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Soldiers, Marines Killed; DoD Identifies Previous Casualties

Three U.S. soldiers and two Marines have been killed in Iraq, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified nine earlier casualties.

- Two Task Force Lightning soldiers attached to 25th Combat Aviation Brigade were killed when a helicopter crashed in Salah Ad Din province today. No enemy fire was observed in the area at that time. The incident is under investigation.

- One soldier assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, died today from wounds suffered due to enemy action in Anbar province.

- One Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died today from wounds suffered on Nov 4 due to enemy action while operating in Al Anbar Province.

- One Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died Nov. 4 from wounds suffered due to enemy action while operating in Anbar province.
The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department released the identities of nine servicemembers killed recently supporting the global war on terrorism.

- Army Spc. James L. Bridges, 22, of Buhl, Idaho, died Nov. 4 in Baghdad, when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire. Bridges was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Ala.

- Army Lt Col. Paul J. Finken, 40, of Mason City, Iowa; Lt. Col. Eric J. Kruger, 40, of Garland, Texas; and Staff Sgt. Joseph A. Gage, 28, of Modesto, Calif., died Nov. 2 in Baghdad of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near their vehicles. Finken and Gage were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. Kruger was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo..

- Army Pvt. Michael P. Bridges, 23, of Placentia, Calif., died Nov. 2 in Taji, Iraq, from a non-combat related incident. Bridges was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

- Army Maj. Douglas E. Sloan, 40, of Evans Mills, N.Y.; Sgt. Charles J. McClain, 26, of Fort Riley, Kan.; and Pfc. Alex Oceguera, 19, of San Bernardino, Calif., died of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near their vehicle Oct. 31 in Wygal Valley, Afghanistan. All soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

- Army Spc. Isaiah Calloway, 23, of Jacksonville, Fla., died Oct. 30 in Marah, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire. Calloway was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Defense