Preston's Place

Lance Cpl. Robert J. Newton, 21, of Creve Coeur, Ill., died Aug. 23 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Sgt. Ronald A. Rodriguez, 26, of Falls Church, Va., died Aug. 23 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at 760-725-6573.

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died Aug. 22 at Paktika, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked their unit with small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire.

Killed were:

Sgt. Steven J. Deluzio, 25, of South Glastonbury, Conn.

Spc. Tristan H. Southworth, 21, of West Danville, Vt.

They were assigned to the 172nd Infantry, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Jericho, Vt.

For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Vermont National Guard public affairs office at 802-338-3324.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Pedro A. Millet Meletiche, 20, of Elizabeth, N.J., died Aug. 22 at Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

For more information, the media may contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at 719-526-7525.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Brandon E. Maggart, 24, of Kirksville, Mo., died Aug. 22 at Basrah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire.  He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

For more information the media may contact Joint Base Lewis-McChord public affairs office at 253-967-0147 or 253-967-0152.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Christopher S. Wright, 23, of Tollesboro, Ky., died Aug. 19 in Pech, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.

For more information, the media may contact the 75th Ranger Regiment public affairs office at 706-545-4260 or the USASOC News Service: http://news.soc.mil .