Two more Fort Lewis soldiers killed in Iraq
FORT LEWIS, Wash. -- Two Fort Lewis soldiers were among three troops killed in a bombing in Iraq over the weekend, bringing to five the number of casualties from the post south of the Tacoma that the Department of Defense has identified this week.
The dead were identified Tuesday as Cpl. Llythaniele Fender, 21, of Medical Lake, Wash., Cpl. Meresebang Ngiraked, 21, of Koror, Republic of Palau, and Spc. Adam G. Herold, 23, of Omaha, Neb.
The soldiers died Sunday in Karbala of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device, the Defense Department said.
Fender and Ngiraked were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment at Fort Lewis.
"Cpl. Llythaniele Fender will never be forgotten," said his mother, Ellen Fender. "He was a wonderful son and brother with a huge heart who served his country with great pride and we send our hearts out to the men and women who have served and are serving this great country, both stateside and overseas. As our son would say, 'Rock On 'Till The End.'"
Herold was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment with the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
On Monday, the Defense Department identified three other Fort Lewis soldiers who died in Iraq over the weekend: Staff Sgt. Brian M. Long, 32, Burns, Wyo., Pvt. Scott A. Miller, 20, Casper, Wyo., and Sgt. Cory M. Endlich, 23, Massillon, Ohio.
Also killed, on June 2, was Army Sgt. Dariek E. Dehn, 32, of Spangle, a small town south of Spokane. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry division out of Fort Hood, Texas.
More than 200 military service members with ties to Washington state, including 131 from Fort Lewis, have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003.
Memorial for three other fallen soldiers
News of two more deaths of Fort Lewis soldiers came as the post said farewell Tuesday to three Stryker soldiers who had only been in Iraq a month when their lives were taken.
The three soldiers were all members of the 4th Stryker Brigade. They only arrived in Iraq last month and already they've lost 11 of their members.
The Tuesday memorial honored Staff Sgt. Tom McFall of Glendora, Calif., who was married with three children, Corporal Junior CedenoSanchez of Miami and Corporal Jerod Crouch of Louisiana who leaves behind a fiancée.
McFall and CedenoSanchez were killed two weeks ago when a bomb exploded as they were on foot patrol.
"Thank you both for your service and sacrifice and for the amazing impact you left on all of us," said Capt. Craig Butera at the memorial. "We will always try to live up to your examples. Job well done."
Crouch was killed by a roadside bomb a week ago Saturday. Capt Bruce Wells said of Crouch, "I believe he would not want us to grieve. I believe he would stand here today, a little hunched at the shoulders with that crooked smile on his face and he would tell us to focus on our duty and our mission."
The Evergreen Chapel on post was filled with family members who gathered around the memorial stand honoring the three soldiers.
"And if my own son could harvest the leadership traits and the kindness of Tommy, the pure dedication and warmth of Junior and the professionalism and caring spirit of Jerod I could never dare to ask for more," said 3rd Brigade Rear Detachment Commander Maj. Chad Sundem.
Fort Lewis will announce Wednesday how it’s going to handle the mounting number of casualties and memorials.
The dead were identified Tuesday as Cpl. Llythaniele Fender, 21, of Medical Lake, Wash., Cpl. Meresebang Ngiraked, 21, of Koror, Republic of Palau, and Spc. Adam G. Herold, 23, of Omaha, Neb.
The soldiers died Sunday in Karbala of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device, the Defense Department said.
Fender and Ngiraked were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment at Fort Lewis.
"Cpl. Llythaniele Fender will never be forgotten," said his mother, Ellen Fender. "He was a wonderful son and brother with a huge heart who served his country with great pride and we send our hearts out to the men and women who have served and are serving this great country, both stateside and overseas. As our son would say, 'Rock On 'Till The End.'"
Herold was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment with the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
On Monday, the Defense Department identified three other Fort Lewis soldiers who died in Iraq over the weekend: Staff Sgt. Brian M. Long, 32, Burns, Wyo., Pvt. Scott A. Miller, 20, Casper, Wyo., and Sgt. Cory M. Endlich, 23, Massillon, Ohio.
Also killed, on June 2, was Army Sgt. Dariek E. Dehn, 32, of Spangle, a small town south of Spokane. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry division out of Fort Hood, Texas.
More than 200 military service members with ties to Washington state, including 131 from Fort Lewis, have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003.
Memorial for three other fallen soldiers
News of two more deaths of Fort Lewis soldiers came as the post said farewell Tuesday to three Stryker soldiers who had only been in Iraq a month when their lives were taken.
The three soldiers were all members of the 4th Stryker Brigade. They only arrived in Iraq last month and already they've lost 11 of their members.
The Tuesday memorial honored Staff Sgt. Tom McFall of Glendora, Calif., who was married with three children, Corporal Junior CedenoSanchez of Miami and Corporal Jerod Crouch of Louisiana who leaves behind a fiancée.
McFall and CedenoSanchez were killed two weeks ago when a bomb exploded as they were on foot patrol.
"Thank you both for your service and sacrifice and for the amazing impact you left on all of us," said Capt. Craig Butera at the memorial. "We will always try to live up to your examples. Job well done."
Crouch was killed by a roadside bomb a week ago Saturday. Capt Bruce Wells said of Crouch, "I believe he would not want us to grieve. I believe he would stand here today, a little hunched at the shoulders with that crooked smile on his face and he would tell us to focus on our duty and our mission."
The Evergreen Chapel on post was filled with family members who gathered around the memorial stand honoring the three soldiers.
"And if my own son could harvest the leadership traits and the kindness of Tommy, the pure dedication and warmth of Junior and the professionalism and caring spirit of Jerod I could never dare to ask for more," said 3rd Brigade Rear Detachment Commander Maj. Chad Sundem.
Fort Lewis will announce Wednesday how it’s going to handle the mounting number of casualties and memorials.