U.S. Military Deaths in Afghanistan

As of Thursday, May 31, 2012, at least 1,998 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan as a result of the invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to iCasualties.org.

Since the start of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, 16,253 U.S. service members have been wounded as of May 31, 2012, according to iCasualties.org.

Latest identifications:

Army Capt. Bruce K. Clark, 43, Spencerport, N.Y., died May 1, 2012 in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of noncombat causes. He was assigned to A Company, Troop Command, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas.

Army Spc. Junot M. L. Cochilus, 34, Charlotte, N.C., died May 2, 2012 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Army 2nd Lt. David E. Rylander, 23, Stow, Ohio, died May 2, 2012 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Army Staff Sgt. Zachary H. Hargrove, 32, Wichita, Kan., died May 3, 2012 in Bagram, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 84th Explosive Ordnance Disposal, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

Army Master Sgt. Gregory L. Childs, 38, Warren, Ark., died May 4, 2012 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.

Army Staff Sgt. Thomas K. Fogarty, 30, Alameda, Calif., died May 6, 2012 in Ahmad-Kheyl, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Marine Corps Sgt. John P. Huling, 25, West Chester, Ohio, died May 6, 2011 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. His death was originally reported by the International Security Assistance Force, which characterized it as the result of gunshot wounds inflicted by an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform.

Army Pfc. Dustin D. Gross, 19, Jeffersonville, Ky., died May 7, 2012 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Spc. Chase S. Marta, 24, Chico, Calif., died May 7, 2012 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Sgt. Jacob M. Schwallie, 22, Clarksville, Tenn., died May 7, 2012 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army 1st Lt. Alejo R. Thompson, 30, Yuma, Ariz., died May 11, 2012 in Bagram, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Marine Corps Sgt. Wade D. Wilson, 22, Normangee, Texas, died May 11, 2012 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Army Spc. Alex Hernandez III, 21, Round Rock, Texas, was found dead in his room May 12, 2012 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.

Army Staff Sgt. Israel P. Nuanes, 38, Las Cruces, N.M., died May 12, 2012 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained during an enemy attack with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 741st Ordnance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas, part of the 84th Ordnance Battalion, 71st Ordnance Group.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jorge Luis Velasquez, 35, Houston, Texas, died May 12, 2012 of injuries sustained in a fall from a balcony in Manama, Bahrain. He was an operations specialist assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 56 in Bahrain, which conducts maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

Army Pfc. Richard L. McNulty III, 22, Rolla, Mo., died May 13, 2012 in Bowri Tana, Afghanistan, when the enemy attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Army Sgt. Brian L. Walker, 25, Lucerne Valley, Calif., died May 13, 2012 in Bowri Tana, Afghanistan, when the enemy attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Army Sgt. Michael J. Knapp, 28, Overland Park, Kan., died May 18, 2012 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an indirect fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Army Sgt. Jabraun S. Knox, 23, Fort Wayne, Ind., died May 18, 2012 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an indirect fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Army Spc. Samuel T. Watts, 20, Wheaton, Ill., died May 19, 2012 in Bethesda, Md., of wounds sustained April 25 in Zharay, Afghanistan, when he was attacked with an enemy 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.

Army 2nd Lt. Tobias C. Alexander, 30, Lawton, Okla., died May 20, 2012 in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 168th Brigade Support Battalion, 214th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill, Okla.

Army Capt. Jesse A. Ozbat, 28, Prince George, Va., died May 20, 2012 in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 168th Brigade Support Battalion, 214th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill, Okla.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class (SW) Ryan J. Wilson, 26, Shasta, Calif., died May 20, 2012 in Manama, Bahrain, of complications associated with a medical condition. He was a Navy Intelligence Specialist assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters in Bahrain.

Army National Guard Spc. Arronn D. Fields, 27, Terre Haute, Ind., died May 21, 2012 in Qal-ah-ye Mirza Jal, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenades. He was assigned to the 81st Troop Command, Indiana National Guard, Indianapolis, Ind.

Army 2nd Lt. Travis A. Morgado, 25, San Jose, Calif., died May 23, 2012 in Zharay, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his patrol with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Marine Corps Cpl. Keaton G. Coffey, 22, Boring, Ore., died May 24, 2012 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Law Enforcement Battalion, 1st Marine Headquarters Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Army Pfc. Cale C. Miller, 23, Overland Park, Kansas, died May 24, 2012 in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Army Staff Sgt. Roberto Loeza, 28, El Paso, Texas, died May 25, 2012 in Charkh, Logar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Spc. Vilmar Galarza Hernandez, 21, Salinas, Calif., died May 26, 2012 in Zharay, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Steven G. Sutton, 24, Leesburg, Ga., died May 26, 2012 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Navy Hospitalman Eric D. Warren, Shawnee, Okla., died May 26, 2012 of wounds received in action due to an improvised explosive device blast in Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, 1st Marine Division (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Pfc. Leroy Deronde III, 22, Jersey City, New Jersey, died May 27, 2012 in Chaki Wardak district, Wardak province, Afghanistan, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. He was assigned to F Company, 125th Brigade Support Battalion attached to 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Spc. Kedith L. Jacobs, 21, Denver, Colo., died May 27, 2012 in Chaki Wardak district, Wardak province, Afghanistan, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Spc. Tofiga J. Tautolo, 23, Wilmington, Calif., died May 27, 2012 in Bati Kot, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked with an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Army Capt. John R. “Jay” Brainard, 26, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, died May 28, 2012 in Kabul, Afghanistan, when his AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed while on patrol. He was a helicopter pilot assigned to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Ansbach-Katterbach, Germany.

Marine Corps Sgt. Julian C. Chase, 22, Edgewater, Md., died May 28, 2012 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 John C. Pratt, 51, Springfield, Va., died May 28, 2012 in Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his helicopter crashed. He was assigned to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Ansbach-Katterbach, Germany.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class (EXW) Sean E. Brazas, Greensboro, N.C., died May 30, 2012 while conducting combat operations in Panjwa’l, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Naval Base Kitsap Security Detachment in Bremerton, Wash.

Army Cpl. Nicholas H. Olivas, 20, Fairfield, Ohio, died May 30, 2012 in Zharay, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joshua E. Witsman, 23, Covington, Ind., died May 30, 2012 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Army Staff Sgt. Alexander G. Povilaitis, 47, Dawsonville, Ga., died May 31, 2012 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when the enemy attacked with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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Related reports

Army Nurse in Afghanistan Dies While Skyping with Wife

A U.S. Army carry team transfers the remains of Army Capt. Bruce K. Clark, of Spencerport, N.Y., at Dover Air Force Base, Del., May 3, 2012. (Photo credit: U.S. Air Force / Roland Balik)

The Associated Press via MSNBC.com
May 4, 2012

HOUSTON — The Texas-based wife of an Army nurse serving in Afghanistan witnessed her husband’s death as the two video chatted via Skype, his family said Friday.

The circumstances of Capt. Bruce Kevin Clark’s death on Monday were not immediately available.

An Army spokesman, however, said it is believed that Clark died of natural causes and that an autopsy is being conducted to make a final determination, according to CNN.

“We believe his death was from natural causes,” CNN quoted Clarence Davis, a spokesman for the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, where Clark was based, as saying. …

“Bruce’s wife tragically witnessed her husband’s death during one of their regular Skype video-chats on Monday,” Bradley Taber-Thomas, Clark’s brother-in-law, said in a prepared statement. “At the time of the incident, the family was hoping for a rescue and miracle, but later learned that it was not to be.”

Clark, a clinical staff nurse who had worked in the ICU at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, was deployed in March. Yobeta said he was stationed in Tarin Kot, Afghanistan.

Clark is survived by his wife and two daughters, age 3 and 9.

Taber-Thomas said the soldier’s body was returned Thursday to Dover Air Force Base.

“Although the circumstances were unimaginable, Bruce’s wife and extended family will be forever thankful that he and his wife were together in his last moments,” he said. …

Full story

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Capt. Bruce Kevin Clark

Was he shot? Wife of Army captain whose husband died in Afghanistan as they chatted on Skype says she saw a bullet hole behind him after he collapsed

Capt. Clark leaves behind his wife Susan Orellana-Clark and two children aged 3 and 9 (Photo credit: Facebook via Daily Mail)

The Daily Mail
May 7, 2012

The wife of a US Army captain who died while he was on Skype with her says she saw a bullet hole in the closet behind him after he collapsed.

An Army spokesman says medic Bruce Kevin Clark died of natural causes while he was serving in Afghanistan.

His wife, Susan Orellana-Clark, made a statement on Sunday saying she doubts that assessment.

‘(Capt) Clark was suddenly knocked forward,’ Mrs Clark said in remarks released by her brother.

‘The closet behind him had a bullet hole in it. The other individuals, including a member of the military, who rushed to the home of Capt Clark’s wife also saw the hole and agreed it was a bullet hole.’

Mrs Clark sat in in El Paso, Texas, and watched the computer screen helplessly for two hours on Monday as she frantically tried to contact her husband’s colleagues 8,000 miles away in Afghanistan to get him help.

Finally, two Army personnel arrived in Capt Clark’s room and checked his pulse. They did not, however, tell Mrs Clark what had happened to her husband, the family said.

A spokesman at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in Texas, where Capt Clark was stationed, told MailOnline on Friday that the officer’s death came from natural causes and was not combat-related or suicide.

Mrs Clark said she decided to go public with the bullet hole detail ‘to honor my husband and dispel the inaccurate information and supposition promulgated by other parties.’

Capt Clark was chatting online with his wife, he suddenly looked ‘alarmed’ and disappeared from his wife’s computer screen during a conversation on Monday, according to an Army spokesman.

‘Mrs Clark was Skypeing from the family home here in El Paso with her husband when he all of a sudden fell away from the computer keyboard and fell out of sight,’ said Colonel John Modell.

‘He assumed an alarmed look and fell back out of the picture,’ he continued. …

A Facebook page has been created in Clark’s honor and tributes have been flooding in. …

Full story

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Investigators: Army Nurse in Afghanistan Did Not Die of Bullet Wound

Rebecca Ruiz and The Associated Press

May 7, 2012

Captain Bruce Kevin Clark, an Army nurse who died while on Skype with his wife, did not die of a bullet wound, U.S. military officials said. Investigators say Clark apparently died of natural causes.

“We can positively say that Captain Clark was not shot,”Chris Grey, a spokesperson for U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, said in a statement. “We do not suspect foul play in the death of Captain Clark at this point in our ongoing investigation.”

During a Skype conversation, Clark suddenly pitched forward and was unresponsive. His nose had been bloodied, apparently when his head slammed into the table or computer keyboard after collapsing. Clark’s family said Sunday they believed he had died of a gunshot wound.

Clark’s family released a statement describing what his wife saw in the video feed recording her husband’s death in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.

“Clark was suddenly knocked forward,” the statement said. “The closet behind him had a bullet hole in it. The other individuals, including a member of the military, who rushed to the home of CPT Clark’s wife also saw the hole and agreed it was a bullet hole.”

But no bullet wound was found in Clark’s body, Grey said Monday. Investigators “found no trauma to the body beyond minor abrasions and a possible broken nose most likely caused from Captain Clark striking his face on his desk when he collapsed,” Grey said. …

Military officials have told NBC News that Clark died of an apparent massive heart attack. Grey says an autopsy is being done to determine the cause of death.

Full story