Military deaths

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel who were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq or who died at a U.S. military hospital of their injuries:

Brandon A. Barrett, 27, of Marion, Ind.; first lieutenant, Marine Corps. Barrett was killed Wednesday while supporting combat operations in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Austin H. Gates Benson, 19, of Hellertown, Pa.; airman first class, Air Force. Benson died of noncombat-related injuries Monday near Khyber, Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 54th Combat Communications Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

Mark W. Coleman, 40, of Centerville, Wash.; master sergeant, Army. Coleman was killed May 2 when an improvised explosive device exploded while he was on foot patrol near Khakrez in southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Eric M. Finniginam, 26, of Colonia, Federated States of Micronesia; specialist, Army. Finniginam was killed May 1 when his unit was attacked with indirect fire — a military term that usually refers to a mortar or rocket attack — at Forward Operating Base Blessing in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo.

Esau S.A. Gonzales, 30, of White Deer, Texas; staff sergeant, Army. Gonzales died May 3 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a noncombat-related incident. He was assigned to the 38th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Anthony O. Magee, 29, of Hattiesburg, Miss.; sergeant, Army. Magee died April 27 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered April 24 when his unit was attacked with indirect fire — a military term that usually refers to a mortar or rocket attack — at Contingency Operating Base Kalsu in Iskandariya, Iraq, southeast of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Ralph Mena, 27, of Hutchinson, Kan.; sergeant, Army. Mena died of noncombat-related injuries Tuesday in Tikrit, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 72nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 7th Signal Brigade, 5th Signal Command in Mannheim, Germany.

Richard R. Penny, 21, of Fayetteville, Ark.; lance corporal, Marine Corps. Penny was killed Thursday while supporting combat operations in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Wade A. Slack, 21, of Waterville, Maine; specialist, Army. Slack was killed Thursday when his unit was attacked with indirect fire — a military term that usually refers to a mortar or rocket attack — in Jaghatu in central Afghanistan’s Wardak province, west of Kabul. He was assigned to the 707th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Sources: Department of Defense and the Associated Press