U.S. Casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan reported 5/31-6/2/06

Spc. Bobby R. West, 23, of Beebe, Ark., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 30, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated during dismounted patrol operations. West was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Sgt. Benjamin E. Mejia, 25, of Salem, Mass., died in Marez, Iraq, on May 31, of non-combat related causes. Mejia was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Spc. Brock L. Bucklin, 28, of Grand Rapids, Mich., died May 31, in Balad, Iraq, of a non-combat related cause. Bucklin was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Capt. James A. Funkhouser, 35, of Katy, Texas, died in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 29, of injuries sustained when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during reconnaissance patrol operations. Funkhouser was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Cpl. Alexander J. Kolasa, 22, of White Lake, Mich., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 31, of non-combat related causes. Kolasa was assigned to the 704th Main Support Battalion, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Two Servicemembers Killed; Bodies of Missing Marines Recovered
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 31, 2006 – Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers have died in Iraq in the past two days, the bodies of two Marines killed in Anbar province May 27 have been recovered, and the Defense Department has identified two previous casualties.
One soldier died early this morning of "noncombat related causes," Multinational Force Iraq officials reported. Another Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed last night when a homemade bomb detonated southeast of Baghdad. The soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of family.
The bodies of two Marines missing as a result of a May 27 helicopter crash in Iraq's Anbar province have been recovered. The body of one Marine was recovered late on May 29 and the other was recovered yesterday, officials said.
"Our thoughts are with the families of the Marines," said Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Bryan Salas. The U.S. Marine Corps AH-1 Cobra helicopter from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing went down during a maintenance test flight with the two Marines on board. The incident does not appear to be a result of enemy action, and is under investigation, officials said.
In other news, the Defense Department has identified two soldiers who were died recently from injuries suffered while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom:

Spc. Jeremy M. Loveless, 25, of Estacada, Ore., died in Mosul on May 29 when his Stryker came under enemy small-arms fire. Loveless was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Spc. J. Adan Garcia, 20, of Irving, Texas, died May 27 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., from injuries suffered May 22 in Baghdad when his convoy encountered small-arms fire while returning from an explosive ordnance mission. Garcia was assigned to the 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

Cpl. Richard A. Bennett, 25, of Girard, Kan. and Capt. Nathanael J. Doring, 31, of Apple Valley, Minn. died May 30, following a non-hostile helicopter accident near Al Taqaddum, Iraq, on May 27. Both were assigned to Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron-169, Marine Aircraft Group-39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.