List of local military dead from Afghanistan, Iraq

Region

January 14, 2012

Anonymous ---- The Record Eagle Sat Jan 14, 2012, 05:00 PM EST

Members of the U.S. armed forces with known local ties who died supporting military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq:

Afghanistan

2012

U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Matthew S. Schwartz, 34, of Traverse City, died Jan. 5, 2012 in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. He was an explosive ordnance disposal specialist assigned to the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron at F.E.Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.

2011:

Army Pvt. 2nd Class Jackie L. Diener II, 20, of Boyne City died Nov. 21 in Kandahar province from wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was part of the 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Navy SEAL Heath M. Robinson, 34, whose hometown was listed as Detroit, was killed Aug. 6 when a Chinook helicopter was shot down by insurgents in Wardak province, killing 30 American military personnel, seven Afghan commandos and an Afghan interpreter. The special warfare operator chief petty officer was assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit. Robinson graduated from Petoskey High School in 1995.

Marine Sgt. David P. Day, 26, of Gaylord died April 25 in combat in Badghis province. He was killed by a roadside bomb, his father said. Day was assigned to the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

2010

Marine Sgt. Jason D. Calo, 23, of Mancelona died Aug. 22, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. He was part of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Cpl. Paul Miller, 22, of Traverse City died July 19, 2010, while on foot patrol in Afghanistan after an improvised explosive device detonated in Helmand province. Miller was part of the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Army Sgt. Dillon B. Foxx, 22, of Traverse City died Feb. 5, 2010 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was part of the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

2007

Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew D. Blaskowski, 27, a 1998 Cheboygan Area High School graduate whose parents live in Cheboygan County, died Sept. 23, 2007, in Asadabad of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team at Vicenza, Italy.

2006

Army Maj. Douglas E. Sloan, 40, who grew up in Charlevoix, died Oct. 31, 2006, of injuries sustained in a roadside bombing, his family said. Sloan was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Iraq

2008

Army Pfc. John Thomas Bishop, 22, of Gaylord, died April 23, 2008 in Golden Hills in a vehicle crash. He attended Gaylord High School. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Ky.

2007

Army Pfc. Justin T. Paton, 24, of Alanson died Feb. 17, 2007 in Taramia when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire. Paton was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

2005

Marine Cpl. Michael B. Lindemuth, 27, of Pellston, died April 13, 2005 as a result of wounds from enemy mortar fire at Camp Hit in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Lindemuth was assigned to inspector/instructor staff of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in Akron, Ohio.

Army Sgt. Spencer Akers, 35, of Traverse City, died Dec. 8, 2005 at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. He was injured Nov. 21 when an improvised explosive device went off near his vehicle in Habbaniyah. Akers was assigned to the Army National Guard's First Battalion with the 125th Infantry Regiment in Saginaw.