IGTNT: You're My Best Friend

I Got the News Today (3/8/2007 Edition). Yesterday, the Department of Defense announced the name of seven soldiers killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  According to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count the number of names released by the DoD is now 3179 and there are nine more names of the deceased awaiting notification of the next of kin before being publicly released in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 371 deceased for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Ooo. You make me live

Whatever this world can give to me
It's you, you're all I see
Ooo, you make me live now honey

Ooo, you make me live
You're the best friend
that I ever had

I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine
And I want you to know

That my feelings are true
I really love you
You're my best friend.

You're My Best Friend

More after the flip.

"You were the first friend that I had when I got to Germany and one of the best friends I have ever had," wrote one. "I'm sorry I couldn't have been there for you this time. I wish I could have. I am so lost for words right now."

Soldier from Chesapeake reportedly killed in Iraq

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Mar. 3 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. They were assigned to the 630th Military Police Company, Bamberg, Germany.

Killed were:

Sgt. Brandon A. Parr, 25, of West Valley, Utah.

Sgt. Michael C. Peek, 23, of Chesapeake, Va.

Sgt. Ashly L. Moyer, 21, of Emmaus, Pa.

DoD News Release

"He was very funny; he made everyone feel good," she said. "He was the greatest husband and father."

Utah soldier who grew up in SLO killed in Iraq

"He told me they lost eight guys in one week," Deborah Harris said. "I asked him if he'd been there when it happened and he said, ‘Mom, you want to know the truth?’ And then he got real silent because he had."

Roadside bomb kills Pueblo soldier in Iraq

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Mar. 5 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their unit.

Killed were:

Spc. Blake Harris, 22, of Pueblo, Colo. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Spc. Ryan D. Russell, 20, of Elm City, N.C. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Pvt. Barry W. Mayo, 21, of Ecru, Miss. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

DoD News Release

Russell was aiding soldiers whose Humvee had been hit by a spring-loaded improvised explosive device when a second device went off, family friend Barbara Whitehead told The Daily Reflector of Greenville.

"Ryan was rushing to help his soldiers," Whitehead said, fighting back emotion. "As a mother, your heart just breaks whenever you hear this."

North Carolina Soldier Killed While Trying to Help Fellow Soldiers in Iraq

Becky Mayo of Ecru, the soldier's stepmother, told The Associated Press that an Army representative came to their home Monday and "all he told us was that Barry had been killed in the line of duty."

Explosion in Iraq kills 2nd soldier from Ecru

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Darrel D. Kasson, 43, of Florence, Ariz., died Mar. 4 in Tikrit, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle at Bayji, Iraq. He was assigned to the 259th Security Forces Company, Phoenix.  

DoD News Release

All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here or here.  They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here.

I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Click here for the previous diary in this series or click the igtnt tag.,  This diary series is maintained by Sandy On Signal, monkeybiz, silvercedes and myself.