IN MEMORIAM

48 Fort Lewis soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division made ultimate sacrifice in 2006-07.

Also: Behind the headlines | Today's front page (.pdf) | Honoring the fallen interactive | Special report: Coming home

Sgt. James C. Akin, 23, Albuquerque, N.M.

Akin had such a fierce ambition to be president, he enlisted in the Army so he could speak on the campaign trail about his experiences as a war veteran.

He died June 3 in Thania when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. All of the men killed in that blast were assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment.

Cpl. Juan M. Alcantara, 22, New York

Alcantara's daughter was 6 weeks old when he died.

On Sept. 17, Citizenship Day, Alcantara's mother, his two sisters and his fiancee, Sayonara Lopez, holding small U.S. flags, accepted his certificate of posthumous citizenship at a ceremony attended by dozens of newly minted Americans, according to The New York Times. He was from the Dominican Republic. His family had made the request, and a U.S. representative helped put the citizenship application on the fast track, according to the newspaper. Alcantara enlisted in September 2004 and arrived at Fort Lewis a few months later.

He and three other brigade soldiers died Aug. 6 in Baqouba when insurgents detonated a home rigged with explosives while the soldiers were inside. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, 21, Gretna, Neb.

Alexander had been married less than three months when his wife learned she was a widow.

Kara Alexander and her husband graduated from the same high school in Gretna, a town of about 5,000 southwest of Omaha. He was a percussionist in the band; she played flute. Nearly three years after graduation, they married on Valentine's Day while he was home on leave from Iraq.

Her husband had a heart of gold and "truly was our angel on Earth," she said in a written statement.

"Above all, he made it his life's work to take care of those he loved," she said. "He fought for a cause he believed in and ... died for a country he loved."

He died with five other brigade soldiers May 6 in Baqouba when an improvised explosive device blew up their Stryker vehicle. They were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Charles D. Allen, 28, Wasilla, Alaska

Allen was committed to the military and his family at an early age. He helped start the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at his high school and cared for his terminally ill grandfather.

"He was not alive nearly long enough and I loved him dearly," Allen's mother, Kathy, said during a memorial service at his high school, according to The Associated Press. "But he served his country, and from the time he was a young boy he wanted to serve his country."

Allen died Jan. 4 in Baghdad when he was shot in the neck. He was the lone casualty for the 296th Brigade Support Battalion during the deployment.

Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw, 21, San Antonio

Bradshaw was a gung-ho soldier who loved martial-arts movies, especially those starring Chuck Norris, and noted on his MySpace page that the instrument he plays is "the 240," referring to a machine gun. But such bravado didn't much carry over into his personal life, friends say.

His twin brother, Sam, also serves in the Army. After his brother's death, he left a message on Bradshaw's MySpace page. He wrote that his brother was an extension of himself, and he didn't know what he was going to do without him.

"Now that other half of me is gone with you," he wrote. "You will be with me though. Until the day I leave this Earth, I will carry you with me."

Bradshaw died with five other brigade soldiers May 6 in Baqouba when an improvised explosive device blew up their Stryker vehicle. They were assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Spc. Romel Catalan, 21, Los Angeles

Family members said Catalan was a fan of superhero comics and dreamed of becoming a police officer.

Catalan enlisted in the Army in July 2004, and his battalion commander recalled at a memorial service in Iraq that he "was always smiling, the kind of guy you always respected just for being himself," according to The News Tribune.

He died June 2 in Ameriyah, near Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Cpl. Brian L. Chevalier, 21, Athens, Ga.

Chevalier — pronounced CHEV-a-leer — joined the Army in August 2005 after earning his GED and working numerous jobs to provide for his daughter, Taylor, and to pay for college to become a physical therapist, said Maj. Robert Bennett, then-commander of the brigade's rear detachment, during his memorial service.

"He demonstrated leadership through his actions despite his junior grade and experience," Bennett told mourners. "When something had to get done, he did it without complaint, and he did it expertly."

Capt. Matthew James, his former company commander, recalled when another young leader told Chevalier and other soldiers they didn't have to complete an assigned task. The corporal quietly ignored the instruction and did the task anyway.

Chevalier died March 14 in Mufrek, 30 miles northeast of Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near him. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Cpl. Kenneth M. Cross, 21, Superior, Wis.

Cross was known to pore over technical manuals to learn the intricacies of his military job. He met his wife, Heidi, through an online dating service, and they were friends for a time before getting married. The couple planned to start a family after he returned from his tour.

His wife said she talked to her husband two hours before he died. "People say I'm pretty lucky to have talked to him right before it happened," she said, according to The Associated Press. She was grateful she was able to tell him she loved him "I don't know how many times."

He and another brigade soldier died Aug. 27, 2006, in Baghdad when they came under attack from a combination of gunfire and an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Gabriel G. DeRoo, 25, Paw Paw, Mich.

DeRoo was known as a selfless leader who maintained a deep commitment to his faith, his wife, Hannah, and their newborn son, also named Gabriel. He married after returning home from the brigade's first deployment to Iraq.

He died Aug. 20, 2006, in Mosul from gunshot wounds. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

"Our commander called Gabriel home," his mother, Laura DeRoo, told reporters before his memorial service on post.

Pfc. Daniel G. Dolan, 19, Roy, Utah

Dolan was a gifted defenseman on several junior hockey teams and was known for being a jokester. He enlisted in the Army in 2005 after graduating from high school. He and another brigade soldier died Aug. 27, 2006, in Baghdad when they came under attack from a combination of gunfire and an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Chadrick O. Domino, 23, Ennis, Texas

To his family, Domino was sweet and thoughtful; to the Army, he had potential as a gifted soldier, receiving exceptionally high marks in his entrance exams. His sister, Ursula, recalled that the last time she spoke with him was to thank him for the gift of roses he sent as both Mother's Day and early birthday gifts.

"The card was not signed and I couldn't figure out who sent them, but about a week later he called to ask if I'd gotten them," she said, according to The Associated Press. He died May 31 in Baghdad from gunshot wounds during a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Cpl. Billy B. Farris, 20, Bapchule, Ariz.

Farris' hometown is in the heart of the Gila River Indian Community, south of Phoenix. He enlisted in the Army in July 2004 after high school and arrived at Fort Lewis that November after completing infantry training.

He died Dec. 3 in Taji, 20 miles north of Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Greg P. Gagarin, 38, Los Angeles

Gagarin was a great artilleryman — and not just because he loved loud noises.

"Greg loves to set off firecrackers every time he comes home," said his father, Ernesto, who lives in the Philippines, according to The Associated Press.

Gagarin served in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and was serving his third tour in Iraq when he was killed. He died with three other brigade soldiers June 3 in Thania when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. All of the men were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment.

Spc. Justin R. Garcia, 26, Elmhurst, N.Y.

Garcia learned on Father's Day that his wife was pregnant and rejoiced in the knowledge he would be a father. He had lost both of his parents as a teenager.

"He had a rough life," his wife, Michelle, told The Journal News of Westchester, N.Y. "All he wanted was his son to grow up with a father."

Garcia died Nov. 14 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Freeman L. Gardner Jr., 26, Little Rock, Ark.

Gardner was a quiet man with a gentle demeanor who loved going to movies on Saturdays with his wife, Kara. He enjoyed working with computers.

"Freeman joined the Army in 2004 in order to obtain valuable work and leadership experience," his wife said in a statement, according to The Associated Press. "He died serving his country and he was proud to have the opportunity to be a soldier."

Gardner died March 22 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

He was the lone casualty for the 18th Engineer Company during the deployment.

Spc. Zachariah J. Gonzalez, 23, Indianapolis

Gonzalez was an infantryman, but his past stint as a cook in the Army Reserve was a cause for ribbing from his fellow soldiers, especially when he burned some ribs for them one day. He enlisted in the Reserve in 2002.

A family member told The Indianapolis Star the switch was driven by Gonzalez's desire to lead.

"He wanted to serve his country in a bigger way," his uncle, Manuel Gonzalez, told the newspaper, according to The Associated Press. "He wanted to be there in the front, and that's the decision he made."

He and two other brigade soldiers died July 31 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle.

The men were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Darrell R. Griffin Jr., 36, Alhambra, Calif.

Griffin was a hero when he died.

During the Battle of Tal Afar — a 2005 military offensive to drive insurgents out of the city of about 80,000 residents near the Syrian border — the decorated Fort Lewis infantryman was credited with saving the lives of three U.S. soldiers and two Iraqi army soldiers. He received the Bronze Star for valor for his actions.

He served in the Army National Guard before joining the active-duty Army in 2001, arriving at Fort Lewis in July of that year.

He deployed to Iraq with another Fort Lewis-based Stryker brigade and transferred to 3rd Brigade when that unit moved to Germany.

His wife, Diana, described her husband in a statement as her "gift from God who was also the love of my life and always will be."

Griffin "was a soldier's soldier of strength and honor whose commitment to duty, honor and loyalty will be forever remembered by all who know and love him," the statement said.

He died March 21 in Balad from gunshot wounds. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Nicholas A. Gummersall, 23, Chubbuck, Idaho

Gummersall planned to try out for the Boise State University football team until he learned the brigade's deployment would extend his time past the start of football season. He was a standout running back and free safety.

Gummersall enlisted in October 2002 and served two years in the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan three times before transferring to the Stryker brigade.

He and three other brigade soldiers died Aug. 6 in Baqouba when insurgents detonated a home rigged with explosives while the soldiers were inside. The men were assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, 25, Clarkesville, Ga.

When his former pastor called him a hero in a letter, Harkins wrote back to kindly disagree.

"We're ordinary men called upon to do extraordinary things," the pastor, the Rev. Alan Morris, recalled him writing.

A leader and gifted writer, Harkins became devoutly religious after marrying his wife, Emily, in January 2006. The couple attended a church in Lakewood and planned to start a family upon his return.

Harkins enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1998 and joined the ­active-duty ranks in March 2003, the same month the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq.

"He hated it (deploying to Iraq) because he was leaving his wife," Morris said. "He was excited about it because he believed in the cause."

He died with five other Fort Lewis soldiers May 6 in Baqouba when an improvised explosive device blew up their Stryker vehicle. They were assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Pfc. Charles T. Heinlein Jr., 23, Hemlock, Mich.

Heinlein "was our go-to guy. He was always volunteering for the dirty jobs that nobody else wanted," Staff Sgt. John Mullins said during a memorial service at Fort Lewis, according to The News Tribune. "He had his own distinct personality, and he said he was definitely a little different than most normal people. … But as a grenadier, he couldn't be beat."

He and two other brigade soldiers died July 31 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. The men were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Henkes II, 32, Portland

Henkes followed in the footsteps of his family in joining the Army. His father served in the Air Force, and both his grandfathers were soldiers who fought in World War II. He knew his deployment to Iraq would be dangerous and hard, said his sister, Tamara. But he also knew it was giving him a chance to help people.

"That was what gave him great satisfaction in what he did," she said.

Henkes died Sept. 3, 2006, in Mosul when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Pfc. Charles B. Hester, 23, Cataldo, Idaho

Hester was an avid guitar player and once made the pilgrimage to Jimi Hendrix's grave, where he buried a guitar pick.

"Hester loved the oldies," recalled his former squad leader, Staff Sgt. Chess Johnson, who was wounded in Iraq, according to The News Tribune. "I could never come up with a song that he couldn't come up with the lyrics, perfectly."

Hester enlisted in the Army in May 2004 and was known as a gifted driver of the Stryker vehicle.

He died May 26 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment. He is survived by his wife, Roxanne Slate, and daughter, Elizabeth.

Sgt. Andrew J. Higgins, 28, Hayward, Calif.

Higgins took Army basic training while still in high school, excited about the opportunity to fulfill a childhood dream. Before joining the brigade, he was part of the first troop deployment to Afghanistan.

"He was a wonderful person, the kind of soldier who chooses to go to someplace like Iraq for his country," said his father, Jerry James Higgins, according to The Associated Press. He died June 5 in Baqouba from gunshot wounds. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Pfc. Alfred H. Jairala, 29, Hialeah, Fla.

Jairala would take on any job that needed to be done, his fellow soldiers recalled, and often was called on for advice about family and life.

"He was a big brother to our younger guys," Staff Sgt. John Mullins said during a memorial service at Fort Lewis, according to The News Tribune.

He and two other brigade soldiers died July 31 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. The men were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Capt. Drew N. Jensen, 27, Damascus, Ore.

Jensen, an Eagle Scout and West Point graduate, was wounded in Baqouba on May 7. He died in a Seattle hospital Sept. 7, just before the soldiers of the brigade began arriving home.

A sniper's bullet paralyzed Jensen from the neck down, and he required a ventilator to breathe.

His family followed his wishes and had life support turned off.

He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. He was the only officer killed during the brigade's deployment.

Cpl. Carl W. Johnson II, 21, Philadelphia

Johnson was such a gifted driver of the Stryker armored vehicle that a senior noncommissioned officer threatened to assign him to another unit to drive a command vehicle.

And while his thoughts and worries revolved around his mother and sister back home, Johnson was always joking and laughing, keeping his unit's spirits up during a difficult deployment.

"Being around him always brought a smile to my face," Staff Sgt. Kenneth Hoffman, his squad leader, said during a memorial service in Iraq, as reported by The News Tribune. "And I thank him for that. Because there were many times I needed it."

Johhson died Oct. 7, 2006, in Mosul when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment. He is survived by his mother, Peggy Crocker, and his sister, Tisha Johnson.

Staff Sgt. Henry K. Kahalewai, 43, Hilo, Hawaii

Kahalewai died Dec. 15 at an Army hospital in Texas from injuries he suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle the previous month.

His son and other family members were at his bedside.

"The military, the Army, that was his thing," said his son, Aaron Kahalewai, according to The Associated Press.

"He left Hilo when he was about 25. He served 19 (years) in the military. He was about ready to retire."

Kahalewai was born and raised in Hilo, the largest city on the Big Island, graduating from Hilo High School. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment.

Cpl. Kareem R. Khan, 20, Manahawkin, N.J.

Khan enlisted in July 2005 and arrived at Fort Lewis a couple of months before the brigade deployed to Iraq. Khan was interested in becoming a doctor after he got out of the Army, said Spc. Scottie Marin, who served with him.

He and three other brigade soldiers died Aug. 6 in Baqouba when insurgents detonated a home rigged with explosives while the soldiers were inside. The men were assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Tyler J. Kritz, 21, Eagle River, Wis.

Kritz had ambitions from an early age to join the Army, wearing a military jacket and staying in close contact with recruiters during high school.

"He was shy. He was friendly. He kind of kept to himself," high school teacher Jason Foster said, according to The Associated Press. "He was well-liked. When he did talk, he had a sense of humor. I think his favorite subject was to be done with high school. He was motivated to be done."

He and three other brigade soldiers died June 3 in Thania when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. All the men were assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Hector Leija, 27, Houston

Leija died Jan. 24 in Baghdad, but his memory lives on at his MySpace page.

He would always put the needs of others before his own, his family said in a statement on the page. "Our lives are dimmer now but he will always be with us in spirit," it said. Friends and fellow soldiers have continued to post messages on his page. One post from July 19 said that the poster had called to wish Leija a happy birthday.

Then he realized no one would answer and "it hit me like a brick wall man I just broke down bro."

The announcement from the Department of Defense said only that he died during combat operations. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, 28, Lakewood

At 6 feet, 6 inches tall, Lewis cut an imposing figure. But his mother, Gale Poindexter, described him as a "gentle giant" graced with a welcoming smile, great sense of humor and romantic side.

He enlisted in the Army in 2001. After he served for a year in Korea, the Army granted his request to transfer to Fort Lewis. He wanted to be close to his brother, Justin, who lives in Puyallup.

"He was well-liked and loved," his mother said. "It's a great loss being so young, and we won't see him again. It's hard for us."

He died with five other brigade soldiers May 6 in Baqouba when an improvised explosive device blew up their Stryker vehicle.

They were assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. Staff Sgt. Brian M. Long, 32, Burns, Wyo.

Long's sister, Kristina Sheets, said the family kept a clipping of a photograph that appeared in the official Fort Lewis newspaper that showed him handing a teddy bear to an Iraqi child whose father had been killed.

"There was a little boy over there starving," she said, according to The Associated Press. "And my brother gave him his rations. He was just a good guy with a really big heart."

He regularly used a satellite link to read to his three children before bed, relatives said.

Long, a former sailor who most recently lived in Roy, arrived at Fort Lewis in December 2000.

He died June 10 in Baghdad from wounds suffered from explosive ordnance. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Cpl. Casey L. Mellen, 21, Huachuca City, Ariz.

Mellen was born at an Army post, so it was no surprise he followed his father into the military. He attended school and played soccer in Germany, where his father was stationed, and joined the Army in September 2004, four years after the family returned to Arizona and he finished school.

"He was doing military service for an important cause. Fighting for ... freedom, whether it's yours or another's, is always important," his father, Casey E. Mellen, said in a statement, according to The Associated Press. "I can't think of anything that would be as important as that."

Mellen died Sept. 25, 2006, in Balad when his mounted patrol came under enemy fire. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Pvt. Scott A. Miller, 20, Casper, Wyo.

Miller enjoyed eating, hunting and taking his grandmother out for dinner. "Nobody, nobody wants to bury their children. Children are to bury us," said his grandmother, Mary Harris, according to The Associated Press. "It's incomprehensible, and it's the mystery of life."

He died June 9 in Baqouba from gunshot wounds. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Cpl. Wade J. Oglesby, 27, Grand Junction, Colo.

Oglesby grew up without his father, but was a father figure to his younger sister. He dropped out of high school as a sophomore to care for his dying mother, family members said.

"He loved the opportunity his country bestowed upon him as he looked into the eyes of innocent children in Iraq," his brother, Richard, and sister, Samantha, said in a statement.

He and another brigade soldier died April 18 in Taji, about 20 miles north of Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. Both men were assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment.

Cpl. Michael A. Pursel, 19, Clinton, Utah

Pursel, a former Lacey resident, had just settled at Fort Lewis but was one of the first to raise his hand upon hearing a request for volunteers to serve in Iraq.

Pursel lived in Lacey from 1998 to 2000, while his father was assigned to Fort Lewis. Pursel attended Christian Life Church and its academy, Christian Life School, and developed a close relationship with the pastor's family. He transferred to Fort Lewis in December.

Terry Dutcher, a captain in the Air Force Reserve who will attend the brigade's redeployment ceremony Thursday, said her son died living his dream.

"We're proud of Michael, and Michael was doing what he always wanted to do," she said. "In light of how it turned out, I know Michael was happy. I just take peace in that right now."

He died with five other Fort Lewis soldiers May 6 in Baqouba when an improvised explosive device blew up their Stryker vehicle. They were assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Cpl. Michael M. Rojas, 21, Fresno, Calif.

Rojas played two years of varsity football at Clovis East High School. He enlisted in the Army after graduation in July 2004. He and another brigade soldier died April 18 in Taji, about 20 miles north of Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. Both men were assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment.

Spc. Cristian Rojas-Gallego, 24, Loganville, Ga.

Three tours to Iraq as a Marine weren't enough for Rojas-Gallego. He joined the Army in summer 2006 and deployed for a fourth time soon after.

"He loved his wife and children deeply and spoke of them often," Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Kissler said at his memorial service, according to The News Tribune. "And he took a lot of pride in his job. … Rojas was one of the hardest-working soldiers we'd ever seen."

He spoke to his wife, Megan, via webcam about six hours before he died. He and two other brigade soldiers died Aug. 2 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. The men were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, 23, Lodi, N.J.

Romeo was born in Calabria, Italy, and came to the United States with his family. He enlisted in the Army in March 2003 after spending a year in college.

"Vincenzo was a kind and courageous person who brought joy and laughter to all around him," his family said in a statement released by Fort Monmouth in New Jersey. "As a family of Italian immigrants, we are especially proud of our hero Vincenzo for his patriotism, bravery and service to the United States."

He died with five other Fort Lewis soldiers May 6 in Baqouba when an improvised explosive device blew up their Stryker vehicle. They were assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Spc. Eric D. Salinas, 25, Houston

Salinas looked forward to returning home and playing with his son in the park.

Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Kissler said the soldier "was hard-working, never afraid to get dirty, and always found a sense of purpose in what he was doing," according to The News Tribune.

He joined the Army in September 2004 and arrived at Fort Lewis a few months later.

He and two other brigade soldiers died Aug. 2 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. The men were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Fernando Santos, 29, San Antonio

Santos had an innate sense of how his soldiers were feeling and went to great lengths to cheer them up if they were down, Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Kissler said.

"'Hey, baby,' was how (he) would greet you," Kissler said, according to The News Tribune. "He could just look at you and know if you were having a bad day or were sad. He was a big brother to most in the company."

Santos was a proud father who was at his wife's side when she delivered their first child while he was on leave. He and two other brigade soldiers died Aug. 2 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. The men were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Robert A. Surber, 24, Inverness, Fla.

Surber loved heavy metal music and the Miami Dolphins, enjoyed seeing how long he could grow his hair before being told by his superiors to get a haircut, and disliked physical training in the morning.

He and three other brigade soldiers died June 3 in Thania when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. All the men were assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Jacob M. Thompson, 26, North Mankato, Minn.

Thompson, a squad leader, served during the brigade's first deployment to Iraq and was previously awarded a Purple Heart for injuries he suffered during a bombing. He grew up hunting and fishing with his two older brothers.

He and three other brigade soldiers died Aug. 6 in Baqouba when insurgents detonated a home rigged with explosives while the soldiers were inside. The men were assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Iosiwo Uruo, 27, Agana Heights, Guam

Uruo's father wanted his son to go to college because he thought he had a future in architecture. His son had different plans.

"He told me, 'Dad, I'm sorry, but I want to join the service,' " Isaoshy Uruo told a Guam newspaper, as reported by The Associated Press. He joined the Army in January 2001 and served in Kentucky and Korea before arriving at Fort Lewis. He died May 24 in Buhriz, northeast of Baghdad, from gunshot wounds. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment.

Sgt. Jason W. Vaughn, 29, Iuka, Miss.

Vaughn enlisted in the Army in 2002. He was injured during his first deployment with the brigade when debris from an explosion struck him in the back. During leave, Vaughn told his father about the increasing danger posed by the more sophisticated and powerful improvised explosive devices that the insurgents were using and commented, "I think my luck has just about run out."

"He was really afraid of that," Walter Vaughn said, "but he said, 'I got to finish my tour because I can't leave my buddies over there.' He said, 'I'd never be able to live with myself.' "

He died May 10 in Baqouba when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

Cpl. Robert F. Weber, 22, Cincinnati

Weber died Sept. 30, 2006, when the vehicle he was in rolled over near an airfield about 30 miles south of Mosul. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment.

Sgt. Lucas T. White, 28, Moses Lake

A member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, White enlisted in the Army in 2001 and served a tour in Afghanistan before deploying to Iraq. White died Nov. 6 in Baghdad when he came under enemy fire while on patrol. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Staff Sgt. Jesse L. Williams, 25, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Williams, who earned a Purple Heart during his first deployment to Iraq, had told a family friend his biggest fear was snipers.

The friend, Santa Rosa Mayor Bob Blanchard, told The Associated Press that he recalled the soldier telling him, "I can fight people eye to eye, but I can't fight back if I can't see them."

He died April 8 after being shot by a sniper in Baqouba.

He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. Williams is survived by his wife, Sonya, and their young daughter, Amaya.

The personal information about these soldiers is taken from the The Olympian, The News Tribune and The Associated Press, mostly from stories posted at www.military city.com/valor. In several instances, quotations from family members were taken from out-of-state newspapers and are attributed to them. The military information comes from Department of Defense casualty notices. In some cases, the soldiers listed above have been posthumously promoted, and the preceding information might not reflect their higher rank.