MILITARY CASUALTIES - KILLED IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN 03/18/2011-03/22/2011

With much sadness I must report the Department of Defense announced today the deaths of the following personnel who were supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.

 Staff Sgt. Joshua S. Gire USA, 28, of Chillicothe, Ohio, and Pfc. Michael C. Mahr USA, 26, of Homosassa, Fla. died March 22, in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device, rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire. They were assigned to the 54th Engineer Battalion, 18th Engineer Brigade, Bamberg, Germany.

www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20110323/NEWS01/110323008/Huntington-High-grad-killed-Afghanistan?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Cpl. Brandon S. Hocking USA, 24, of Seattle, Wash., died March 21 in As Samawah, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 87th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014572021_hocking23m.html

Staff Sgt. James M. Malachowski USMC, 25, of Westminster, Md., died March 20 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/maryland/remains-of-md-marine-killed-in-afghanistan-returning-to-us-wednesday-032211

Staff Sgt. Mecolus C. McDaniel USA, 33, of Fort Hood, Texas, died March 19 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=52906

Petty Officer 1st Class Vincent A. Filpi III USN, 41, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died as a result of a non-combat related incident.  Filpi was assigned to USS Enterprise as an aviation ordnanceman.  Enterprise is currently deployed to the Fifth Fleet area of responsibility conducting operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/died-38675-sailor-local.html

Master Sgt. Jamal H. Bowers USA, 41, of Raleigh, N.C., died March 18 at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, as a result of a non-combat related incident.  He was assigned to the 6th Battalion, 4th Military Information Support Group, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2011/mar/22/raleigh-soldier-dies-djibouti-ar-882664/