I Got the News Today: too much tragedy these days

Here is the 04/16/2007 and 04/17/2007 editions.  I  could not post this yesterday because so much grief happened that I was too stunned to finish the blog.  We need peace.  Iraq faces Virginia Tech tragedy on a constant basis.  It is time for violence to end both here and abroad. Back to I Got the News Today.

Crossposted at diatribune

Yesterday, the Department of Defense announced the names of two soldiers and one marine killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and three soldiers killed in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.  According to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count the number of names released by the DoD is now 3300 and there are 9 more names of the deceased awaiting notification of the next of kin before being publicly released.  

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

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

Sgt. Raymond S. Sevaaetasi, 29, of Pago Pago, American Samoa, died April 11 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

American Samoa Killed in Iraq

Leata Sevaaetasi said her son has been with the Army for nine years was on his second deployment. His first was late 2003 or early 2004 and he was redeployed last October, she said.
She last spoke to her more than a week ago. "Raymond told me - ‘I love you mom and give my love to my kids and wife and don’t worry’."
"Raymond is a very humble and quiet person and people that knows him, love him very much," she said. "He is very obedient from a young child even when he got married and had a family of his own."

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  They died April 12 in Miri, Afghanistan, when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device during combat operations.  They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Casey D. Combs, 28, of Auburn, Wash.

Sgt. David A. Stephens, 28, of Tullahoma, Tenn.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

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

Sgt. Larry R. Bowman, 29, of Granite Falls, N.C., died April 13 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.  Bowman was assigned to the 513th Transportation Company, 57th Transportation Battalion, 593rd Corps Support Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Santee, 21, of Mission Viejo, Calif., died April 14 from a non-hostile vehicle accident in Al Anbar province, Iraq.  Santee was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

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

Sgt. Edelman L. Hernandez, 23, of Hyattsville, Md., died April 11 in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, while on combat patrol.  The incident is under investigation.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

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

I Got the News Today is maintained by i dunno with Monkeybiz, silvercedes and myself helping out for awhile.  I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect and remind.  Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries.