Died: March 7, 2010 in Konar province, Afghanistan
Pvt. Nicholas S. Cook of Hungry Horse, Montana graduated early from Columbia Falls High School in 2008. Nick was scheduled to come home for a visit in just two weeks and had plans to go to Alaska to snowboard for a few days. Snowboarding was his life. That and the Army. He first became interested in the military just after high school and decided to join for the opportunity to travel and gain experience in life. Nick died at age 19 in Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.
Army
2nd Battalion
503rd Infantry Regiment
173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team
Camp Ederle, Italy
To be updated…
Born July 20, 1988
Died March 5, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Alan joined the United States Army in June of 2007 and reported to Fort Drum, New York in January of 2008. In July of 2009 he deployed to Afghanistan with the 630th Engineer Company (Clearance), 7th Engineer Battalion (Combat Effects), 20th Engineer Brigade (Combat) (Airborne). Alan was a vehicle mechanic and his job was to upkeep and repair the vehicles that searched for and destroyed IED’s. On March 5, 2010, Alan was riding in a vehicle near the Taliban stronghold of Marjah when it hit an improvised explosive device. He died in the medical helicopter while being transported to the hospital. Alan had planned on making the military his career, having just reenlisted for seven years. He hoped to become a helicopter mechanic after his tour of duty in Afghanistan was over in July 2010.
To be updated.
Died: March 4, 2010 in Gereshk, Afghanistan
Spc. Anthony A. Paci of Rockville, Maryland died at age 30 at Gereshk, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered during a vehicle rollover.
Army
1st Battalion
17th Infantry
5th Brigade
2nd Infantry Division
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Died: March 4, 2010 in Helmand, Afghanistan
Lance Cpl. Nigel K. Olsen of Orem, Utah attended Mountain View High School graduating in 2007 and later pursued some classes at Utah Valley University. As early as age three, Nigel already knew he wanted to serve in the military. After graduation from high school he realized that lifelong dream of joining the Marines. His only complaint was that once he was in the war zone, he wasn’t involved in as much of the combat as he would have preferred. It turned out that he would ultimately be right smack in the middle of battle. At home, he enjoyed playing his Xbox and sunday dinners at his mom’s house. Nigel also had a deep love for his country and a passion for reading, especially history books, often getting his reading material at the library. He died at age 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Marines
4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve
Camp Pendleton, California
To be updated…
Died March 1, 2010 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan
Spc. Josiah D. Crumpler of Hillsborough, North Carolina is survived by his wife, Shana, and two children, Hannah and Seth, his parents, Pam Plummer Crumpler and Dennis Wayne Crumpler, brothers Micah and John, sister Joy, paternal grandmother, Joyce Pate Crumpler, aunts Candace Crim, Darlene Andrey, Christy Gandy, and an uncle Chris Plummer. Josiah died at age 27 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires.
Army
1st Battalion
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
82nd Airborne Division
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Burial will be at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Princeton, North Carolina
To be updated…
Born 1984
Died March 1, 2010 in Afghanistan
Spc. Ian Gelig, 25, of Stevenson Ranch, California, was a 2002 graduate of William S. Hart High School. He enlisted in the Army in October of 2006 and took his basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After attending Basic Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, Ian reported to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Assigned to the 126th Transportation Company, Ian was stationed in Kuwait beginning in July of 2007 for a 15-month time period. In August of 2009 he deployed to Afghanistan, assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, from Fort Bragg. He was killed in action on March 1 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Spc. Gelig’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Basic Parachutist Badge. His parents, Tim and Delia Gelig, and his two sisters, Vanessa and Liana Gelig, survive him.
Lance Cpl. Eric L. Ward, 19, of Redmond, Wash., died Feb. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
to be updated….
Pfc. JR Salvacion, 27, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, died Feb. 21 at Senjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
to be updated….
Died: February 21, 2010 in Helmand province, Afghanistan
Lance Cpl. Matthias N. Hanson of Buffalo, Kentucky attended Greenville High School before moving to moved to Hodgenville, Kentucky in 2005 where he graduated from Larue County High School in 2008. While at Larue he was a member of the football team and the Technology Student Association. He joined the Marines in 2007 following a long family history of military service. His father had served in the Gulf War, his stepfather in Vietnam. His brother currently is serving in the Army. And the family has relatives who served in both World Wars. Matt is the son of Mary Huff and Larry, and Lowell Hanson II and Cynthia. He also has three sisters, Megan, Samantha and Erika, and two brothers, Lowell Hanson III who is currently stationed in Germany and Brendan Huff. Matt died at age 20 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Marines
3rd Battalion
6th Marine Regiment
2nd Marine Division
II Marine Expeditionary Force
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Burial is at Perkins Family Cemetery in Buffalo, Kentucky
To be updated….
Born March 31, 1980 in Riverside Co. California
Died Feb. 20, 2010 in Kunar, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Michael David P. Cardenaz of Corona, California, joined the Army in 1998. Michael served several deployments during his military career: in the Balkans from February 26, 2000 to July 26, 2000 and again from October 28, 2002 to July 28, 2003; Iraq from February 14, 2004 to March 25, 2005 and again from October 16, 2006 to December 24, 2007. On June 7, 2009, he deployed to Afghanistan, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado. He died February 20 when enemy forces attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenades. Michael was awarded many awards during his career including: The Bronze Star Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, an Army Commendation Medal with Valor, eight Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct medals, two NATO Medals, the Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation, Driver Mechanic Badge and the Expert Infantry Badge.