Military deaths

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel who died in Afghanistan and Iraq or at a military hospital of their injuries:

Thomas J. Gramith, 27, of Eagan, Minn.; captain, Air Force. Gramith was one of two airmen killed July 17 when their F-15E fighter jet crashed near Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

Benjamin S. Kopp, 21, of Rosemount, Minn.; corporal, Army. Kopp died July 18 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington of injuries suffered July 10 when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Ryan H. Lane, 25, of Pittsburgh; sergeant, Marine Corps. Lane was killed in combat Thursday in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Brandon T. Lara, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Lara was killed in combat July 19 in Iraq’s Anbar province, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Jeremy S. Lasher, 27, of Oneida, N.Y.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Lasher was one of two Marines killed in combat Thursday in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Anthony M. Lightfoot, 20, of Riverdale, Ga.; specialist, Army. Lightfoot was among four soldiers killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle and their unit was then attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Afghanistan’s Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Mark R. McDowell, 26, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; captain, Air Force. McDowell was one of two airmen killed July 17 when their F-15E fighter jet crashed near Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

Raymundo P. Morales, 34, of Dalton, Ga.; specialist, Army National Guard. Morales was killed Tuesday when his vehicle overturned near Mehtar Lam in Afghanistan’s Laghman province, east of Kabul. He was assigned to the 148th Brigade Support Battalion in Cedartown, Ga.

Randy L.J. Neff Jr., 22, of Blackfoot, Idaho; specialist, Army. Neff was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Afghanistan’s Zabol province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Engineer Battalion at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Gregory Owens Jr., 24, of Garland, Texas; sergeant, Army. Owens was among four soldiers killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle and their unit was then attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Afghanistan’s Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Dennis J. Pratt, 34, of Duncan, Okla.; private first class, Army. Pratt was among four soldiers killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle and their unit was then attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Afghanistan’s Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Joshua J. Rimer, 24, of Rochester, Pa.; sergeant, Army. Rimer was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Afghanistan’s Zabol province, south of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Engineer Battalion at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Andrew J. Roughton, 21, of Houston; specialist, Army. Roughton was among four soldiers killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle and their unit was then attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Afghanistan’s Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Nicholas G. Xiarhos, 21, of Yarmouth Port, Mass.; corporal, Marine Corps. Xiarhos was one of two Marines killed in combat Thursday in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

--

Sources: Department of Defense and the Associated Press

--

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

War casualties

TOTAL U.S. DEATHS*

In and around Iraq: 4,332

In and around Afghanistan: 678

Other locations: 68

* Includes military and Department of Defense-employed civilian personnel killed in action and in nonhostile circumstances as of Friday

Source: Department of Defense