Gulf War II
Operation Iraqi Freedom

KILLED (KIA) 
DIED
CAPTURED (POW)
 MISSING (MIA)
Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN)

BIOGRAPHIES on POW's                                           REALITY CHECK

Most current information/latest casualties FIRST

Date of Announcement

 Names                                                         

Original 
Status

Status Change/
Date of Change  

Cause of Casualty

NEWS RELEASES from the 
United States Department of Defense
Media Contact: Army Public Affairs - (703) 692-2000
Public/Industry(703)428-0711

Pfc. Nathaniel A. Given, 21, of Dickinson, Texas.

They died Dec. 27 in Baghdad of wounds received from an improvised explosive device that detonated near them while on dismounted patrol. Both soldiers were assigned to 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade Combat Team, Fort Drum, N.Y. Killed were:

Sgt. Christopher P. Messer, 28, of Petersburg, Fla.

Pfc. Nathaniel A. Given, 21, of Dickinson, Texas.

Lance Cpl. Nicholas A. Miller, 20, of Silverwood, Mich.

Lance Cpl. William D. Spencer, 20, of Paris, Tenn.

Cpl. Christopher E. Esckelson, 22, of Vassar, Mich.

Lance Cpl. Nicholas A. Miller, 20, of Silverwood, Mich.

Lance Cpl. William D. Spencer, 20, of Paris, Tenn.

All three died on December 28 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Esckelson and Miller were assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Lansing, Mich. Spencer was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Nashville, Tenn.

Cpl. Joshua M. Schmitz, 21, of Spencer, Wis.

Lance Cpl. William C. Koprince Jr., 24, of Lenoir City, Tenn.

Schmitz died December 26 and Koprince on December 27 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Both Marines were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Spc. Douglas L. Tinsley, 21, of Chester, S.C.

Spc. Joseph A. Strong, 21, of Lebanon, Ind.

Spc. Douglas L. Tinsley, 21, of Chester, S.C.

The incident is under investigation.

Pfc. Wilson A. Algrim, 21, of Howell, Mich.

Pvt. Bobby Mejia II, Saginaw, Mich.

Spc. Chad J. Vollmer, 24, of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Pfc. Wilson A. Algrim, 21, of Howell, Mich.

Pvt. Bobby Mejia II, Saginaw, Mich.

Spc. Joshua D. Sheppard, 22, of Quinton, Okla., died Dec. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his patrol came in contact with the enemy using small arms fire. Sheppard was assigned to the 642nd Engineer Support Company, 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y. For more information about this soldier the media can contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-5461.

Sgt. Curtis L. Norris, 28, of Dansville, Mich., died Dec. 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Norris was assigned to the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y. For more information about this soldier the media can contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-5461.

Spc. John Barta, 25, of Corpus Christi, Texas, died Dec. 23 in Buhritz, Iraq, of wounds suffered from indirect enemy fire during combat operations. Barta was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. For more information about this soldier the media can contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993.

Pvt. Evan A. Bixler, 21, of Racine, Wis., died Dec. 24 in Hit, Iraq, of wounds suffered from enemy indirect fire during security operations. Bixler was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Baumholder, Germany. For more information about this soldier the media can contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 011-49-611-705-4859.

Pfc. Eric R. Wilkus, 20, of Hamilton, N.J., died Dec. 25 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of a non-combat related injury Dec. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq. Wilkus was assigned to the 57th Military Police Company, 8th Military Police Brigade, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The incident is under investigation. For more information about this soldier the media can contact the 25th Infantry Division public affairs office at (808) 655-4815 or (808) 655-8729.

Spc. John Barta, 25, of Corpus Christi, Texas

Lance Cpl. Ryan L. Mayhan, 25, of Hawthorne, Calif.

Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Burgess, 21, of Sanford, Mich.

Lance Cpl. Ryan L. Mayhan, 25, of Hawthorne, Calif.

Burgess and Mayhan died Dec. 21 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Spc. Matthew J. Stanley, 22, of Wolfeboro Falls, N.H.

Staff Sgt. David R. Staats, 30, of Pueblo, Colo, died Dec. 16 in Taji, Iraq.

Spc. Matthew J. Stanley, 22, of Wolfeboro Falls, N.H., died Dec. 16 in Taji, Iraq.

Pfc. Seth M. Stanton, 19, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died Dec. 17 in Balad, Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Henry K. Kahalewai, 43, of Hilo, Hawaii, died Dec. 15 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, of wounds suffered Nov. 21 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.

Pfc. Joe L. Baines, 19, of Newark, N.J., died Dec. 16 at Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Lance Cpl. Luke C. Yepsen, 20, of Kingwood, Texas.

Lance Cpl. Matthew W. Clark, 22, of St. Louis, Mo.

Lance Cpl. Luke C. Yepsen, 20, of Kingwood, Texas.

Both Marines died December 14 due to injuries suffered from enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Clark was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Yepsen was assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Lance Cpl. Nicklas J. Palmer, 19, of Leadville, Colo.

Capt. Kevin M. Kryst, 27, of West Bend, Wis.

Palmer died Dec. 16 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Kryst died Dec. 18 from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Capt. Kevin M. Kryst, 27, of West Bend, Wis.

Pfc. Roger A. Suarez-Gonzalez, 21 of Miami.

Pfc. Albert M. Nelson, 31, of Philadelphia.

Pfc. Roger A. Suarez-Gonzalez, 21 of Miami.

The incident is under investigation.

Spc. Ahmed K. Altaie, 41, of Ann Arbor, Mich., was declared missing-captured on Dec. 11.

On Oct. 23, Altaie was categorized as DUSTWUN when he allegedly was kidnapped while on his way to visit family in Baghdad, Iraq. The soldier is assigned to the Provincial Reconstruction Team Baghdad.

Efforts continue to obtain the successful and safe return of Altaie.

For further information related to the situation, contact the Coalition Press Information Center-Baghdad at (703) 270-0299 or (703) 270-0320.

Change-in-status questions can be directed to Shari Lawrence, deputy public affairs officer, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Alexandria, Va., at (703) 325-8856.

For the public affairs officer assisting Altaie's family, contact the Michigan National Guard public affairs office, at (517) 481-8140.

Spc. Philip C. Ford, 21, of Freeport, Texas.

Pfc. Shawn M. Murphy, 24, of Fort Bragg, N.C.

Sgt. Brennan C. Gibson, 26, of Tualatin, Ore.

Spc. Philip C. Ford, 21, of Freeport, Texas.

Pfc. Shawn M. Murphy, 24, of Fort Bragg, N.C.

Cpl. Matthew V. Dillon, 25, of Aiken, S.C.

Lance Cpl. Clinton J. Miller, 23, of Greenfield, Iowa

Lance Cpl. Budd M. Cote, 21, of Marana, Ariz.

Cpl. Matthew V. Dillon, 25, of Aiken, S.C.

Lance Cpl. Clinton J. Miller, 23, of Greenfield, Iowa

All three Marines died Dec. 11 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.

Spc. Micah S. Gifford, 27, of Redding, Calif.

Staff Sgt. Henry W. Linck, 23, of Manhattan, Kan.

Spc. Micah S. Gifford, 27, of Redding, Calif.

Spc. Vincent J. Pomante III, 22, of Westerville, Ohio.

Capt. Travis L. Patriquin, 32, of Texas.

Spc. Vincent J. Pomante III, 22, of Westerville, Ohio.

Cpl. Jason I. Huffman, 23, of Conover, N.C.

Spc. Joshua B. Madden, 21, of Sibley, La.

Spc. Yari Mokri, 26, of Pflugerville, Texas.

Pfc. Travis C. Krege, 24, of Cheektowaga, N.Y.

Sgt. Jesse J.J. Castro, 22, of Chalan Pago, American Samoa.

Cpl. Jason I. Huffman, 23, of Conover, N.C.

Spc. Joshua B. Madden, 21, of Sibley, La.

Spc. Yari Mokri, 26, of Pflugerville, Texas.

Pfc. Travis C. Krege, 24, of Cheektowaga, N.Y.

Castro, Huffman, Madden and Krege were all assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Mokri was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

Cpl. Billy B. Farris, 20, of Bapchule, Ariz., died Dec. 3 in Taji, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while conducting escort operations. Farris was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Sgt. Jay R. Gauthreaux, 26, of Thibodaux, La., died Dec. 4 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in Baqubah, Iraq, when in improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol. Gauthreaux was assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Staff Sgt. Robert L. Love Jr., 28, of Meridian, Miss., died Dec. 1 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Love was assigned to the 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, Germany.

Spc. Marco L. Miller, 36, of Longwood, Fla., died Dec. 5 at Landstuhl Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered Dec. 3 in Taji, Iraq, from enemy indirect fire while conducting an escort mission. Miller was assigned to the 3rd Battalion Support Company, 20th Special Forces Group, Camp Blanding, Fla.

Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va.

Maj. Joseph T. McCloud, 39, of Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.

Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va.

Both Marines died Dec. 3 when the CH-46 helicopter they were in crashed in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Spc. Bryan T. McDonough, 22, of Maplewood, Minn.

Spc. Corey J. Rystad, 20, of Red Lake Falls, Minn.

CASUALTIES in Iraq by date of Loss

May 30, 2003 - July 30, 2003