tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62912127706648877032024-03-12T22:34:56.957-04:00Fallen Heroes AfghanistanThis website is a tribute to all who have died in Afghanistan on Operation Enduring Freedom since 2001 and other global conflict zones.
Read the latest news, browse our pictorial database and read statistics on foreign troops, journalists and Aid workers who have given their lives.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1477125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-68128128719665893232013-11-14T20:10:00.003-05:002013-11-14T20:10:46.370-05:00New websitePlease visit <a href="http://fallenheroes.info/"><b>FALLENHEROES.INFO</b></a> for the latest news and postings. All future posts will be added to that site as they happen.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-67778706245122988152013-05-01T07:38:00.001-04:002013-05-01T07:38:21.584-04:00US Army Captain Aaron Blanchard<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Y67rBj_Fwc/UYD6H3EzwgI/AAAAAAAADyo/OMhcftyIpxg/s1600/blanchard-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Y67rBj_Fwc/UYD6H3EzwgI/AAAAAAAADyo/OMhcftyIpxg/s320/blanchard-a.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">US Army Captain Aaron R. Blanchard, serving with the 2nd Aviation Battalion, was one of two American soldiers killed on 23rd April 2013 in Pul-e-Alam.
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<span style="color: #444444;">32-year-old Capt. Blanchard, from Selah, Washington, was commissioned in the US Army in June 2009, having previously served with the US Marine Corps. He trained as an Apache helicopter pilot and transferred to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, in 2011. He deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in April this year.
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<span style="color: #444444;">His awards include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, NATO Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Combat Action Badge and the Army Achievement Medal, among many other decorations.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Captain Blanchard leaves his wife, two children, mother, father and two brothers.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Captain Blanchard and his colleague, 1st Lt. Robert J. Hess, died from "wounds suffered from enemy indirect fire," according to a statement by the US department of Defense.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-66264451426589672132013-04-26T02:16:00.002-04:002013-04-26T02:16:33.917-04:00US Army Pfc. Barrett Austin<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g5kyV8GZ8MQ/UXoZDcCI1kI/AAAAAAAADyY/caG3tS0ZipA/s1600/austin-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g5kyV8GZ8MQ/UXoZDcCI1kI/AAAAAAAADyY/caG3tS0ZipA/s320/austin-b.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">20-year-old US Army Pfc. Barrett L. Austin, serving with the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, died on 21st April 2013 at a hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Pfc. Austin, from Easley, South Carolina, had been severely injured on 17th April when his vehicle was hit by a homemade bomb in Wardak province.
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<span style="color: #444444;">He was based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Pfc. Austin leaves his wife, Heather, his parents and a sister.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-2053162887081582762013-04-11T06:57:00.002-04:002013-04-11T06:57:25.094-04:00US Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner killed in helicopter crash<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kPgDSezlu88/UWaTi531GlI/AAAAAAAADyI/Vc-w9n3-Y3M/s1600/ruffner-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kPgDSezlu88/UWaTi531GlI/AAAAAAAADyI/Vc-w9n3-Y3M/s320/ruffner-m.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">US Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner, serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Company B, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, was one of two soldiers killed on 9th April 2013 when their helicopter crashed during a reconnaissance mission in Nangarhar province.
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<span style="color: #444444;">34-year-old CWO3 Ruffner graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in criminology. He joined the military in 1997, serving initially as a mechanic in the Army Reserve’s 705th Transportation Company in Dayton, Ohio, before transferring to the Army National Guard’s 110th Infantry.
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<span style="color: #444444;">He went on to complete warrant officer training and transferred to the aviation career field in 2005 serving as an aviation life support equipment officer, tactical operations officer and instructor pilot. More recently, he was employed as a full-time Apache instructor pilot for the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility.
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<span style="color: #444444;">His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, three Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals and the Parachutist Badge.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The other Pennsylvania National Guardsman killed in the crash was <a href="http://oefkia.blogspot.com/2013/04/us-army-chief-warrant-officer-2-jarett.html"><b>Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder</b></a>.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The cause of the crash is being investigated.
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<span style="color: #444444;">US Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder, serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Company B, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, was one of two soldiers killed on 9th April 2013 when their helicopter crashed during a reconnaissance mission in Nangarhar province.
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<span style="color: #444444;">27-year-old CWO2 Yoder joined the military in 2005 after graduating from High School the same year. He served as an infantryman and deployed to Iraq in 2008 with the 56th Stryker Brigade. In 2010, he became an Apache Helicopter pilot. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge and Driver and Mechanic Badge.
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<span style="color: #444444;">As reported on the Pennsylvania National Guard website, CWO2 Yoder’s wife Heather Garay-Yoder released the following statement: "Jarett is my American Hero. He always dreamed of being an Apache pilot and he followed those dreams to continue to fight for our country. Jarett died doing what he loved and dreamed of doing, a true hero. There are so many people who love him and we will never forget. I love you, always and forever. Your loving wife, Heather."
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<span style="color: #444444;">The other Pennsylvania National Guardsman killed in the crash was <a href="http://oefkia.blogspot.com/2013/04/us-army-chief-warrant-officer-3-matthew.html"><b>Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner</b></a>.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The cause of the crash is being investigated.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-77727294773237228122013-04-10T04:47:00.002-04:002013-04-10T04:47:43.512-04:00Three American soldiers killed by suicide bomber in Zabul<span style="color: #444444;">Three US soldiers were named as victims of a suicide bomber who struck their convoy with a car on 6th April 2013.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The soldiers were part of a convoy of officials travelling to a school in Qalot, the provincial capital of Zabul province, to donate books for the students there. The suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into the convoy, killing six people and injuring at least ten more.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The soldiers, all serving with the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, were named by the US Department of Defense as:
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<span style="color: #444444;">24-year-old Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Ward, 25-year-old Spc. Wilbel Robles-Santa and 24-year-old Spc. Deflin M. Santos Jr.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Also among the victims was US Diplomat <a href="http://oefkia.blogspot.com/2013/04/us-diplomat-anne-smedinghoff.html" target="_blank"><b>Anne Smedinghoff</b></a> aged 25.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.
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<span style="color: #444444;">25-year-old US diplomat Anne Smedinghoff, was among a group of six killed on 6th April 2013 by a suicide bomber who drove a car into a convoy of American military and civilian personnel. The attack happened in Zabul province.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Ms Smedinghoff, from Chicago, Illinois, joined the US Foreign Service after she graduated from University in 2009. She had previously served in Venezuela.
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<span style="color: #444444;">She was an Assistant Information Officer and had volunteered for the Afghanistan posting. At the time of the attack, her group were on their way to deliver a consignment of books to a local school in Qalot, the provincial capital.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-21803334534092798132013-04-06T21:51:00.002-04:002013-04-06T21:51:14.794-04:00Six Americans killed in separate attacks in Afghanistan<span style="color: #444444;">Six American citizens lost their lives today (6th April 2013) in a day of violence across Afghanistan.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Five were killed by a suicide car-bomber in Qalat, Zabul province. They were in a convoy of vehicles heading for a local school to give books to students, when the bomber struck. Three American military personnel, a female officer with the State Foreign Service Department and a civilian with the Department of Defense were killed. 10 people were injured by the blast, one State Department employee critically.
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<span style="color: #444444;">In a separate incident, an American civilian was killed in eastern Afghanistan during an insurgent attack.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-33861640330406721722013-04-06T03:38:00.003-04:002013-04-06T03:38:52.379-04:00USAF F16 pilot killed in crash near Bagram<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eTILS2Phr_o/UV_OTkzPTlI/AAAAAAAADxY/JiX7GMZH_f0/s1600/steel-j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eTILS2Phr_o/UV_OTkzPTlI/AAAAAAAADxY/JiX7GMZH_f0/s320/steel-j.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">US Air Force Captain James Michael Steel was killed on 3rd April 2013 in an air crash near Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.
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<span style="color: #444444;">29-year-old Captain Steel, from Tampa, Florida, was an F-16 pilot with 77th Fighter Squadron based at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. He was on approach to land at Bagram after a mission late in the evening, when his wingman and air-traffic control lost contact with him. The incident happened approximately 10 miles south of the runway.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Officials later said there was no enemy action in the area at the time of the incident.
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<span style="color: #444444;">He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 2006 and transferred to Shaw AFB in 2010.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-38657125050749216552013-04-01T22:31:00.001-04:002013-04-01T22:31:06.878-04:00US Army CWO Curtis Reagan<span style="color: #444444;">43-year-old US Army Chief Warrant Officer Curtis S. Reagan, from Summerville, South Carolina, died in Kandahar on 29th March 2013 from a non-combat related illness.
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<span style="color: #444444;">CWO Reagan served with the 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia.
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<span style="color: #444444;">No further details are available at this time. More to follow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-44140743942199542572013-04-01T22:18:00.003-04:002013-04-01T22:18:48.480-04:00US Army Sergeant Michael Cable<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HKRJmA8Doec/UVo9VAE1BmI/AAAAAAAADxI/spsOhuaNI7Q/s1600/cable-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HKRJmA8Doec/UVo9VAE1BmI/AAAAAAAADxI/spsOhuaNI7Q/s320/cable-m.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">26-year-old US Army Sergeant Michael C. Cable died on 27th March after being stabbed by a teenager in Nangarhar province.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Sgt. Cable, from Kentucky, was part of a unit tasked with securing an area for a joint US-Afghan meeting in Shinwar district of the province. At the time of the attack, he was outside the security cordon talking with a group of Afghan children. A teenager approached him from behind and stabbed him in the neck with a knife.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Sgt. Cable was serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
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<span style="color: #444444;">His body was repatriated to Dover Air Force Base last week.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-78258370871954846192013-03-28T23:39:00.000-04:002013-03-28T23:39:43.536-04:00British Army Lance Corporal Jamie Webb dies in hospital after being wounded in enemy attack<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3VvkpfSKnls/UVUJE0sseYI/AAAAAAAADw4/zf5zTwdp-ew/s1600/webb-j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3VvkpfSKnls/UVUJE0sseYI/AAAAAAAADw4/zf5zTwdp-ew/s320/webb-j.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">British Army Lance Corporal Jamie Webb, of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire), died in an ISAF Hospital in Afghanistan on 26th March 2013. He had been wounded during an enemy attack on his base at Nad 'Ali the previous day.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Born in October 1988, he joined the British Army when he was 18-years-old. He joined The Cheshire Regiment in 2006 and deployed to Northern Ireland. On his return, he deployed to Iraq for three months. In 2010, he deployed to Afghanistan with The Mercian Regiment, serving with the Danish Battle Group in Helmand as a rifle section second-in-command.
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<span style="color: #444444;">He deployed on this tour to Afghanistan in October last year. During his time in the Army, he proudly served on four operational missions and was described as being "outgoing, upbeat and a popular member of C Company who will be sorely missed by his brothers-in-arms."
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<span style="color: #444444;">Lieutenant Colonel Phil Kimber MBE, Commanding Officer 1 MERCIAN, described Lance Corporal Webb as being "A real character, a totally professional soldier and a great friend to many." He went on to say that "Lance Corporal Webb was exactly the type of man you wanted around. Always with a smile on his face, always willing to engage in some witty and mischievous banter, he really did lift the morale of all around him."
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<span style="color: #444444;">Lance Corporal Jamie Webb leaves behind his much loved parents Dave and Sue, and his close family.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-50579830142337068392013-03-27T07:38:00.001-04:002013-03-28T23:47:36.871-04:00British soldier dies in hospital after being wounded during enemy action in Helmand <span style="color: #444444;">A British soldier from 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment has died in hospital from injuries received on 25th March.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The soldier was wounded during enemy action in the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand. The soldier was evacuated to a military hospital at Camp Bastion but died before being flown to the UK.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Ten other soldiers were injured in the attack, suspected to be a suicide bomb.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The soldier has been named as <a href="http://oefkia.blogspot.com/2013/03/british-army-lance-corporal-jamie-webb.html"><b>Lance Corporal Jamie Webb</b></a>.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-41295971062175461902013-03-25T01:07:00.004-04:002013-03-25T01:07:49.481-04:00US Army Sgt. Tristan Wade killed by IED in Ghazni<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5hnYis4nuk8/UU_ZmdKuqlI/AAAAAAAADwo/KyvS3wgHs4I/s1600/wade-t.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5hnYis4nuk8/UU_ZmdKuqlI/AAAAAAAADwo/KyvS3wgHs4I/s320/wade-t.JPG" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">US Army Sergeant Tristan M. Wade, from Indianapolis, was killed on 22nd March when a bomb exploded during an operation in Qarah Bagh, Ghazni.
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<span style="color: #444444;">23-year-old Sgt. Wade served as a combat engineer with the 573rd Clearance Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion which is based in New Mexico.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.
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<span style="color: #444444;">31-year-old US Army Special Forces Sgt. 1st Class James F. Grissom died on 21st March 2013 at the US Military Hospital, in Landstuhl, Germany.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Sfc. Grissom, from Hayward, California, had been transferred to the hospital after being wounded by small-arms fire during an operation in Paktika province on 18th March. This was his fifth deployment to Afghanistan.
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<span style="color: #444444;">He joined the US Army in June 2003 after attending the Art Institute of Of San Francisco, from where he earned a degree. At the time of his death, he was serving with the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), based in Washington.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Sfc. Grissom, who leaves his wife, parents and sister, has been posthumously awarded the Bronze Star.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-64278819032219516712013-03-20T20:47:00.004-04:002013-03-20T21:04:29.469-04:00Polish soldier, Pawel Ordynski, killed in bomb blast<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zhA-qceGQwA/UUpcir6z9II/AAAAAAAADwI/5jGSjMb92hk/s1600/pawel_ordynski.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zhA-qceGQwA/UUpcir6z9II/AAAAAAAADwI/5jGSjMb92hk/s320/pawel_ordynski.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #444444;">Polish Army Senior Private Pawel Ordynski was killed on 20th March 2013 during a mounted patrol in Ghazni.
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<span style="color: #444444;">He was part of a routine patrol north-west of the city when his vehicle struck a road mine.
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<span style="color: #444444;">29-year-old S/Pvt. Ordynski had previously deployed to the Balkans and to Afghanistan. He served with the 12th Mechanised Brigade as a driver, having joined the Army in 2004. This was his fourth mission to Afghanistan.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Another Polish soldier was seriously injured in the blast and was evacuated by helicopter to the Polish base in Ghazni.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-13362937566466982732013-03-19T22:46:00.004-04:002013-03-19T22:46:50.968-04:00US Army Specialist Derek McConnell<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rD-HUfMuvsA/UUkip4_vb5I/AAAAAAAADv4/ek2k8pWZkeA/s1600/mcconnell-d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rD-HUfMuvsA/UUkip4_vb5I/AAAAAAAADv4/ek2k8pWZkeA/s320/mcconnell-d.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #444444;">23-year-old US Army Specialist Derek McConnell, severely injured in Afghanistan in 2011, was found dead at his home on 18th March 2013.
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<span style="color: #444444;">In July 2011, while serving in Afghanistan, he was caught in the blasts from two bombs during a patrol in Kandahar province. As a result, he lost both his legs and suffered a fractured skull, among other injuries.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Spc. McConnell, from New Jersey, joined the US Army in 2009. After he was wounded in action, he spent a year in a Maryland hospital and returned home to Parsippany in late 2012.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The incident happened as he brought his unit in to support fellow soldiers who had been injured by a hidden mine. McConnell had unknowingly walked into a minefield and, subsequently, two of the devices exploded. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal With Valor Device.
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-83696092322913172522013-03-18T23:18:00.000-04:002013-03-18T23:18:07.706-04:00Six civilian contractors KIA in Afghanistan posthumously awarded bravery medals<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJv69S6v54Y/UUfO0LIE-SI/AAAAAAAADvo/q57FFguC760/s1600/defense-of-freedom-medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJv69S6v54Y/UUfO0LIE-SI/AAAAAAAADvo/q57FFguC760/s320/defense-of-freedom-medal.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">Six civilian contractors, who were killed while serving in Afghanistan, were recently posthumously awarded Medals for the Defense of Freedom (see photo left).
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<span style="color: #444444;">The medal is the civilian equivalent to the Purple Heart. It is the highest honour the US Department of Defense can award civilians injured or killed in the line of duty.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The contractors were all working under the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP), which provides contingency support for the US Armed Forces.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The families of five of the contractors killed solemnly accepted the medals, presented by Brigadier John Wharton, Commanding General, U.S. Army Sustainment Command during a ceremony at Greenville. Killed were:
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Jarod Cravens</b> (32), <b>Onaje Hilliard</b> (33), <b>Matthew Lemmon</b> (45) and <b>Julius Wright</b> (31): all died 29th October 2011 in Kabul when a suicide car bomber attacked the armored personnel carrier they were travelling in.
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b>Bryan Farr</b>, 22, was shot and killed in May 2010.
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<span style="color: #444444;">In a separate ceremony in Arizona, <b>Santa Gracia Ramirez</b> - who worked for Pacific Architects and Engineers - was posthumously awarded the medal. She was killed by a suicide bomber in 2007 while mentoring, training and advising Afghan prison officials.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-53714996337918633982013-03-17T21:29:00.003-04:002013-03-17T21:29:53.822-04:00US Army Chief Warrant Officer James Groves III<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuLyplvfh9A/UUZsc4RggCI/AAAAAAAADvY/EFJWPuli4DM/s1600/groves-j.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuLyplvfh9A/UUZsc4RggCI/AAAAAAAADvY/EFJWPuli4DM/s320/groves-j.JPG" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">US Army helicopter pilot Chief Warrant Officer James E. Groves III was killed in a helicopter crash on 16th March 2013 at Kandahar.
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<span style="color: #444444;">37-year-old CWO Groves, from Kettering, Ohio, served with the Georgia-based 17th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, assigned to 3rd Squadron.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The cause of the crash is being investigated. There was no reported enemy action in the vicinity at the time of the incident.
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<span style="color: #444444;">CWO Groves was on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-47060079869756930772013-03-17T02:27:00.003-04:002013-03-17T02:35:10.030-04:00US Army CWO Bryan Henderson<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BBkAgvcdHBA/UUVkDrPY5gI/AAAAAAAADvI/TRPxoVSVyRc/s1600/henderson-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BBkAgvcdHBA/UUVkDrPY5gI/AAAAAAAADvI/TRPxoVSVyRc/s320/henderson-b.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #444444;">US Army Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Henderson was one of five American soldiers killed on 11th March 2013 when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province.
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<span style="color: #444444;">CWO Henderson, aged 27, served with the Georgia-based 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, part of the 3rd Infantry Division.
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">The helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk, came down in heavy rain during a routine flight and crashed in the Daman district of Kandahar. All five crew members on board were killed. There was no reported enemy action in the area at the time of the accident.
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<span style="color: #444444;">The other crew members killed were: Captain Sara Cullen (nee Knutson); Staff Sgt. Marc A. Scialdo; Staff Sgt. Steven P. Blass and Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-748290429428011812013-03-17T02:20:00.001-04:002013-03-17T02:20:23.584-04:00US Army Staff Sergeant Marc Scialdo<span style="color: #444444;">31-year-old US Army Staff Sgt. Marc A. Scialdo was one of five American soldiers killed on 11th March 2013 when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province.
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<span style="color: #444444;">SSgt Scialdo, from Naples, Florida, served with the Georgia-based 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, part of the 3rd Infantry Division.
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">The helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk, came down in heavy rain during a routine flight and crashed in the Daman district of Kandahar. All five crew members on board were killed. There was no reported enemy action in the area at the time of the accident.
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">The other crew members killed were: Captain Sara Cullen (nee Knutson); Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Henderson; Staff Sgt. Steven P. Blass and Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-89945111344458454662013-03-17T02:14:00.000-04:002013-03-17T02:14:01.627-04:00US Army Staff Sergeant Steven Blass<span style="color: #444444;">27-year-old US Army Staff Sgt. Steven P. Blass was one of five American soldiers killed on 11th March 2013 when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province.
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<span style="color: #444444;">SSgt Blass, from Iowa, served with the Georgia-based 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, part of the 3rd Infantry Division.
</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">The helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk, came down in heavy rain during a routine flight and crashed in the Daman district of Kandahar. All five crew members on board were killed. There was no reported enemy action in the area at the time of the accident.
</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">The other crew members killed were: Captain Sara Cullen (nee Knutson); Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Henderson; Staff Sgt. Marc Scialdo and Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-26514131488350706772013-03-16T23:53:00.000-04:002013-03-16T23:53:13.577-04:00British soldier killed in Afghanistan awarded Victoria Cross<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--j_Pp60q8Yc/UUU66Mc9ktI/AAAAAAAADu4/cRVN27OMbKc/s1600/Ashworth-james.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--j_Pp60q8Yc/UUU66Mc9ktI/AAAAAAAADu4/cRVN27OMbKc/s320/Ashworth-james.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">British Army Lance Corporal James Ashworth, aged 23, was killed in action during a fierce battle with Taliban fighters last year, on 13th June.
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<span style="color: #444444;">During the battle, L-Cpl Ashworth, who was leading a platoon of soldiers fighting their way through compounds in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand, was cut off from his unit. Killing three enemy fighters, L-Cpl Ashworth had put himself in the front line of fire to draw the enemy from other soldiers in his unit.
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<span style="color: #444444;">He died when a grenade was launched and exploded next to him.
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<span style="color: #444444;">His actions, and an incredible last stand that followed, persuaded senior officers to recommend him for the Victoria Cross.
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">The Victoria Cross - the highest military award in the UK - is given for 'most conspicuous bravery'. Only ten have been awarded since World War Two and only one other awarded during the Afghanistan War.
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<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2294638/James-Ashworth-The-Victoria-Cross-hero-charged-insurgents-Helmand-battle-protect-comrades.html" target="_blank"><b>Read the full story at The Daily Mail</b></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-38516505788108864212013-03-16T23:12:00.003-04:002013-03-16T23:12:48.479-04:00Second helicopter crash in a week kills one soldier<span style="color: #444444;">A NATO helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan on Saturday 16th March killing one of the crew members.
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<span style="color: #444444;">There was no reported enemy action in the area at the time of the crash.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">On Monday 11th March, a US Army UH-60 Blackhawk crashed in Kandahar province <a href="http://oefkia.blogspot.com/2013/03/five-killed-in-kandahar-helicopter-crash.html">killing five American crew members</a>.
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<span style="color: #444444;">More information to follow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291212770664887703.post-13117144990627194822013-03-16T11:29:00.001-04:002013-03-16T11:29:23.666-04:00US Army Captain Sara Cullen killed in helicopter crash<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aPn9IZ2QoE/UUSMwkeBhRI/AAAAAAAADuo/-IHQsKuX9ns/s1600/cullen-s-sml.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aPn9IZ2QoE/UUSMwkeBhRI/AAAAAAAADuo/-IHQsKuX9ns/s320/cullen-s-sml.jpg" /></a>
<span style="color: #444444;">US Army Captain Sara M. Cullen was among those killed on 11th March 2013 in a helicopter crash over Kandahar.
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<span style="color: #444444;">Capt. Cullen was one of the crew of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter flying above the Daman district of Kandahar during a heavy rainstorm when the aircraft crashed, killing all five US soldiers on board.
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<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">According to an announcement on the West Point website, Capt. Cullen (nee Knutson) had previously been based at Fort Wainwright in Alaska and had also deployed to Pakistan on a humanitarian mission. She deployed to Afghanistan in January.
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<span style="color: #444444;">She married a former Blackhawk pilot in November last year and he deployed to Afghanistan in February this year with a private contracting company.<br /><br />More information to follow.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2