NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense



No. 1295-05

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec 14, 2005

Media Contact: Army Public Affairs - (703) 692-2000

Public/Industry Contact: (703)428-0711



DoD Identifies Army Casualty





            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who

was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.







            Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Mitchell, 28, of Evansville, Ind., died in

Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 12, when an improvised expolosive device detonated near his

M1A1 Abrams tank during combat operations.  Mitchell was assigned to the 3rd

Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.







            For further information related to this release, contact Army Public

Affairs at (703) 692-2000.





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American Forces Press Service



WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005  - A Marine assigned to the 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), was killed by an improvised explosive device Dec. 14 while conducting combat operations near Ramadi, Iraq, military officials reported.



The Marine's name is being withheld pending notification of family.



In other news, Iraqi army and Task Force Baghdad soldiers conducted operations Dec. 14 in western Baghdad geared toward creating a secure environment for free elections in the area. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, questioned a driver who was behaving suspiciously near a traffic control point in the Abu Ghraib area. The man failed to answer basic questions and provided conflicting information.



A thorough search of the man's house revealed items typically used by terrorists to attack Iraqi security forces, Iraqi civilians and coalition forces. The soldiers discovered two AK-47 assault rifles, a pistol, a video camera, 30 AK-47 magazines with ammunition, a magazine of 7.62 mm rounds, five sets of body armor vests, a book listing names of Iraqi army soldiers, and various terrorist propaganda materials. Soldiers detained the suspect.



A few hours later, soldiers from 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division's Brigade Special Troops Battalion patrolling in Abu Ghraib discovered an improvised explosive device made from a 30 mm artillery round wired to detonate with a two-way radio. An explosives team destroyed the bomb.



Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry, also captured a suspected terrorist financier near the Khadra neighborhood. One associate was also detained for questioning.



In Balad, Iraqi soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, were tipped off Dec. 14 to the location of a bomb on a secondary road leading to a polling site.



The bomb was buried in the northbound lane and consisted of a propane tank with 50 pounds of plastic explosives and rocket propellant. An explosives team responded to the site and was about 200 meters south of the bomb when it detonated.



Iraqi Border Police detained four individuals trying to smuggle 137 cases of cigarettes across the Iraqi border in Ninawa province Dec. 14.



Troops from the 1st Brigade, 1st Battalion, 4th Iraqi Army Division, detained two suspects Dec. 14 after finding four mortar rounds during a vehicle search north of Dawr.



As part of Operation Vanguard Free Speech, soldiers assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, detained 14 suspected terrorists and confiscated a large number of weapons, munitions and money Dec. 14.



During the raids, soldiers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, and 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, confiscated 12 152 mm artillery rounds, 12 bags of rocket-propelled-grenade propellant, 40 sticks of dynamite, four anti-aircraft rounds and 1 million dinar, about $700. The 14 detained suspected terrorists are being held for questioning.



Coalition aircraft flew 60 close- air-support missions Dec. 14 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.



U.S. Navy F/A-18s provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with insurgents near Balad. The F/A-18s expended precision-guided munitions with successful effects against enemy firing positions. U.S. Air Force F-16s and U.S. Navy F-14s provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with insurgents near Baquba and Ramadi.



Sixteen U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions supporting Iraq operations. British Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a nontraditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.



(Compiled from Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq and U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news releases.)



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NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense



No. 1299-05 IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec 15, 2005 Media Contact: Marine Corps Public Affairs - (703) 614-4309

Public/Industry(703)428-0711



DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was

supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.



Cpl. Michael B. Presley, 21, of Batesville, Miss., died Dec. 14 at Landstuhl

Regional Medical Center in Germany of wounds sustained from a suicide,

vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations

against enemy forces in Fallujah, Iraq, on Dec. 12. He was assigned to 2nd

Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force,

Camp Lejeune, N.C.



Media with questions about this Marine can call the 2nd Marine Division Public

Affairs Office at (910) 451-9033.





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NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense



No. 1304-05 IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec 16, 2005 Media Contact: Army Public Affairs - (703) 692-2000

Public/Industry(703)428-0711



DoD Identifies Army Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier

who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.







            Sgt. 1st Class John D. Morton, 31, ofStanton, Ky., died in Shah

Wali Kot, Afghanistan on Dec. 15, when his dismounted patrol came under attack

by enemy forces using small arms fire.  Morton was assigned to the 74th

Infantry Detachment (Long Range Surveillance), 173rd Airborne Brigade,

Vicenza, Italy.







            For further information related to this release, contact Army

Public Affairs at (703) 692-2000.



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NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense



No. 1305-05 IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec 17, 2005 Media Contact: Army Public Affairs - (703) 692-2000

Public/Industry(703)428-0711



DoD Identifies Army Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier

who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.







            Spc. Joseph A. Lucas, 23, ofAugusta, Ga., died in Balad, Iraq on

Dec. 15, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during

combat operations.  Lucas was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry

Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.







            For further information related to this release, contact Army

Public Affairs at (703) 692-2000.