45 U.S. Service Members Die in Bloody Week

Posted Aug 7, 2011 by Howard Altman

Updated Aug 7, 2011 at 08:38 PM

This week saw the bloodiest day of Operation Enduring Freedom and the deadliest day in the history of U.S. Special Operations Command. Thirty U.S. service members – 22 of the Navy SEALs – were killed when the Chinook helicopter they were riding was shot down by the Taliban. And in addition to those casualties, 15 other service members were killed in Afghanistan.

Spc. Mark J. Downer, 23, of Warner Robins, Ga. died Aug. 5, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Spc. Jinsu Lee, 34, of Chatsworth, Calif. died Aug. 5, in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Sgt. Daniel D. Gurr, 21, of Vernal, Utah, died Aug. 5 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), Okinawa, Japan.

Sgt. Anthony Del Mar Peterson, 24, of Chelsea, Okla., died Aug. 4 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard, Tulsa, Okla.

Capt. Waid C. Ramsey, 41, of Red Bay, Ala., died Aug. 4 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire.  He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Birmingham, Ala.

Two soldiers died died Aug. 3 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.  They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

        Killed were:

        Pfc. Cody G. Baker, 19, of Holton, Kan.
        Pfc. Gil I. Morales Del Valle, 21, of Jacksonville, Fla.

Spc. Barun Rai, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., died Aug. 3 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover.  He was assigned to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 18th Engineer Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

Staff Sgt. Kirk A. Owen, 37, of Sapulpa, Okla., died Aug. 2 in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard.

Staff Sgt. Patrick R. Dolphin, 29, of Moscow, Pa., Sgt. Dennis E. Kancler, 26, of Brecksville, Ohio, and Sgt. Christopher M. Wrinkle, 29, of Dallastown, Pa., died July 31 while supporting combat operations in Herat province, Afghanistan.

Dolphin, Kancler and Wrinkle were assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Staff Sgt. Leon H. Lucas Jr., 32, of Wilson, N.C., died Aug. 1 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Pfc. Brice M. Scott, 22, of Columbus, Ga., died July 31 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

Sgt. William B. GrossPaniagua, 28, of Daly City, Calif., died July 31 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Not counting those killed aboard the Chinook, there have now been 1,675 casualties in Operation Enduring Freedom. I will add those on the chopper as their names come in.