11 Troops Died This Week In Afghanistan, Including 6 Marines In A Chopper Crash

Posted Jan 21, 2012 by Howard Altman

Updated Jan 21, 2012 at 11:23 PM

Saturday afternoon, the Department of Defense released the names of six Marines killed Jan. 19 in a helicopter crash in Helmand province, Afghanistan. They were among 11 U.S. troops killed this week.

The Marines killed in the crash were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Killed were:
              Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, 27, of Ferndale, Wash.
              Capt. Nathan R. McHone, 29, of Crystal Lake, Ill.
              MSgt. Travis W. Riddick, 40, of Centerville, Iowa.
              Cpl. Jesse W. Stites, 23, of North Beach, Md.
              Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard, 25, of Colonia, N.J.
              Cpl. Joseph D. Logan, 22, of Willis, Texas.

Cpl. Phillip D. McGeath, 25, Glendale, Ariz.., died Jan. 18 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Spc. Keith D. Benson, 27, of Brockton, Mass., died Jan. 18, in Paktika province, Afghanistan.  The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany.

Two Marines died Jan. 15 conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

        Killed were:

        Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, 22, of Tulsa, Okla.  He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.       
        Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran, 20, of Wilder, Idaho.  He assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin B. Wise, 34, of Little Rock, Ark., died Jan. 15 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries sustained on Jan. 9 in Balkh province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire.  He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

There have now been 1,867 casualties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom