As of Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at least 1,896 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.
The AP count is six less than the Defense Department’s tally, last updated Tuesday at 10 a.m. EDT.
At least 1,579 military service members have died in Afghanistan as a result of hostile action, according to the military’s numbers.
Outside of Afghanistan, the department reports at least 114 more members of the U.S. military died in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Of those, 12 were the result of hostile action.
The AP count of total OEF casualties outside of Afghanistan is one more than the department’s tally.
The Defense Department also counts three military civilian deaths.
Since the start of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, 16,687 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department.
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The latest identifications reported by the military:
—Two soldiers died June 27, in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device; killed were: 1st Lt. Stephen C. Prasnicki, 24, of Lexington, Va., assigned to 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany; and Sgt. James L. Skalberg Jr., 25, of Cullman, Ala., assigned to 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.
—Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Leach, 29, of Ferndale, Mich., died June 26, in Kandahar, Afghanistan; assigned to the 1/334th Regiment, 1st Brigade, 104th Training Division (Leader Training), Fraser, Mich.
—Two soldiers died June 24, in Kandahar, Afghanistan; they were assigned to the 96th Transportation Company, 180th Transportation Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Fort Hood, Texas; killed were: Staff Sgt. Robert A. Massarelli, 32, of Hamilton, Ohio, and Sgt. Michael J. Strachota, 28, of White Hall, Ark.
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Online:
http://www.defense.gov/news/
