January 05, 2007
Friday PM

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today expressed sorrow for the loss of Alaskans, and soldiers based in Alaska, in the war on terror during 2006. According to the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, 11 Alaskans and 35 active duty service members stationed in Alaska died in operations related to the war on terror during 2006.

"Every life is precious and each death tragic," said Governor Palin. "This past year, many of our brave troops made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Words cannot express the grief and gratitude I feel for the men and women of our military who have died. They will forever be remembered for their sense of duty and honor."

The Alaska National Guard has more than 700 soldiers and airmen deployed overseas in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Alaska has more than 540 soldiers in Kuwait and 140 soldiers and 60 airmen in Afghanistan.

"Alaska is blessed with a highly skilled and motivated military," said Palin. "These men and women are proud to do their part in the global fight against terrorism. They have endured many heartbreaking losses this past year, but have also played key roles in numerous successes. While the politics of war create headlines here at home, our troops are walking through foreign neighborhoods every day trying to foster peace and a sense of security that only freedom can bring. I continue to pray for our military and express my deepest condolences to the family, friends and fellow service members of those who have fallen."

Military Casualties of 2006: Armed Service Members from Alaska:

1. Private First Class Joseph Love, 22, North Pole, Alaska Died: April 9th, 2006; in Iraq 94th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), 8th Sustainment Command (Theater) Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

2. First Lieutenant Jaime L. Campbell, 25, Fairbanks, Alaska Died: January 7, 2006; near Tal Afar, Iraq Company B, 1-207th Aviation, Alaska Army National Guard Bryant Army Guard Heliport, Alaska

3. Chief Warrant Officer Chester W. Troxel, 44, Anchorage, Alaska Died: January 7, 2006; near Tal Afar, Iraq Company B, 1-207th Aviation, Alaska Army National Guard Bryant Army Guard Heliport, Alaska

4. Specialist Michael I. Edwards, 26, Anchorage, Alaska Died: January 7, 2006; near Tal Afar, Iraq Company B, 1-207th Aviation, Alaska Army National Guard Bryant Army Guard Heliport, Alaska

5. Specialist Jacob E. Melson, 22, Wasilla, Alaska Died: January 7, 2006; near Tal Afar, Iraq Company B, 1-207th Aviation, Alaska Army National Guard Bryant Army Guard Heliport, Alaska

6. Sergeant First Class George W. Dauma, Jr., 37, Fairbanks, Alaska Died: July 20, 2006, U.S. Highway 98, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Camp Shelby Mississippi

7. Staff Sergeant William F. Brown, 54, Barrow, Alaska Died: July 20, 2006, U.S. Highway 98, Haittiesburg, Mississippi 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Camp Shelby, Mississippi

8. Specialist Shane Woods, 23, Palmer, Alaska Died: August 9, 2006, Ar Ramadi, Iraq 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division

9. Sergeant Mason Douglas Whetstone, 30, Ogden, Utah (grew up in Anchorage; Dimond High School graduate) Died: July 17, 2003; Baghdad, Iraq (non-combat related) 3rd Battalion, 58th Aviation (Forward), Hanau, Germany *Anchorage, Alaska is not listed as his hometown, but he did grow up and graduate high school in Alaska in 1990.

10. Corporal Michael H. Lasky, 22, Sterling, Alaska Died: October 26, 2006, Al Anbar Province, Iraq Marine Forces Reserves, 4th Recon Bn, 4th Marine Division Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

11. Private First Class Alan R. Blohm, 21, Kenai, Alaska Died: December 31, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

Military Casualties of 2006: Armed Service Members Stationed in Alaska

1. Technical Sergeant Jason Norton, 32, Miami, Oklahoma Died: January 22, 2006; Taji, Iraq 3rd Security Forces Squadron Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

2. Staff Sergeant Brian McElroy, 19, San Antonio, Texas Died: January 22, 2006; Taji, Iraq 3rd Security Forces Squadron Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

3. Sergeant Jeremy J. Boehmer, 22, Parkston, South Dakota Died: February 5th, 2006; Al Husayniyah, Iraq 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

4. Staff Sergeant Christopher R. Morningstar, 27, San Antonio, Texas Died: February 5th, 2006; Al Husayniyah, Iraq 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

5. Specialist Patrick W. Herried, 29, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Died: February 6th, 2006; near Rahwah, Iraq 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

6. Specialist Joshua Pearce, 21, Guymon, Oklahoma Died: February 26th, 2006; in Mosul, Iraq 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

7. Specialist Dustin Harris, 21, Bangor, Maine Died: April 6th, 2006; in Bayji, Iraq 172nd Brigade Support Battalion, 172nd, Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

8. Specialist Shawn R. Creighton, 21, Windsor, North Carolina Died: April 8th, 2006; in Rahwah, Iraq 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

9. Specialist Kenneth Hess, 24, Asheville, North Carolina Died: April 11th, 2006; in Rahwah Iraq 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

10. Private First Class Raymond Henry, 21, Anaheim, California Died: April 25th, 2006; in Mosul, Iraq 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

11. Staff Sergeant Mark A. Wall, 27, Alden, Iowa Died: April 27th, 2006; in Mosul, Iraq 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska 12. Specialist Aaron Latimer, 26, Enis, Texas Died: May 9th, 2006; Mosul, Iraq 562nd Engineer Company, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

13. Specialist Jeremy M. Loveless, 25, Estacada, Oregon Died: May 29th, 2006; Mosul, Iraq 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

14. Specialist Benjamin Mejia, 25, Salem, Massachusetts Died: May 31st, 2006; Mosul, Iraq 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

15. 2nd LT John Vaughan, 23, Edwards, Colorado Died: June 7th, 2006; Mosul, Iraq 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

16. Sergeant Bryan C. Luckey, 25, Tampa, Florida Died: June 29th, 2006; Mosul, Iraq 562nd Engineer Company, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

17. Sergeant Irving Hernandez, 18, New York, New York Died: July 12, 2006, Mosul, Iraq 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

18. Sergeant Brad Clemmons, 37, Chillicothe, Ohio Died: August 21, 2006, Taji, Iraq 354th Civil Engineer Squadron, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska 19. SSG Eugene Henry Eli Alex, 32, Bay City, Michigan Died: August 30, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Fort Wainwright, Alaska 20. SPC Alexander Jordan, 31, Miami, Florida Died: September 10, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Fort Richardson, Alaska

21. SGT David Joseph Davis, 32, Mount Airy, Maryland Died: September 17, 2006, Sadr City, Iraq 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Fort Wainwright, Alaska

22. SSG Jonathan Rojas, 27, Hammond, Ind. Died: October 3, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Fort Wainwright, Alaska

23. SGT Nicholas Sowinski, 25, Tempe, AZ Died: October 12, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Fort Wainwright, Alaska

24. SGT Kraig Foytek, 26, Skokie, Ill. Died: October 30, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 2nd Bn, 1st Inf. Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

25. SPC James Lee Bridges, 22, Buhl, Idaho Died: November 4, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 2nd Bn, 1st Inf. Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Ft. Wainwright, Alaska

26. SSG Henry W. Linck, 23, Manhattan, Kansas Died: December 7, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 3rd Bn, 509th Parachute Inf. Reg., 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Inf. Div. Fort Richardson, Alaska

27. SPC Micah S. Gifford, 27, Redding, California Died: December 7, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 3rd Bn, 509th Parachute Inf. Reg., 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Inf. Div. Fort Richardson, Alaska

28. SPC Philip C. Ford, 21, Freeport, Texas Died: December 10, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq C Co. 3rd Bn, 509th Parachute Inf. Reg., 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Inf. Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

29. SGT Brennan C. Gibson, 26, Tualatin, Oregon Died: December 10, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq C Co, 3rd Bn, 509th Parachute Inf. Reg., 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Inf. Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

30. PFC Shawn M. Murphy, 24, Fort Bragg, North Carolina Died: December 10, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq C Co. 3rd Bn, 509th Parachute Inf. Reg., 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Inf. Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

31. SGT Scott D. Dykman, 27, Helena, Montana Died: December 19, 2006, Jurf al Sakhar, Iraq 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

32. SSG. Jacob G. McMillan, 25, Lafayette, LA Died: December 20, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq HHC 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

33. SPC Douglas L. Tinsley, 21, Chester, S.C. Died: December 26, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

34. SPC Joseph A. Strong, 21, Lebanon, Indiana Died: December 26, 2006, Baghdad, Iraq 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

35. SPC Dustin Donica, 22, Spring, Texas Died: December 28, 2006 3rd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division Fort Richardson, Alaska

Source of News:

Office of the Governor
www.gov.state.ak.us

 

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