2 Florida Soldiers Among 13 Who Died This Week Supporting Operation Enduring Freedom

Posted Apr 28, 2012 by Howard Altman

Updated Apr 28, 2012 at 04:54 PM

Two soldiers from Florida were among 13 U.S. troops who died last week supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Brandon F. Eggleston, 29, of Candler, N.C., and Sgt. Dick A. Lee Jr., 31, of Orange Park, Fla., died April 26 in Ghazni province from injuries sustained when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Eggleston was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C. and Lee Jr. was assigned to 95th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Sembach, Germany.

Lt. Christopher E. Mosko, 28, of Pittsford, N.Y., died April 26 while conducting combat operations in Nawa district, Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Mosko was assigned as a Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Platoon Commander to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Afghanistan. Mosko was stationed at EOD Mobile Unit 3, San Diego, Calif.

Spc. Moises J. Gonzalez, 29, Huntington, Calif., died April 25, in Balkh province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle rolled over. Gonzalez was assigned to the 509th Combat Service Support Company, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

Spc. Jason K. Edens, 22, of Franklin, Tenn., died April 26, in Bethesda, Md., of wounds sustained April 15, in Laghman province, Afghanistan, when the enemy attacked his unit with small arms fire. Edens was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Spc. Benjamin H. Neal, 21, of Orfordville, Wis., died April 25 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Spc. Manuel J. Vasquez, 22, of West Sacramento, Calif., died April 24 in Paktika province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany.

Chief Warrant Officer Nicholas S. Johnson, 27, of San Diego, Calif., Chief Warrant Officer Don C. Viray, 25, of Waipahu, Hawaii and Sgt. Chris J. Workman, 33, of Boise, Idaho died April 19, in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed. The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.

1st Lt. Jonathan P. Walsh, 28, Cobb, Ga. and Pfc. Michael J. Metcalf, 22, Boynton Beach, Fla. died April 22 in Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Staff Sgt. Joseph H. Fankhauser, 30, of Mason, Texas, died April 22 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

There have now been 1,936 casualties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, this nation’s longest war.