One Brick Short

Add to the list of the fallen:

U.S. Marine Sgt. Merlin German, 22 of Manhattan, N.Y., died April 11 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, from wounds he suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq, on Feb. 22, 2005. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif., while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. German’s parent unit was the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was medically retired Sept. 28, 2007, as a result of his injuries.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ronald C. Blystone, 34, of Springfield, Mo., died April 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when he encountered small arms fire during a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Shaun J. Whitehead, 24, of Commerce, Ga., died April 24 in Iskandariyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he encountered an improvised explosive device while on a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

U.S. Army Spc. David P. McCormick, 26, of Fresno, Texas, died April 28 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his forward operating base came under rocket attack. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jonathan A. V. Yelner, 24, of Lafayette, Calif., died April 29 near Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class David L. McDowell, 30, of Ramona, Calif., died April 29 in Bastion, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash.

U.S. Army Pfc. William T. Dix, 32, of Culver City, Calif., died April 27 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident.  He was assigned to the 14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, I Corps, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Three U.S. Army soldiers died April 28 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their forward operating base with indirect fire.
Killed were: Pfc. Adam L. Marion, 26, of Mount Airy, N.C., assigned to the 171st Engineer Company, North Carolina Army National Guard, Saint Pauls, N.C.; Sgt. Marcus C. Mathes, 26, of Zephyrhills, Fla., assigned to the 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), located at Fort Polk, La. and Sgt. Mark A. Stone, 22, of Buchanan Dam, Texas, assigned to the 94th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), located at Fort Polk, La. 

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Clay A. Craig, 22, of Mesquite, Texas, died April 29 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when he received small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Bryan E. Bolander, 26, of Bakersfield, Calif., died April 29 in Baghdad from wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Two U.S. Army soldiers died April 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.  They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were Cpt. Andrew. R. Pearson, 32, of Billings, Mont., and Spc. Ronald J. Tucker, 21, of Fountain, Colo.