Tonight, we have four soldiers to honor. All were killed in Afghanistan. Since 2001, there have been 1185 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since 2003, there have been 4412 American troops killed in Iraq. Please take a moment to honor their sacrifice.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.
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DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Staff Sgt. Jesse W. Ainsworth, 24, of Dayton, Texas, died July 10 near Walakan, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
Staff Sgt. Jesse Ainsworth was destined to be in the Army.
From the Houston Chronicle:
"I think he was just born to be a leader. He just needed the right platform," said his sister, Rebecca Smith. "I definitely feel that he was made to be a soldier."
"He sacrificed a lot before he ever sacrificed his life," Smith said. "I can't imagine having to do that."
Fellow soldiers recalled a man who remained calm in the face of intense battles. A fellow soldier, 1st Sgt. Robert Preusser, was impressed with him while in Iraq. From the Chronicle:
"He always performed exceptionally. There was no doubt this soldier was destined to be a leader," Preusser said.
"Not only was he a physical stud, who never seemed to wear down, but he did his job while making everyone else laugh," said Preusser, who left the unit before it was sent to Afghanistan
Ainsworth joined the Army in 2005. He served two tours of duty in Iraq before going to Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Jesse Ainsworth is survived by his wife, Sarah, and two daughters, Lexie (age 3) and Lana Rose (age 6 months), his parents and two sisters. My deepest condolences to the family.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Sgt. Donald R. Edgerton, 33, of Murphy, N.C., died July 10 near Char Dara, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
Sgt. Donald Edgerton was known as "Rocky" to his family and friends. He was killed the day after his 33rd birthday. It was also just one day after receiving the Bronze Star for Valor for saving several soldiers' lives during a convoy attack. His father remembered him as a dedicated and committed soldier. He told the local hometown newspaper in western North Carolina, the Cherokee Scout:
“Rocky is not gone unless we let him go. His life has left us with joy. He enjoyed life,” Edgerton said.
“Ever since 9/11 he wanted to do something, but he had a family and a little girl,” Edgerton said.
Three years ago, Edgerton decided to enlist. He was sent to sniper school because of his precision with a rifle.
“He was the top gun at sniper school,” Edgerton said, adding, “He was deployed as a senior sniper in Afghanistan.”
This was Edgerton's second deployment. The first was in Iraq.
Sgt. Edgerton leaves behind his wife, twelve year old daughter and both parents.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Joseph W. Dimock II, 21, of Wildwood, Ill, died July 10 in Salerno, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident when an explosion occurred in an ammunition holding facility during an inventory. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.
Spc. Joseph Dimock enlisted in the Army after graduation from Warren Township High School in 2007. He was on his third tour of duty; one in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, when he was killed by an ammunition explosion. His parents issued a written statement to the Daily Herald:
"Together with Joey's brothers, our sons Louis and Michael, our hearts are heavy with grief, yet at the same time filled with love for Joey and with pride in Joey's service to our nation," said his parents, Joseph and Ellen Dimock,
Lt. Col. Mike Foster remembered Spc. Joseph Dimock:
"Ranger Dimock represented everything right with America. He was an incredibly talented young man, who volunteered to serve his nation in a time of war and ultimately gave his life in support of her cause," said Lt. Col. Mike Foster, the 1st Ranger battalion commander.
"His loss is felt across the entire battalion and our thoughts and prayers are with the Dimock family."
Funeral arrangements are pending. Deepest condolences to the Dimock family.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Pfc. Anthony W. Simmons, 25, of Tallahassee, Fla., died July 8 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
There is very little information at this time on Pfc. Anthony Simmons, except for a few friends who remembered him as a fun loving guy. His nickname was Ant. From the Tallahassee www.wctv.tv:
"He's funny. He always had crazy little gestures. He's the loud guy, you always hear the loud guy. You could hear him talking a mile away," said Tony Williams, Simmons' long time friend.
"He didn't have any problems making friends. He'd make a friend in a heartbeat. Never afraid to talk to strangers, he was wide open to anybody he met," added Williams.
Ths was Pfc. Simmons first tour of duty. He was with the 101st Airborne Division. His brother is also serving with the same brigade in Afghanistan and accompanied Ant's body home. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Deepest condolences to all family and friends.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here and here. They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here. I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect and remind. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries.
Click the IGTNT tags to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, a girl in MI, Spam Nunn, JeNoCo, Janos Nation, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Ms Wings, and me, Sandy on Signal.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.