TEXAS HEROES POST 9-11

(The following photos and links courtesy of Military Times.)

2004

02 January

 Army Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda, 28, of Texas; assigned to 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), based in Fort Carson, Colo.; killed in action when his command post when it came under mortar attack, on Jan. 2 in Balad, Iraq.

16 January

 Army Staff Sgt. Roland L. Castro, 26, of San Antonio, Texas; assigned to Battery A, 1st Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, based at Fort Sill, Okla.; died from a non-hostile gunshot wound, Jan. 16, in Camp Cedar II, Iraq. 

17 January

 Army Spc. Larry E. Polley, Jr., 20, of Center, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed while conducting a surveillance sweep for improvised explosive devices Jan. 17, when when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle struck such a device and overturned north of Taji, Iraq.

18 January

 Army Master Sgt. Kelly L. Hornbeck, 36, of Fort Worth, Texas; assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, based at Fort Carson, Colo.; died of combat wounds Jan. 18 at 28th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), Iraq. Hornbeck sustained his injuries Jan. 16 when an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle south of Samarra, Iraq. He was initially evacuated to the 21st CSH, and then moved to the 28th CSH for further treatment.

21 January

 Army Pfc. James David Parker, 20, of Bryan, Texas; assigned to the 588th Engineer Battalion (Heavy), 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Jan. 21 in a mortar attack on his forward operating base in Baqubah, Iraq. 

24 January

 Army Pfc. Ervin Dervishi, 21, Fort Worth, Texas; assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 24 when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the Bradley Fighting Vehicle in which he was traveling on combat patrol in Baji, Iraq. He was evacuated to the 28th Combat Support Hospital where he later died.

01 February

 Army Pfc. Armando Soriano, 20, of Houston; assigned to the howitzer battery, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo.; attached to the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; killed while traveling in a two-vehicle convoy on a supply route Feb. 1 when weather conditions caused his vehicle to slide off the road and roll over in Haditha, Iraq.

11 March

 Army Staff Sgt. Joe L. Dunigan Jr., 37, of Belton, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kan.; killed March 11 when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Fallujah, Iraq.

18 March

 Marine Corps Pfc. Rick A. Morris Jr., 20, of Lubbock, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed March 18 by mortar fire in Qaim, Iraq.

19 March

 Army Pfc. Jason C. Ludlam, 22, of Arlington, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, based in Vilseck, Germany; died March 19 when he was electrocuted while laying telephone wires in Baqoubah, Iraq.

25 March

 Marine Lance Cpl. James A. Casper, 20, of Coolidge, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died March 25 as a result of a non-combat related incident at al Asad, Iraq. 

26 March

 Marine Pfc. Leroy Sandoval Jr., 21, of Houston; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed March 26 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq. 

31 March

 Army Spc. Michael G. Karr Jr., 23, of San Antonio; assigned to 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; killed March 31 when an improvised explosive device hit his armored personnel carrier in Habbaniyah, Iraq.

 Army 1st Lt. Doyle M. Hufstedler, 25, of Abilene, Texas; assigned to the Army's 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade,1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; killed March 31 when an improvised explosive device hit his armored personnel carrier in Habbaniyah, Iraq.

01 April

 Marine Corps Pfc. Dustin M. Sekula, 18, of Edinburg, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed April 1 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq.

02 April

 Army Spc. Robert R. Arsiaga, 25, of Midland, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed April 4 when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Baghdad.

 Army Spc. Israel Garza, 25, of Lubbock, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed April 4 when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Baghdad.

05 April

 Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Shane L. Goldman, 20, of Orange, Texas; assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed April 5 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq.

 Army Spc. Scott Q. Larson Jr., 22, of Houston; assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Ray Barracks, Friedberg, Germany; killed April 5 when his convoy was ambushed in Baghdad.  

06 April

 Army Sgt. Gerardo Moreno, 23, of Terrell, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed April 6 by a rocket-propelled grenade when his unit was attacked in Ashula, Iraq. 

08 April

 Marine Lance Cpl. Michael B. Wafford, 20, of Spring, Texas; assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed April 8 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq.

09 April

 Marine Lance Cpl. Elias Torrez III, 21, of Veribest, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed April 9 by hostile fire in Iraq.

 Marine Cpl. Matthew E. Matula, 20, of Spicewood, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed April 9 by hostile fire in Iraq.

10 April

 Army Sgt. William C. Eckhart, 25, of Rocksprings, Texas; assigned to 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; killed April 10 by an explosion of unknown origin while he was on an anti-mortar mission in Baqubah, Iraq.

 Army Spc. Adolfo C. Carballo, 20, of Houston; assigned to 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed April 10 when shrapnel struck him in Baghdad.

11 April

 Marine Cpl. Daniel R. Amaya, 22, of Odessa, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed April 11 by hostile gunfire in Anbar province, Iraq.

 Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Wesley C. Fortenberry, 38, of Woodville, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed April 11 when his helicopter was shot down in Baghdad. 

14 April

 Army Sgt. Christopher Ramirez, 34, of McAllen, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; killed April 14 during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. 

17 April

 Marine Lance Cpl. Ruben Valdez Jr., 21, of San Diego, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed April 17 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

 Army Pfc. Clayton W. Henson, 20, of Stanton, Texas; assigned to 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, La.; killed April 17 when his convoy was ambushed in Dwaniyan, Iraq.

26 April

 Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Austin, 21, of Sunray, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed April 26 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq.

05 May

 Marine Cpl. Jeffrey G. Green, 20, of Dallas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Pendleton, Calif.; found dead in the Euphrates River on May 5 in Anbar province, Iraq. The cause is under investigation.

08 May

 Army Spc. Isela Rubalcava, 25, of El Paso, Texas; assigned to the 296th Combat Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.; killed May 8 when a mortar round hit nearby in Mosul, Iraq.

15 May

 Army Staff Sgt. Rene Ledesma, 34, of Abilene, Texas; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed May 15 when an improvised explosive device exploded near his Bradley fighting vehicle in Baghdad.

03 June

 Marine Lance Cpl. Todd J. Bolding, 23, of Manvel, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed June 3 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

21 June

 Marine Lance Cpl. Pedro Contreras, 27, of Harris, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed June 21 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq.

02 July

 Army 2nd Lt. Brian D. Smith, 30, of McKinney, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 34th Armor, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; killed by enemy fire July 2 while conducting combat operations in Habbaniyah, Iraq.

05 July

 Marine Lance Cpl. Michael S. Torres, 21, of El Paso, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed by enemy forces July 5 in Anbar province, Iraq.

12 July

 Army Spc. Juan M. Torres, 25, of Houston; assigned to the 453rd Transportation Company, Army Reserve, Houston; died July 12 of non-combat-related injuries in Bagram, Afghanistan. 

02 August

 Marine Sgt. Juan Calderon Jr., 26, of Weslaco, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Aug. 2 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

09 August

 Army Capt. Andrew R. Houghton, 25, of Houston; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany ; died Aug. 9 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., of injuries sustained July 10 when a rocket-propelled grenade detonated near his vehicle in Dhuha, Iraq, near Samarra.

15 August

 Army Spc. Mark Anthony Zapata, 27, of Edinburg, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Aug. 15 by hostile fire in Najaf, Iraq.

21 August

 Marine Lance Cpl. Seth Huston, 19, Perryton, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Aug. 21 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

24 August

 Marine Lance Cpl. Jacob R. Lugo, 21, of Flower Mound, Texas; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed Aug. 24 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

27 August

 Marine Lance Cpl. Nickalous N. Aldrich, 21, of Austin, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Aug. 27 in a non-hostile vehicle accident in Anbar province, Iraq.

03 September

 Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Perez, 19, of Austin, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; killed Sept. 3 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

05 September

 Army Pfc. Ryan M. McCauley, 20, of Lewisville, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Sept. 5 when his patrol came under attack by small-arms fire in Baghdad.

06 September

 Army Spc. Tomas Garces, 19, of Weslaco, Texas; assigned to the 1836th Transportation Company, Texas Army National Guard, Fort Bliss, Texas; killed Sept. 6 when his convoy was attacked by enemy forces using an improvised explosive device in Baghdad.

07 September

 Army Spc. Chad H. Drake, 23, of Garland, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Sept. 7 when his patrol vehicle came under attack by small-arms fire in Baghdad.

08 September

 Army Spc. Lauro G. DeLeon Jr., 20, of Floresville, Texas; assigned to the 644th Transportation Company, Army Reserve, Beaumont, Texas; killed Sept. 8 when improvised explosive devices detonated near his convoy in Balad, Iraq.

12 September

 Marine Pfc. Jason T. Poindexter, 20, of San Angelo, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Sept. 12 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

13 September

 Marine Lance Cpl. Mathew D. Puckett, 19, of Mason, Texas; assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Sept. 13 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

 Marine Lance Cpl. Dominic C. Brown, 19, of Austin, Texas; assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Sept. 13 in a non-combat-related incident in Anbar province, Iraq.

20 September

 Marine Sgt. Foster L. Harrington, 31, of Fort Worth, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company, 4th Marine Division, Marine Corps Reserve, Mobile, Ala.; killed Sept. 20 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.

22 September

 Army Pfc. Adam J. Harris, 21, of Abilene, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; killed Sept. 22 by a sniper as he was on patrol in Mosul, Iraq.

24 September

 Marine Sgt. Shane Folmar, 21, of Sonora, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed Sept. 24 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq. 

26 September

 Army Capt. Eric L. Allton, 34, of Houston; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Hovey, Korea; killed Sept. 26 when he was struck by a mortar round in Ramadi, Iraq.

14 October

 Army Spc. Josiah H. Vandertulip, 21, of Irving, Texas; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Oct. 14 when his dismounted patrol came under enemy fire in Baghdad.

19 October

 Army Cpl. William M. Amundson Jr., 21, of The Woodlands, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; killed Oct. 19 when the vehicle in which he was riding rolled over in Afghanistan.

28 October

 Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Battles Sr., 38, of San Antonio; assigned to 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed Oct. 28 when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his checkpoint in Baghdad.