Florida Soldier Among 8 U.S. Service Members Who Died This Week Supporting OEF

Posted Oct 16, 2011 by Howard Altman

Updated Oct 16, 2011 at 07:57 PM

A Florida man was among eight U.S. service members who died this week supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Jeremiah T. Sancho, 23, of Palm Bay, Fla., died Oct. 13 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Staff Sgt. Robert B. Cowdrey, 39, of Atwater, Ohio, died Oct. 13 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered during combat operations.  He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Lance Cpl. Scott D. Harper, 21, of Winston, Ga., died Oct. 13 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C

Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Michael R. Tatham, 33, of University Place, Wash., was involved in a fatal motorcycle accident, Oct. 12, while on rest and recuperation leave from supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Bali, Indonesia.  Tatham was assigned to a West Coast based Naval Special Warfare unit.

Staff Sgt. Nathan L. Wyrick, 34, of Enumclaw, Wash., died Oct. 10 in Kandahar province.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Wyrick was posthumously promoted.

Chief Warrant Officer James B. Wilke, 38, of Ione, Calif. died Oct.10, in Doha, Qatar.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Two soldiers died Oct. 8, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with a rocket propelled grenade.  They were assigned to the1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

          Killed were:

        Capt. Joshua S. Lawrence, 29, of Nashville, Tenn. and
        Capt. Drew E. Russell, 25, of Scotts, Mich.

There have now been 1,789 U.S. service members who have died supportingf Operation Enduring Freedom.