Elgin-Based Staff Sgt. Among 6 Who Died In Afghanistan In Past 8 Days

Posted May 5, 2012 by Howard Altman

Updated May 5, 2012 at 04:25 PM

Six troops supporting Operation Enduring Freedom have died in the past eight days.

Staff Sgt. Zachary H. Hargrove, 32, of Wichita, Kan., died May 3 in Bagram, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 84th Explosive Ordnance Disposal, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

Capt. Bruce K. Clark, 43, Spencerport, N.Y., died May 1, in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan. Clark was assigned to A Company, Troop Command, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas.

Sgt. Nicholas M. Dickhut, 23, of Rochester, Minn., died April 30 in Zharay, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord,  Wash.

Pfc. Christian R. Sannicolas, 20, Anaheim, Calif., died April 28, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Sannicolas was assigned to 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Master Sgt. Scott E. Pruitt, 38, of Gautier, Miss., died April 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Staff Sgt. Andrew T. Brittonmihalo, 25, of Simi Valley, Calif., died April 25, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

There have now been 1,942 casualties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the nation’s longest war.