350th military fatality in Afghanistan died after disobeying a direct order and running to help an injured colleague, his Commanding Officer has disclosed.

Private Martin Bell, 24, of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, was fatally wounded as attempted to reach a comrade who had been injured in an explosion.

He was killed in a separate blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) as he tried to help his stricken colleague to the south of Nahr-e-Saraj in Helmand province on Tuesday.

Officers said he was a hero whose selfless act cost him his life.

USAF Tech. Sgt. Leslie D. Williams

Leslie D. Williams

USAF Tech. Sergeant Leslie D. Williams, aged 36, from Juneau, Alaska died on 25th January 2011, in a non combat-related incident at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Sgt. Williams was assigned to the 4th Maintenance Group and was based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. 

He had been in the Air Force for 14 years. 

He leaves a wife and three children.

Polish medic, Marcin Knap

Marcin Knap

A Polish civilian medic, serving with the Polish Army was killed on 23rd January 2011, as a result of a mine blast during a routine patrol in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province. 

Medic, Marcin Knap, aged 34, was travelling in a Rosomak armoured vehicle, when it drove over a mine in the south-eastern region of the Ghazni province during a joint patrol with Polish soldiers and Afghan police forces.

Mr. Knap is survived by his wife.

Polish soldier, Pfc Marcin Pastusiak

Pfc. Marcin Pastusiak

A Polish soldier was killed on 23rd January 2011, as a result of a mine blast during a routine patrol in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province. 

The explosion occured as a Rosomak armoured vehicle he was travelling in drove over a mine in the south-eastern region of the Ghazni province during a joint patrol with Polish soldiers and Afghan police forces.

Private First Class Marcin Pastusiak, age 26, was a member of the Military Police’s Special Unit in Minsk Mazowiecki. He had previously served a tour of duty in Lebanon in 2008. He was unmarried.

U.S Marine Sergeant Jason Amores

Jason Amores

U.S Marine Sergeant Jason Amores, aged 29, was killed in Helmand province on 20th January 2011 after he stepped on a hidden explosive device whilst on patrol.

He was serving in the 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, based at Camp Pendleton, California.

In the late 1990s while he was in Lehigh Senior High School, Sgt. Amores was affectionately called "Mowgli." He played the saxophone and was an active member of the Lehigh Senior High School's Marching Band.

U.S Army Pfc. Amy Sinkler

Amy Sinkler

U.S Army Private First Class, Amy Sinkler, aged 23, from Chadbourn, North Carolina, died on 20th January 2011, following an ambush by Taliban insurgents on her patrol unit.

Assigned to the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Pfc Sinkler was a gunner for the mission. She was in the exposed turret of an armoured vehicle when an enemy rocket propelled grenade struck the vehicle.

She had been in the army since August 2009 and had deployed to Afghanistan in July 2010 for a one year tour of duty.

U.S Army Specialist Joshua T. Lancaster

Spc. Joshua Lancaster

U.S Army Specialist Joshua T. Lancaster, aged 22, from Millbrook, Alabama, was killed on 19th January 2011, at Kandahar airfield after a battle with Taliban insurgents who had launched an attack.

Spc. Lancaster was assigned to the 184th Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

He was due to return home from Afgha­nistan on 11th February.

He holds the National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

Italian soldier, Luca Sanna

Luca Sanna

An Italian soldier was killed in a firefight in the northwestern Afghanistan on Tuesday, the 36th to die since Italy's mission began in 2004, defence minister Ignazio La Russa said.

The soldier, Luca Sanna, was hit in the head and died immediately from his injuries during an insurgent attack on an advance base in the Bala Murghab Valley.

"Sanna's assailant was wearing an Afghan soldier's uniform and managed to find an excuse to get up close to the base," La Russa said.

"This was not a friendly fire incident. The attacker pretended he needed help cleaning his gun as it had jammed, and so was able to open fire on the soldiers before escaping," said La Russa.

A colleague of Sanna's from the Highlander advance base was wounded in the shoulder in the gun battle but was said to be in a stable condition.

U.S Navy Specialist, Dominique D. Cruz

Dominique Cruz

U.S Navy Operations Specialist 2nd Class Dominique D. Cruz, aged 26, from Panama City, Florida, died in the Gulf of Oman, on 18th January 2011. 

Her body was found during search and rescue operations on 19th January after she was reported missing the previous day. She was assigned as an Operations Specialist to the USS Halsey.

OS2 Cruz joined the US Navy in June 2006 and was assigned to the USS Halsey in December 2006 where she remained until her death.

When she failed to report for duty, a man overboard alert was sounded.

Helicopters from the Halsey, the USNS Rainier, and the Royal Navy's HMS Cumberland were part of the search and rescue operations, as were aircraft from the USS Abraham Lincoln. 

U.S Marine Corporal Joseph C. Whitehead

Cpl. Joseph Whitehead

U.S Marine Corporal Joseph C. Whitehead, aged 22, was killed on 17th January 2011 whilst taking part in combat operations in Helmand province.

Cpl. Whitehead was assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion in the 2nd Marine Division of II Marine Expeditionary Force. He was based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

At his funeral, a brother recalled Cpl. Whitehead’s four great loves: “Food. Family. Children. And food.” 

A time was recalled when he took his grandfather’s boat out for a spin, and later swam home without the boat or motor when something went wrong. Both items were later recovered. 

The Purple Heart was presented by Whitehead’s fellow Marines to his family.

U.S Army Pfc, Zachary S. Salmon

Pfc. Zachary Salmon

U.S Army Private 1st Class Zachary S. Salmon, aged 21, from Harrison, Ohio, was killed on 12th January 2011 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, when  insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. 

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 

Pfc. Salmon grew up in Ohio, but he moved to Tennessee as a teenager and graduated from Pigeon Forge High School in 2008. 

He enlisted in the Army in March 2010 and was deployed to Afghanistan in September.

U.S Army Specialist Benjamin G. Moore

Spc. Benjamin Moore

U.S Army Specialist Benjamin G. Moore, aged 23, from Robbinsville, New Jersey, was killed 12th January 2011 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. He died from wounds received from the blast of improvised explosive device detonated by insurgents in the area.

He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. 

At his funeral, Spc. Moore received the customary military bugle requiem followed by an honourary three volley rifle salute and the folding of the flag, which was offered on behalf of the United States of America, and was presented to and accepted by his family.

U.S Army Corporal Jarrid L. King

Cpl. Jarrid King

U.S Army Corporal Jarrid L. King, aged 20, was killed 12th January 2011 by the blast from a bomb detonated by Taliban insurgents in Ghazni province.

He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. 

He joined the Army in March 2009. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the NATO Medal.

U.S Army Major Evan J. Mooldyk

Maj. Evan Mooldyk

U.S Army Major Evan J. Mooldyk, aged 47 from Danville, California, died 12th January 2011 in Khowst province in a non-combat related incident.

He was assigned to 19th Sustainment Command, 377th Theater Sustainment Command. 

His death remains something of a mystery. Mooldyk was athletic and healthy, but before his death, he had reported to his base infirmary that he was suffering from chest pains after exercising. He died two days later.

Evan Mooldyk was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but grew up largely in Panama, where his father was a ship pilot on the Panama Canal.

U.S Military Police Sergeant Zainah Creamer

Sgt. Zainah Creamer

U.S Military Police Sergeant Zainah Creamer, aged 28, was killed in Kandahar Province on 12th January 2011, from the blast of an improvised explosive device.

She was a Dog Handler with the 212th Military Police Detachment, assigned to check vehicles and buildings for explosive devices. She was conducting a building clearance mission with her dog, Jofa, when the incident happened. Her dog survived the blast.

Sergeant Creamer had been in the Army for six years and had previously served in Iraq. 

Her mother lives in the Philippines.

U.S Army Staff Sgt. Omar Aceves

Omar Aceves

U.S Army Staff Sergeant Omar Aceves, aged 30, from El Paso, Texas, was killed on 12th January 2011, in Ghazni Province. He died from the blast of an improvised explosive device. 

He was a combat engineer with the 693rd Engineer Company, 7th Engineer Battalion, and had been in Afghanistan since May 2010.

Staff Sergeant Aceves joined the Army in February 2005 and had previously served in Iraq from October 2006 to January 2008.

A highly decorated soldier, his awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Badge, two Army Commendation Medals, six Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Air Assault Badge and the Marksman Qualification Badge.

Danish soldier, Samuel Enig

Konstabel Samuel Enig, 23, of Denmark, was killed on 9th January 2011 in Gereskh, Helmand province, Afghanistan. He died from wounds suffered when insurgents detonated a bomb as his patrol unit passed by.

He was assigned to the Den Kongelige Livgarde (The Royal Life Guards), Høvelte, Denmark.

Click here for a full list of Danish military fatalities since 2001

Denmark - complete list of fatalities

Danish military fatalities in Afghanistan

Date	Name	Rank	Age	Unit
2013
02-Jan	Jakobsen, René Brink	Oversergent	39	Rangers
2011
03-Sep	Olsen, Jacob	Konstabel	22	Hussar Regt.
10-Jul	Alexander Biune	Konstabel	23	Jutland Dragoons
09-Jan	Samuel Enig	Konstabel	23	Royal Life Guards
2010
14-Nov	Jorgeb Randrup	O-Konstabel	27	Royal Life Guards
23-Oct	Mikkel Jorgensen	Konstabel	21	Royal Life Guards
22-Sep	Simon Jorgensen	Konstabel	22	Royal Life Guards
07-Aug	Jimmi Petersen	O-Konstabel	28	Royal Life Guards
07-Aug	Erik Rolandsen	O-Konstabel	26	Royal Life Guards
21-Jul	Jonas Ploger	Lieutenant	26	Hussar Regmt
13-Jun	Martin Kristiansen	Jr Tech	33	Flyvevåbnets Førings
01-Jun	Sophia Bruun	Konstabel	22	Hussar Regmt
08-Jan	Simon Hoffmann	Konstabel	23	Hussar Regmt
2009
25-Nov	Kenneth Nielsen	Konstabel	23	Hussar Regmt
17-Nov	Rune Nielsen	Konstabel	22	Hussar Regmt
23-Oct	Michael Ebert	Sergent	23	Royal Life Guards
19-Sep	Steffen Larsen	Konstabel	23	Royal Life Guards
17-Jun	Martin Abildgaard	Konstabel	23	Hussar Regmt
17-Jun	Mads Rasmussen	Konstabel	21	Hussar Regmt
17-Jun	Andreas Brohus	O-Konstabel	26	Hussar Regmt
2008
19-Dec	Jacob Jensen	Sergent	23	Hussar Regmt
19-Dec	Sebastian Holm	Konstabel	22	Hussar Regmt
19-Dec	Benjamin Rasmussen	Konstabel	21	Hussar Regmt
04-Dec	Jacob Gronnegaard	Konstabel	22	Jutland Dragoons
04-Dec	Dan Gyde	O-Konstabel	29	Jutland Dragoons
25-Aug	Henrik Christiansen	Sergent	29	Royal Life Guards
25-Jul	Jesper Petersen	O-Konstabel	28	Jutland Dragoons
31-Mar	Christian Raaschou	O-Konstabel	24	Royal Life Guards
26-Mar	Anders Storgaard	Konstabel	21	Royal Life Guards
17-Mar	Sonny Jakobsen	Sergent	45	CIMIC Team
17-Mar	Christian Damholt	Captain	33	CIMIC Team
13-Mar	Jens Petersen	Sergent	56	Parachute Regt
24-Feb	Morten Jensen	Konstabel	21	Not reported
2007
29-Nov	Mark Visholm	Konstabel	21	Hussar Regmt
29-Nov	Casper Cramer	Konstabel	21	Hussar Regmt
16-Oct	Anders Storrud	Major	34	Royal Life Guards
26-Sep	Thorbjorn Reese	Konstabel	22	Royal Life Guards
26-Sep	Mikkel Sorensen	Konstabel	24	Royal Life Guards
03-May	Steen Sorensen	Lieutenant	24	Danish Artillery
2004
04-Dec	Unknown	Sergent		Unknown
2002
06-Mar	Kim Carlsen	L-cpl	35	Royal Engineers
06-Mar	Brian Andersen	L-cpl	26	Royal Engineers
06-Mar	Thomas Butzkowsky	Sergent	26	Royal Engineers

French soldier, Herve Guinaud

Hervé Guinaud

French Master Cpl Hervé Guinaud, age 42, was killed on January 8, 2011, in southern Kapisa, north-eastern Afghanistan when his armored vehicle was hit by an explosion.

Master Corporal Guinaud had arrived in Afghanistan last December. In 22 years of service, he also participated in numerous missions in Djibouti, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire.

Married and father of a child, Master Corporal Guinaud is the 53rd French soldier killed in Afghanistan since the deployment of French forces in late 2001. Military authorities described him as "remarkable and exemplary".

U.S Marine Lance-Corporal Joseph R. Giese

Joseph Giese

U.S Marine Lance-Corporal Joseph R. Giese, aged 24, from Winder, Georgia, was killed on 7th January 2011 in Helmand province. He died from injuries received when he stepped on a hidden mine while he was on foot patrol in the region.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

He joined the Marines when he was 18 years old and was due to complete his Afghanistan deployment in February.

U.S Army Sergeant Ethan C. Hardin

Sgt. Ethan Hardin

U.S Army Sergeant Ethan C. Hardin, aged 25 from Fayetteville was posthumously promoted from the rank of Specialist to Sergeant after he was killed on 7th January 2011 in Logar province.

He died from wounds received from the blast of a bomb and small arms fire from Taliban insurgents. 

Sgt. Hardin was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk.

He joined the Army in January 2006 and after completing training was stationed at Fort Irwin, California and in Germany before transferring to Fort Polk in March 2010. He had previously served in Iraq.