This Week marks the passings of basketball player and humanitarian Manute Bol, country singer and sausage magnate Jimmy Dean, former congressman Thomas Ludlow Ashley, and Parliament Funkadelic musician Garry Shider. In addition, the Pentagon released the names of seventeen service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan:
US Army SPC Robert J Fike, 38, Conneautville, PA
US Army SSG Bryan A Hoover, 29, West Elizabeth, PA
US Army SGT Israel P O'Bryan, 24, Newbern, TN
US Army SPC William C Yauch, 23, Batesville, AR
US Army SPC Christian M Adams, 26, Sierra Vista, AZ
US Army SGT Mario Rodriguez, 24, Smithville, TX
US Army SPC Brian M Anderson, 24, Harrisonburg, VA
US Army SPC Christopher W Opat, 29, Spencer, IA
US Army SGT Joshua A Lukeala, 23, Yigo, GU
US Army SPC Matthew R Catlett, 23, Houston, TX
US Army SPC Charles S Jirtle, 29, Lawton, OK
US Army SPC Blaine E Redding, 22, Plattsmouth, NE
US Marines Cpl Jeffrey R Standfest, 23, St Clair, MI
US Marines LCpl Michael C Bailey, 29, Park Hills, MO
US Army SPC Benjamin D Osborn, 27, Queensbury, NY
US Navy SN William Ortega, 23, Miami, FL
US Army CPT Michael P Cassidy, 41, Simpsonville, SC
As today is Fathers' Day, I made a point of looking for articles honoring each fallen service member that reminds us that there are many families today celebrating their first Fathers' Day without their father or son.
Per iCasualties, this brings the total number of allied service members killed in Iraq to 4,725; in Afghanistan, 1,842. The Canadian casualty count is 147. During this same period, Iraq Body Count lists 93 Iraqi civilians killed.
