Sgt. Brian L. Walker
May 15th, 2012
Sgt. Brian L. Walker, 25, of Lucerne Valley, Calif., died May 13, 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. Sgt Walker was the commander of the vehicle. Walker joined the Army in July 2007 and served a previous deployment to Afghanistan from May 2009 to May 2010.
To be updated…
1st Lt. Alejo R. Thompson, 30, of Yuma, Ariz., died May 11 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. He joined the Army in September 2000. Thompson first deployed in March 2003 to Iraq, a tour that lasted more than 10 months. He arrived at Fort Carson on April 20, 2011. His unit, part of the 3,500-soldier 4th Brigade Combat Team, had been in Afghanistan since March 6 2012. Among his awards and decorations are, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, the Iraq Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. 1st Lt Thompson was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
Spc. Chase S. Marta, 24, of Chico, Calif., died May 7, 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. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Chase attended Yuba City High School, graduating in 2006. In October 2012 he enlisted and had been in-country for only six weeks. He had also been recently promoted, but hadn’t yet told his family. He hadn’t let on either about his plans to propose marriage to his girlfriend, Taylor Silva.
Staff Sgt. Thomas K. Fogarty, 30, of Alameda, Calif., died May 6, 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. He joined the Army in January 2004. He was stationed at the Alaska base in January, and left for Afghanistan three months later.
Born: July 18, 1991 in Fullerton, California
Staff Sgt. Andrew T. BrittonMihalo, 25, of Simi Valley, Calif., died April 25, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Andrew attended Royal High School, graduating in 2005. Britton Mihalo completed the Special Forces Qualification Course and earned the coveted “Green Beret” in 2008 as a Special Forces communications sergeant. Britton-Mihalo’s military education includes the Warrior Leader’s Course, the Advanced Leader’s Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Basic Airborne Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course and the Intelligence course. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, two Army Good Conduct Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Special Forces Tab, Parachutist Badge, and Expert Marksmanship Badge.
Spc. Moises J. Gonzalez, 29, Huntington, Calif., died April 25, in Balkh province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle rolled over. Gonzalez was assigned to the 509th Combat Service Support Company, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas. Gonzalez joined the military in December 2006 as a water treatment specialist, and was assignment to the 509th Combat Service Support Company, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, since June 2011. Gonzalez deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from December 2008 to October 2009 and from June 2011 to April 2012. His awards and decorations include the NATO Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, two Afghanistan Campaign Medals with campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and two Overseas Service Ribbon
Spc. Manuel J. Vasquez, 22, of West Sacramento, Calif., died April 24 in Paktika province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany. He attended Mira Loma High School. Vasquez arrived in Afghanistan in August of 2011 and was scheduled to leave in June. He was promoted to Specialist in January 2012.
Chief Warrant Officer Nicholas S. Johnson, 27, of San Diego, Calif., died April 19, in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when his Black Hawk (UH-60) crashed. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. Johnson was a 2002 graduate of Chino High School in San Bernardino County. He joined the Army in September 2003 and became a pilot in December 2008. CWO Johnson was serving his first deployment, has been posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, NATO Medal and Combat Action Badge. He had previously been awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, Army Service Medal and Aviator Badge.
Born: March 2, 1987 in Whittier, California