Bomb kills Stryker soldier

[David]

The Associated Press

A Fort Lewis soldier was killed by a roadside bomb Sunday, the U.S. military said, the fourth fatality in two weeks for the Stryker brigade deployed from the Army post in South Sound.

The soldier was killed near the northern city of Mosul where the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division returned this summer for its second yearlong deployment.

The name of the soldier was withheld Monday so military officials could contact family members first.

The soldier is the 77th soldier assigned to Fort Lewis to be killed in action since the U.S.-led invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq began in March 2003.

Sgt. Gabriel DeRoo, 25, was killed by small-arms fire in Mosul on Aug. 20.

A week later in Baghdad, Spc. Kenneth M. Cross, 21, and Pfc. Daniel G. Dolan, 19, were ambushed while trying to right their Stryker vehicle after it was overturned by a bomb blast, according to the parents of one of the casualties. Their memorial service will be at Fort Lewis today.

The Stryker soldier wasn't the only casualty announced Monday. Two Marines and two Army soldiers were killed in separate attacks, the U.S. military said.

A roadside bomb killed a soldier of the 1/34th Brigade Combat Team who was conducting a convoy escort mission north of Baghdad on Monday, the military said.

A separate statement from the U.S. military in Balad also said a soldier with the 15th Sustainment Brigade died of non-combat injuries Monday.

Their names also were withheld until military officials could contact their families.

A total of 2,651 U.S. troops have died in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003, according to a tally by The Associated Press. At least 2,100 of that number were killed by hostile action.

[Boats]

David - sad days are still to come I'm afraid. This conflict is far from being over and looks as though it will grow into something the world isn't ready to handle.

Peace and warm feelings to all those in service and those who've since moved on to meet those who've gone before. Tragic but once we stand our ground we will all have to suffer those losses.