IEDs Kill Two GIs in Baghdad; Another GI Dies in Western Iraq

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2006 – Three U.S. soldiers died in Iraq on Dec. 29, and military officials have identified 10 earlier casualties.
-- An American soldier assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, was killed as a result of enemy action while conducting combat operations in western Iraq's Anbar province on Dec. 29.

-- Improvised explosive devices killed one U.S. soldier on patrol in a southwestern section of Baghdad on Dec. 29.

-- On the same day another roadside bomb claimed the life of another soldier whose unit was patrolling northwestern Baghdad.

The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

In other news, the Defense Department released the names of five soldiers and five Marines killed while conducting operations in Iraq:

-- Marine Cpl. Christopher E. Esckelson, 22, of Vassar, Mich.; Lance Cpl. Nicholas A. Miller, 20, of Silverwood, Mich.; and Lance Cpl. William D. Spencer, 20, of Paris, Tenn., died Dec. 28 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Esckelson and Miller were assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Saginaw, Mich. Spencer was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Nashville, Tenn.

-- Marine Lance Cpl. William C. Koprince Jr., 24, of Lenoir City, Tenn., died Dec. 27 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Koprince was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

-- Army Pvt. Clinton T. McCormick, 20, of Jacksonville, Fla., died Dec. 27 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated. McCormick was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

-- Marine Cpl. Joshua M. Schmitz, 21, of Spencer, Wis., died Dec. 26 while conducting combat operations in Anbar Province. Schmitz was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

-- Army Spc. Joseph A. Strong, 21, of Lebanon, Ind., and Army Spc. Douglas L. Tinsley, 21, of Chester, S.C., died of injuries suffered when the vehicle they were in was involved in a rollover accident on Dec. 26 in Baghdad. They were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

-- Army Capt. Hayes Clayton, 29, of Georgia, died Dec. 25 in Balad when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting combat operations. Clayton was assigned to the 842nd Military Training and Transition team, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

-- Army Sgt. 1st Class Dexter E. Wheelous, 37, of Winder, Ga., died Dec. 25 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Wheelous was assigned to the 842nd Military Training and Transition team, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.