7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 F
Date KIA: 2 January 2005 OEF
Location: Shindand, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Sgt. 1st Class Pedro A. Munoz was born on June 30, 1957, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. He was a detachment operations and intelligence sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He died Jan. 2, 2005, after he was fatally wounded while conducting offensive operations in Shindand, Afghanistan. During the combat action, Munoz was struck by enemy small arms fire and died of his wounds during his medical evacuation.
Munoz entered the Army in February 1986 as an automated logistical specialist. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1990 and was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and soon after deployed in support of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 1994, he deployed to Haiti for 7 months in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. In 1999, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights. He completed over 300 static line and 4,000 free fall parachute jumps. He returned to the Special Forces community in 2002, serving with the 7th SFG.
During his tenure of military service, Pedro participated in contingency operations in Kuwait, Haiti, Africa and throughout Southwest Asia.
Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star with Valor device, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge with 2nd Award Star, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Master Military Free Fall Badge and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous Gallantry in Action in Afghanistan on Jan. 2, 2005.
Munoz is survived by his wife, Gisela, and his daughter, Dalia.
1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 E
Date KIA: 3 January 2005 OIF
Location: Asadabad, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Sgt. Jeremy R. Wright, 31, was a Special Forces communications sergeant assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Lewis, Wash.
He was killed in action while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on Jan. 3, 2005, when the enemy IED exploded near his Ground Mobility Vehicle during operations in the vicinity of Asadabad, Afghanistan. Wright deployed to Afghanistan in November 2004 in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
A native of Shelbyville, Ind., Wright enlisted in the Army in November 2001 under the service’s then brand-new Special Forces Recruiting Initiative, a program that enables civilian recruits to volunteer to attend the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course shortly after their completion of Initial Entry Training as infantrymen. Previously, only currently serving Soldiers could volunteer to attend SFAS.
After entering the Army in April 2002, he completed infantry and airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga., and in August 2002 was assigned to the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C. Wright attended SFAS in September 2002 and was selected to continue his training as a communications sergeant in the Special Forces Qualification Course. Wright began the Thai Language Course in November 2003 and completed the SFQC in July 2004 after completing the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course at Fort Bragg. He was assigned to the 1st SFG in August 2004.
Wright was a 1996 graduate of Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., and was a two-time All-American cross-country runner there. He was also a three-time member of the U.S. Mountain Running Team and was the Indiana state high school champion in the 3,200-meter run.
Awards: Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Parachutist Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
Wright is survived by his father, Dale Wright, of Flat Rock, Ind., and his mother, Jacquelyn Nickel, of Shelbyville, Ind.
10th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 D
Date KIA: 26 April 2005 OEF
Location: Khanaqin, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Sgt. 1st Class Allen C. Johnson, 31, was a Special Forces medical sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Fort Bragg N. C.
Johnson died April 26, 2005, when his unit was attacked by enemy small arms fire during a combat foot patrol in Khanaqin, Afghanistan.
A native of Los Molinos, Calif., Johnson entered the Army in October 1991 as an infantryman. After completing infantry and airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga. in February 1992, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Wash.
In 1994, he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Polk, La., and later served with 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment there.
After changing his military occupational specialty from infantryman to corrections specialist in 1996, Johnson was assigned as a team leader to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. After being reassigned in 1998 for two years with the 704th Military Police Battalion at Fort Lewis as a squad leader, he was accepted into Special Forces training at Fort Bragg.
Johnson arrived at the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) in April 2000 to begin the more than two years of intense training it would take for him to become a Special Forces medical sergeant. He was assigned to the 7th SFG in July 2002.
Johnson’s military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course.
Awards: Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Parachutist Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Medical Badge.
Johnson is survived by his wife, Eunice, and three children, Stacy, Naomi and Joshua.
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 C
Date KIA: 3 June 2005
Location: Orgun-e, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Staff Sgt. Leroy E. Alexander, 27, was a Special Forces engineer sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Fort Bragg N. C.
He was killed in action while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on June 3, 2005, when an enemy Improvised Explosive Device exploded near his Ground Mobility Vehicle during operations in the vicinity of Orgun-e, Afghanistan.
A native of Dale City, Va., Alexander entered the Army in August 1997 and completed One Station Unit Training, at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. After completing airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga., in April 1998, he was assigned to 27th Engineer Battalion, at Fort Bragg, in support of XVIII Airborne Corps.
Following completion of Special Forces Assessment and Selection, Alexander arrived at the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) in October 2002 to begin the more than two years of intense training it would take for him to become a Special Forces engineer sergeant. He was assigned to the 7th SFG in June 2004.
Alexander’s military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Spanish Language Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Mountain Course.
Awards: Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Alexander is survived by his wife, Marissa; and parents, Ronald and Felicia Alexander of Manassas, Va.
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 A
Date KIA: 3 June 2005
Location: Orgun-e, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Capt. Charles D. Robinson, 29, was a Special Forces officer assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He was killed in action while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on June 3, 2005, when an enemy improvised explosive device exploded near his Ground Mobility Vehicle during operations in the vicinity of Orgun-e, Afghanistan.
Robinson deployed to Afghanistan in January 2005 in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
A resident of Haddon Heights, N.J., Robinson was commissioned in the Army immediately following graduation from Cedarville College in Ohio May 1998, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in foreign trade.
His first military assignment was with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Robinson graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned to 7th SFG in December 2003.
Robinson’s military education and schools include the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Mortar Platoon Officer Course, Ranger School, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Nuclear Biological Chemical Officer Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Combined Armed Service Support School, Special Forces Assessment and Selection, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course and Airborne School.
Awards: Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Parachutist Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Robinson is survived by his wife, Laura; and parents, Charles and Janet Robinson of Brown Mills, N.J.
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 B
Date KIA: 10 June 2005
Location: Orgun-e, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Sgt. 1st Class Victor H. Cervantes, 27, was a Special Forces weapons sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Fort Bragg N.C.
He was killed in action while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on June 10, 2005 in the vicinity of Orgun-e, Afghanistan serving as a member of the Quick Reaction Force responding to enemy contact reports from another patrol.
A native of Stockton, Calif., Cervantes was born Nov. 13, 1977. He enlisted in the Army as a cavalry scout July 24, 1996 under the delayed entry program.
He arrived at Fort Bragg to the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) in September 1999 to begin the intense training it would take for him to become a Special Forces weapons sergeant. Cervantes was assigned to 7th SFG in August 2000.
His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Ranger Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Spanish Language Course and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course.
Awards: Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
His parents, Fidel and Nisla of Stockton, Calif., and sister, Elizabeth of California survive him.
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 E
Date KIA: 16 June 2005 OEF
Location: Orgun-e, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Piper, 43, was born Dec. 20, 1961. He was a Special Forces communications sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Fort Bragg N. C.
Piper died on June 16, 2005, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, from wounds sustained when an enemy Improvised Explosive Device exploded near his Ground Mobility Vehicle June 3, 2005, during operations in the vicinity of Orgun-e, Afghanistan.
A native of Marblehead, Mass., Piper graduated from Marblehead High School in 1980. Following graduation he entered the Marine Corps and attended training at Parris Island, S.C.
While serving with the Marine Corps, he deployed to Beirut, Lebanon as a scout sniper from February through October 1983, eventually becoming a regimental scout sniper. In 1983, he left active service with the Marine Corps and joined the Marine Corps Reserves.
He entered the Army, April 17, 1995. After numerous assignments, including service with 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, he arrived to 7th SFG (Airborne) in September 2004.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal for Valor, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Special Forces Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Parachutist Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
His wife, Connie, survives him. His two children, Deirdre Margret and Christopher Thomas and their mother, Colleen Egan-Piper of Marblehead, Mass. survive him as well.
Assignment: USASOC
ODA: 18 B
Date KIA: 17 June 2005 OIF
Location: Western Iraq
Action: Hostile
Master Sgt. Robert M. Horrigan died June 17, 2005 in western Iraq while conducting combat operations against known enemies of the United States of America.
He was born Jan. 13, 1965 in Limestone, Maine.
Horrigan enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in May 1984. He served with various units to include the 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga. After a brief separation from active duty, he reenlisted and was assigned to the 5th Ranger Training Battalion serving as a team leader and Ranger instructor. In February 1991, he volunteered for Special Forces and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in September 1991. Horrigan was then assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he served as a senior Special Forces weapons sergeant.
He completed several significant military courses while in the U. S. Army to include the Basic Airborne Course, the Ranger Course, the Jungle Warfare Training Course, the Instructor Training Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Spanish Language Course, the Jumpmaster Course, the Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, the Scuba Course, the Special Forces Dive Supervisor Course, the Military Freefall Course, the Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course and the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course.
Upon his graduation from Ranger School in 1985, Horrigan was awarded the Merrill’s Marauder Award. He competed in the 1987 Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning, Ga., where he placed second.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal (2), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal (2), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (3), the Army Good Conduct Medal (6), the National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three, the Overseas Service Ribbon (2), the Presidential Unit Citation, the Army Superior Unit Award, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge, the Scuba Diver Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit Medal, the Bronze Star Medal for valor and the Purple Heart.
Horrigan is survived by his wife Denise, his daughter Courtney, his mother Mary, his sister Lisa Shine, his twin brother John and brother Daniel.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 C
Date KIA: 23 July 2005
Location: Qal’eh-Ye Gaz, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Sgt. Jason T. Palmerton was born on February 21, 1980 in Hamburg, Iowa. He was a detachment communications sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He died July 23, 2005, after he was fatally wounded while his patrol was ambushed in the vicinity of Qal’eh-Ye Gaz, Afghanistan.
Palmerton entered the Army in July 2002 as an infantryman. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2004 and was then assigned to the 3 rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) in February 2005. Palmerton then deployed to Afghanistan in June 2005.
Awards: Army Commendation Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Basic Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces Tab.
NOTEHe was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Palmerton is survived by his mother Mrs. Denise K. Brown of Auburn, Neb., his father, Mr. Steve Palmerton and his sisters, Amanda and Beth.
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 1st Battalion
ODA: 535
18 B
Date KIA: 5 August 2005
Location: Rabi’ah, Iraq
Action: Hostile
Sgt. 1st Class Brett E. Walden was killed in action on August 5, 2005 near Rabi’ah, Iraq, while serving with ODA 535, C Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
Walden, 40, was a Special Forces weapons sergeant assigned to ODA 535, C Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky. Walden, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. enlisted as an infantryman in February 1987.
He served as an infantryman in Hawaii from 1987 to 1992. He then served with 2nd Brigade, 327th Infantry Regiment at Fort Campbell, Ky. until 1997. After a year with 1st Brigade, 505th Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, N.C., Walden attended the Special Forces Qualification Course, graduating in October 2000.
He arrived at Fort Campbell November 20, 2000 and was assigned as a weapons sergeant with C Co, 1/5th SFG (A). While serving with C Co, 1/5th SFG (A), he spent one tour of duty in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and had recently begun his fourth tour of duty in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
Walden’s schools include the Basic Airborne Course, the Air Assault Course, the Ranger Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer’s Course, the Combat Lifesaver Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, the Russian Language Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, the Military Free Fall Course and the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer’s Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal with 5 bronze loops, the National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3), the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Military Freefall Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab. His posthumous awards include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Meritorious Service Medal.
He is survived by his wife, Autumn and daughter, Alexandria both of Dover, Pa.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 1st Battalion
ODA: 316
18 B
Date KIA: 8 August 2005
Location: Deh Afghan, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Chris was born on 24 September, 1982 in Boston, MA. He lived in Athens, Ohio from 1984 – 1990, when we moved to Littleton, Colorado. Chris attended Northridge Elementary School, Cresthill Middle School, and graduated from ThunderRidge High School in 2001.
On 25 October, 2001, Chris enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA for his Basic Training and his Advanced Infantry Training. He graduated AIT in March, 2002. He then attended Airborne School at Ft. Benning, before being assigned to Ft. Bragg, NC where was a member of the fourth class of the Special Operations Preparatory Course. In June 2002, he completed Special Forces Assessment and Selection, and was assigned to the Special Forces Qualification Course and graduated 21 May, 2003.
After finishing his Arabic Language course and SERE training, he was assigned to Operational Detachment –Alpha 316, Company A, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) as a Weapons Sergeant (18B). He was promoted to Staff Sergeant (SSG) on 1 November, 2004. His schooling in Special Forces included Blackwater Combat Marksmanship Course, Gryphon Group Force Protection Course, Mid-South Self Defense Institute, SFARTAETC, and his favorite course, the one he was most proud of, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course.
His first overseas deployment was in February, 2004 to Gereshk, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His second deployment was also to Afghanistan in June, 2005 and he was killed in action during the fifth of seven contacts in the 54 hour Battle of Mari Ghar in Afghanistan on 8 August, 2005 while saving the lives of his 10 teammates and 16 members of the Afghan National Army that were assigned to his team. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 22 August, 2005.
Awards: Silver Star , Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Special Forces Tab.
He is survived by his parents, Diane and Jeff Falkel, Littleton, CO, and his brother, Tim Falkel of Littleton, CO.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18A
Date KIA: 11 August 2005
Location: Tarin Khowt, Afghanistan
Action:
Capt. Jeremy A. Chandler was born on July 25, 1975, in Alabama. He was a Special Forces officer assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Chandler died August, 11, 2005, while he was preparing for combat operations near Tarin Khowt, Afghanistan. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism. This was his third deployment to Afghanistan.
A resident of Raeford, N.C., Chandler was commissioned in the Army immediately following graduation from North Georgia College in Dahlonega, Ga., in 1997. He majored in history.
He graduated from basic airborne and infantry officer training at Fort Benning, Ga., in 1998 and was assigned as an as an infantry officer with the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky. He deployed with the battalion to Kosovo in 2000 supporting Operation Joint Guardian.
In 2001, Chandler volunteered for Special Forces. He was selected for and later graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course. Upon completion of Arabic language training in 2003, he was assigned to 3rd SFG here. He earned his military free fall jumpmaster qualification in 2004. Military free fall is an advanced special operations skill.
Chandler’s military education and schools include Basic Airborne Course, Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ranger Course, Armor Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms Services Staff School, Special Forces Qualification Course, Jumpmaster Course, Military Free Fall Course, Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Course, and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal for valor, three Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medal, two National Defense Service Medals, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Air Assault Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Master Free Fall Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab and Ranger Tab. His posthumous awards include the Bronze Star Medal for valor, Meritorious Service Medal, and Army Commendation Medal.
He is survived by his wife Wendy, of Raeford, N.C., his parents, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alan and Jonnie Chandler of Richmond Hill, Ga, and his sister, Alecia Chandler Wilder of Hanford, Ca.
Assignment: USASOC
ODA: 18 D
Date KIA: 25 August 2005 OIF
Location: Iraq
Action: Hostile
Master Sgt. Ivica Jerak died Aug. 25, 2005, while conducting combat operations in Iraq against known enemies of the United States of America.
He was born Oct. 12, 1962 in Debeljak, former Republic of Yugoslavia and graduated from the Center for Education of Personnel in Zadar, former Republic of Yugoslavia in July 1981.
He entered the U.S. Army as a combat medic Jan. 19, 1988, and after completion of Initial Entry Training, was assigned to the 690th Medical Company, Fort Benning, Ga. Since that time, Jerak served in the 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). His last assignment was as an assistant team sergeant assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Jerak completed several military courses while serving in the United States Army to include the Pathfinder Course, the Ranger Course, the Basic Airborne Course, the Static Line Jumpmaster Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Special Operations Medical Course, the Emergency Medical Technician- Paramedic Course, the Military Freefall Course, the Jumpmaster Course, and the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course.
Jerak’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Bronze Star Medal (3), the Purple Heart (2), the Meritorious Service Medal (3), the Joint Service Commendation Medal for valor, the Army Commendation Medal (4), the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Army Superior Unit Award, the Army Good Conduct Medal (5), the National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze service stars, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal (2), the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), the Kuwait Medal (Government of Kuwait), the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Field Medical Badge, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Special Forces Tab and the Driver and Mechanic Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
He is survived by his wife, Hye Jerak and his mother, Milka Jerak.
Assignment: USASOC
ODA: 18
Date KIA: 28 August 2005
Location: Husaybah, Iraq
Action: Non-Hostile
Assigned to Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg died Aug. 28 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, from wounds sustained Aug. 25 in Husaybah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his position.
Sgt. 1st Class Kolath served with the 4th Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Battalion 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) and the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). His last assignment was as a team member assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
He is survived by his children, Vivian Schondelmeyer, Autumn and Mariah Kolath, and mother, Mary Kolath.
Sgt. 1st Class Obediah J. Kolath, 32, died of injuries from an IED blast that resulted in the death of three other USASOC Soldiers whose deaths were announced on Aug. 27.
Kolath entered the U.S. Army Mar. 10, 1992, as a fire support specialist. After completion of initial entry training, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment in Germany.
His military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, four Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three, the Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the NATO Ribbon, the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab, and the Parachutist Badge.
Kolath was posthumously recommended for the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Purple Heart.
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 D
Date KIA: 9 October 2005
Location: Baghdad, Iraq
Action: Hostile
Staff Sgt. Gary R. Harper, Jr., 29, a Special Forces medical sergeant, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), died when his reconnaissance mission was attacked by enemy forces near Baghdad, Iraq on 9 October 2005.
A native of Illinois, Harper entered the Army May 20, 1993 as an artilleryman.
Harper’s first assignment was with 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery, located at Fort Sill, Okla. The unit worked with the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). This system provides the Army an all-weather, indirect, area fire weapon system to strike counter fire, air defense, armored formations and other high-payoff targets at all depths of the tactical battlefield. He served there until January 2001.
He was then assigned to the 38th Field Artillery, located near Uijongbu, Korea, where he served until January 2003. While serving overseas, Harper was promoted to the rank of sergeant.
In January 2003, he began the vigorous, intensive two-year training to become a member of the Army’s most elite unit – the Green Berets. In July 2003, during his Special Forces training, Harper was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant.
Harper successfully completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2004 and was assigned to 2nd Bn., 5th SFG (A) at Fort Campbell, Ky. in February 2005. Harper deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in June 2005.
His military education included the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training for Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Basic Airborne Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the Motor Pool Operation Management Course and the Combat Life Savers Course.
Awards: Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Service Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Multinational Force and Observers and Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachute Badge, the Driver and Mechanic Badges and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Harper is survived by his mother and father, Linda Mae and Joe C. Morrison of Virden, Ill.; his wife, Danielle, sons, Tristen and Gabrian and daughter, Madison of Clarksville, Tenn.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 3rd Battalion
ODA:
180A
Date KIA: 11 October 2006
Location: Southern Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Chief Warrant Officer Two Scott W. Dyer was born on September 2, 1968, in Alexandria, Va. He was an assistant detachment commander assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He died October 11, 2006, from injuries sustained during combat operations in southern Afghanistan.
Dyer entered the Army in November 1987 from Titusville, Fla. as a cavalry scout. After an assignment to the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La., he moved to Fort Bragg, N.C., and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1994 as a Special Forces Engineer. Dyer was then assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group located at Fort Bragg. While at 3rd SFG, he participated in numerous deployments to Africa, Caribbean Islands, Haiti, and the Balkans. In 2002, he was reassigned to 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) and participated in deployments to Hungary, Macedonia, Czech Republic and one tour in Afghanistan. He graduated from Warrant Officer Candidate School in 2003 and was reassigned to the 3rd SFG in February 2004. Dyer deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in August 2006.
Awards: Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge, Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab.
Dyer is survived by his wife Jodi, son Casey, daughter Sidney, mother Sandra Miller and step-father Steve Miller of Tequesta, Fla., father Carl Dyer of Alexandria, Va., and sisters Tawnia Peterson of Orlando, Fla., and Dawn Hill of Rockledge, Fla.
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18 C
Date KIA: 11 October 2005
Location: Muqdadiyah, Iraq
Action: Hostile
Staff Sgt. Matthew A. Kimmell, 30, a Special Forces engineer sergeant, assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) died 11 October 2005 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, when an Improvised Explosive Device detonated near his Humvee.
A native of Indiana, Kimmell entered the Indiana National Guard Jan. 11, 1994.
He completed Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Ga., and then began his active duty Army career there as an infantryman in February 1995. Kimmell was promoted to the rank of sergeant Jan. 1, 2003 with weapons squad, 3rd Platoon, C Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.
In June 2003, he began the vigorous, intensive two-year training to become a member of the Army’s Special Forces.
Kimmell successfully completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in November 2004 and then was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th SFG (A) at Fort Campbell, Ky. He was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant March 1, 2005. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in June 2005.
His military education included the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Basic Combat Training Course, the Advanced Individual Training Course for Infantryman, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Basic Airborne Course, the Jungle Course, the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, the Ranger Course and the Primary Leadership Development Course.
Awards: Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Basic Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Kimmell is survived by his wife, Mylissa, of Worthington, Ind.; his parents, Larry and Jeanne, his brother, Jeremy, and sister, Susanne, all of Paxton, Ind.
10th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 A
Date KIA: 30 August 2004
Location: Al Anbar, Iraq
Action: Hostile
Maj. Jeffrey P. Toczylowski, 30, a Special Forces detachment commander assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Panzer Kaserne, Germany, died Nov. 3, 2005, while in hostile enemy territory in the Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was seriously injured as a result of a fall from a helicopter during a combat infiltration. Toczylowski was airlifted to a military treatment facility, where he was pronounced dead.
A native of Upper Moreland, Pa., Toczylowski was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1995 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Valley Forge Military College in Valley Forge, Pa.
He later earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Texas A&M University, Kingsville, Texas in 1997.
Later that year, Toczylowski began his first assignment as a platoon leader with the 554th Military Police Company in Vaihingen, Germany. His two years with the company included a deployment to Bosnia in support of Task Force Eagle.
In 2000, he began a nearly three-year stint as a force protection officer at Special Operations Command Europe in Stuttgart, Germany.
Toczylowski attended the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2003 and was assigned that year to 1st Bn., 10th SFG, as an SF detachment commander, where he served until his death.
His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, the Military Police Officer Basic Course, the Infantry Officer Advanced Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Awards: Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Parachutist Badge and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and promoted to the rank of major.
He is survived by his parents, Philip and Margret Toczylowski, of Upper Moreland. He is also survived by his sister, Pamela and niece, Mikell of McDonald, Pa.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 F
Date KIA: 15 November 2005
Location: Lawara, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Sgt. 1st Class James S. Ochsner, 36, a Special Forces intelligence sergeant assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, died Nov. 15, 2005, as a result of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device which detonated while Ochsner was riding in an Up-Armored Humvee near Lawara, Afghanistan. He was in the process of distributing supplies to local nationals at the time of the attack.
Ochsner, a resident of Hope Mills, N.C., enlisted as an artilleryman in 1987. His first assignment was with 2nd Bn., 14th Field Artillery in Bamburg, Germany where he served for three years.
Ochsner then reclassified as an infantryman and served in the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. where he participated in Operation Desert Storm and completed a tour in the Sinai Peninsula and South Korea before he volunteered as a Special Forces Soldier.
He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2001 and was assigned that year to 2nd Bn., 3rd SFG, as a Special Forces communications sergeant. In 2004, he graduated from the Special Forces Operations and Intelligence Course. He then returned to 2nd Bn., 3rd SFG and was serving on his fourth combat tour to Afghanistan as an SF intelligence sergeant upon his death.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal for valor, Army Commendation Medal for service, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Driver and Mechanic Badges, and the Special Forces Tab. His posthumous awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Purple Heart.
He is survived by his wife, Ann, his son, Nicholas, and daughter, Meagan of Hope Mills. His parents, Robert and Sandra, of Beach Park, Ill, also survive Ochsner.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18 Z
Date KIA: 19 November 2005
Location: Shkin, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Master Sergeant Anthony Ray Charles Yost, 39, a Special Forces Operational Detachment – Alpha Team sergeant assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C., died Nov. 19, 2005, as a result of an explosion which occurred inside a building in Mosul. Yost and other Soldiers were searching a building for insurgents. During their search, an explosion occurred and the building collapsed. Yost was killed by the blast.
Yost was born in Oklahoma and reared in Flint, Mich. He enlisted in the Army in 1987.
His assignments included tours in South Korea, Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Bliss, Tex. prior his training and service as a special forces Soldier.
Yost graduated the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1993 and was assigned that year to 2nd Bn., 10th SFG at Fort Carson, Co., as an SF weapons sergeant. After serving eight years in 10th SFG, Yost was assigned in 2001 to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as a senior SF weapons instructor. In March 2005, Yost was assigned to 3rd Bn., 3rd SFG and served there as an Operational Detachment – Alpha team sergeant until his death.
Awards: Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medals (6), Army Achievement Medals (6), the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Military Freefall Master Parachutist Badge, the Driver and Mechanic Badges and the Special Forces Tab. His posthumous awards include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He is survived by his wife, Joann, and his children Donovan, Cheyenne, Anthony.
Assignment: USASOC
ODA: 18
Date KIA: 24 December 2005
Location: Baquoba, Iraq / KIA
Action: Hostile
MSG Andres died in Balad, Iraq, on Dec. 24, of injuries sustained earlier that day in Baqubah, Iraq, when his unit was attacked with enemy small arms fire during combat operations in central Iraq.
Master Sgt. Joseph J. Andres, Jr., 34, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Special Operations Command here, died of injuries he sustained during the attack.
A native of Garfield Heights, Ohio, Andres graduated from Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio, and enlisted in the Army Reserve as a combat medic on Feb. 18, 1992. On April 21, 1993, he volunteered for active duty service and was assigned as a combat medic to the 42nd Medical Company, 68th Medical Group, Wiesbaden, Germany. He later served as a medical noncommissioned officer in A Company, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas, and as a Special Forces communications noncommissioned officer in A Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash. Andres has been assigned to USASOC since Dec. 2003.
His military training includes the U.S. Army Airborne Course, the U.S. Army Ranger Course, the Military Freefall Course, the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Static Line Jumpmaster Course and the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course.
Andres’ awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, three Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Expert Field Medic Badge, the Military Freefall Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the Driver/Mechanics Badge. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of master sergeant.
Andres is survived by his parents, Joseph and Sandra Andres, of Seven Hills, Ohio.
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18 C
Date KIA: 30 December 2005
Location: Balad, Iraq
Action: Hostile
Staff Sgt. Ayman A. Taha was born on July 2, 1974, in Sudan. He was a trained Special Forces Engineer noncommissioned officer assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group in Fort Campbell, Ky.
He died in an explosion Dec. 30, 2005, while preparing to dispose of enemy munitions discovered near Balad, Iraq during combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
A resident of Clarksville, Tenn., Taha was a native of Sudan.
Taha entered the Army in August 2002 under the 18X program. This program allows selected individuals to enlist directly for Special Forces Training as a result of preexisting unique skills. He was an Arabic speaker. He began his Army career by completing Basic Infantry Training and Airborne School, both at Fort Benning, Ga.
In 2003, Taha began training at Fort Bragg, N.C., where he completed the Special Forces Engineer Sergeant’s Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course and the Basic Non Commissioned Officers Course. He was later assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Campbell, Ky., in January of 2005. He served as a member of a Special Forces Operational Detachment-A or A-Team.
Taha’s civilian education consisted of a bachelor’s of science in economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1997 and a master’s in economics from the University of Massachusetts in 2001.
Awards: National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral Two Device, the Special Forces Tab and the Parachutists Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Taha is survived by his wife, Geraldine and his daughter, Sommer, both of Tennessee. His parents, Abdel-Rahman and Amal Ali both of Virginia, also survive him.
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