N.M.’s military fallen
These are the names of the 90 men and women with New Mexico ties who died in the war on terror. The list was compiled by the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services.
AFGHANISTAN WAR 29 PEOPLE
Senior Airman Jason Cunningham, 26, Air Force, Carlsbad: Killed March 4, 2002, while rescuing wounded troops in Marzak. Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Speer, 28, Army, Albuquerque: Died Aug. 7, 2002, after being wounded in an ambush in Eastern Afghanistan. 1st Lt. Tamara Archuleta, 23, Air Force, Belen: Killed in a helicopter crash March 23, 2003, while on a Mercy Mission. Tech. Sgt. Scott Duffman, 32, Air Force, Albuquerque: Killed Feb. 18, 2007, when his helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan. Maj. Thomas Bostick, 37, Army, Lovington: Killed July 27, 2007, when his unit was attacked near Kamu. Staff Sgt. Kevin Roberts, 25, Army, Farmington: Killed May 7, 2008, by an IED while on patrol in the Sabari District. Capt. Bruce Hays, 42, Army, Capitan: Killed Sept. 17, 2008, when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. Staff Sgt. Timothy Bowles, 24, Air Force, Glorieta: Killed March 15, 2009, when his convoy was attacked. Spc. Troy Tom, 21, Army, Beclabito: Killed Aug. 17, 2009, when his unit was hit by an IED. Sgt. Joseph Gallegos, 39, New Mexico National Guard, Questa: Died Oct. 2, 2009, in a noncombat incident in Tallil. Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Westbrook, 41, Army, Farmington: Died Nov. 7, 2009, from injuries suffered Sept. 8 when his unit was attacked in Afghanistan. Pfc. Zachary Lovejoy, 20, Army, Albuquerque: Killed Feb. 2, 2010, when an IED struck his vehicle while on patrol in Zabul province. 1st Lt. Brandon Barrett, 27, Marines, Albuquerque: Killed May 5, 2010, when his unit came under sniper attack in Helmand province. Pvt. Charles High, 21, Army, Albuquerque: Killed Aug. 17, 2010, when an IED struck his vehicle while on patrol in Kunar province. Sgt. 1st Class James Thode, 45, Army, Farmington: Killed Dec. 1, 2010, when an IED struck his unit while on patrol in Afghanistan.
Sgt. Garrett Misener, 25, Marines, Clovis: Killed Dec. 27, 2010, when an IED struck his vehicle while on patrol in Helmand province. Sgt. Christopher Diaz, 27, Marines, Albuquerque: Killed Sept. 28, 2011, while trying to rescue a wounded comrade during combat operations in Helmand province. Sgt. Pernell Herrera, 33, New Mexico National Guard, Española: Died Dec. 31, 2011, during a noncombat training exercise in Helmand province. Staff Sgt. Israel Nuanes, 38, Army, Las Cruces: Killed May 12, 2012, when his unit came under attack in Kandahar province. Sgt. Tristan Wade, 23, Army, White Sands Missile Range: Killed March 22, 2013, when his unit came under attack in Ghanzi province. Pvt. Errol Milliard, 18, Army, White Sands Missile Range: Killed July 4, 2013, when an enemy RPG struck his unit while on patrol in Farah province. Pvt. Jonathan Hostetter, 20, Army, White Sands Missile Range: Killed Aug. 23, 2013, when an IED struck his unit during combat in Haft Asiab.
Spc. Kenneth Alvarez, 23, Army, White Sands Missile Range: Killed Aug. 23, 2013, when an IED struck his unit during combat in Haft Asiab.
Maj. Keith Butler, 56, Army, Artesia: Killed May 10, 2014, when his vehicle struck an IED while on patrol in Afghanistan. It was his 44th combat tour.
Maj. Phyllis Pelky, 45, Air Force, Rio Rancho: Killed Oct. 11, 2015, in a helicopter crash in Kabul.
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew McClintock, 30, Army, Albuquerque: Killed Jan. 5, 2016, by small-arms fire when his unit was engaged with enemy forces in Helmand province.
Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Rodriguez, 28, Army, Las Cruces: Killed Feb. 8, 2020, when a rogue Afghan soldier opened fire during training operations in Nangarhar province.
Pfc. Walter Lewark, 26, New Mexico National Guard, Mountainair: Died Feb. 13, 2020, in a noncombat incident in Djibouti (Africa).
Lt. Col. James C. Willis, 55, Air Force, Albuquerque: Died June 26, 2021, in a non-combat incident in Qatar.
IRAQ WAR 61 PEOPLE
Lance Cpl. Lori Piestewa, 22, Marines, Gallup: Killed March 23, 2003, when her convoy was ambushed near Nasiriya.
Spc. James “Heath” Pirtle, 27, Army, Carlsbad: Killed Oct. 4, 2003, when the Bradley fighting vehicle he was in was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in Assadah.
Maj. Steven Plumhoff, 33, Air Force, Kirtland AFB: Killed Nov. 23, 2003, in a helicopter crash near Bagram.
Lance Cpl. Christopher Ramos, 26, Marines, Albuquerque: Killed April 5, 2004, from hostile fire in Anbar province during his second tour of duty.
Sgt. Lee Todacheene, 29, Army, Farmington: Killed April 6, 2004, in Balad when a mortar hit his guard post.
Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin, 21, Marines, Lovington: Killed April 26, 2004, in Fallujah during his second tour in Iraq.
Sgt. Tommy L. Gray, 34, Army, Roswell: Killed Aug. 3, 2004, when he was caught between two vehicles in his motor pool in Taji. Sgt. Moses D. Rocha, 33, Army, Roswell: Shot Aug. 5, 2004, during fighting in Najaf on his second tour of duty. Spc. Christopher A. Merville, 26, Army, Albuquerque: Killed Oct. 12, 2004, when his unit came under fire during combat operations in Baghdad. Spc. Jeremy Christensen, 27, Army, Albuquerque: Killed Nov. 27, 2004, when a homemade bomb was detonated near his patrol vehicle in Ad Duilayah. Lance Cpl. Joshua Lucero, 19, Marines, Albuquerque: Killed Nov. 27, 2004, in combat action in Anbar province. Capt. Todd Christmas, 26, Army, Wagon Mound: Killed Nov. 29, 2004, in a helicopter crash in Temple, Texas. Lance Cpl. Christopher Adlesperger, 20, Marines, Albuquerque: Killed Dec. 9, 2004, during fighting in Anbar province. Staff Sgt. Joseph Rodriguez, 25, Army, Las Cruces: Killed Jan. 28, 2005, when an improvised explosive struck his vehicle in south Baghdad. Lance Cpl. Jonathan Grant, 23, Reserve Marines, Pojoaque: Killed May 11, 2005, when the amphibious assault vehicle he was in was hit by an explosive device. 1st Lt. Jeremy Fresques, 26, Air Force Special Forces, Farmington: Killed May 30, 2005, when an Iraqi single-engine plane crashed near Jalula, about 80 miles northeast of Baghdad. Cpl. Lyle Cambridge, 23, Army, Aztec: Killed July 5, 2005, in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near the vehicle in which he was riding. Pfc. Damian Garza, 19, Army, Clovis: Killed Aug. 4, 2005, in a vehicle accident while on patrol near Jalalabad. Sgt. Marshal Westbrook, 43, NM National Guard, Farmington: Killed Oct. 1, 2005, in Baghdad after being struck in the head by shrapnel from an explosive device. Lance Cpl. Chad Robert Hildebrandt, 22, Marines, Maxwell: Killed Oct. 17, 2005, in Rutba after being shot in the head during his second tour in Iraq. Pfc. Mario Reyes, 19, Army, Las Cruces: Killed Nov. 7, 2005, when a car exploded near their dismounted patrol in Baghdad. Spc. Vernon Widner, 34, Army, Truth or Consequences: Killed Nov. 17, 2005, when his Humvee came under enemy attack while on patrol in Tikrit. Sgt. Clifton Yazzie, 23, Army, Fruitland:
Killed Jan. 22, 2006, during his second tour of duty when a bomb was detonated near his Humvee. Cpl. Jesse Zamora, 22, Army, Las Cruces: Killed Feb. 9, 2006, during his second tour; was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Pfc. Ricky Salas Jr., 22, Army, Roswell: Killed March 9, 2006, when an IED exploded near his Humvee. Sgt. Robert Kassin, 29, Army, Clovis: Killed July 16, 2006, while on patrol in Zabul province. Sgt. Leroy Segura Jr., 23, Army, Clovis: Killed Aug. 4, 2006, when his Humvee overturned while on patrol in Habbaniyah. Spc. Jose Zamora, 24, Army, Sunland Park: Killed Aug. 6, 2006, when an explosive device blew up near his Humvee. Lance Cpl. Shane Harris, 23, Marines, Las Vegas: Killed Sept. 3, 2006, in combat in Anbar province. Lt. Col. Marshall Gutierrez, 41, Army, Las Vegas: Died Sept. 4, 2006, of noncombat related injuries while serving in Camp Virginia, Kuwait. Spc. Alexander Jordan, 31, Army, Albuquerque: Killed Sept. 9, 2006, in Baghdad by small arms fire. Cpl. Gary Koehler, 21, Marines, Albuquerque: Killed Nov. 1, 2006, by roadside bomb near Anbar province. Sgt. Eric Vizcaino, 21, Army, Albuquerque: Killed Nov. 20, 2006, during patrol in Baghdad. Lance Cpl. Jeromy West, 20, Marines, Albuquerque: Killed Nov. 25, 2006, by a sniper while engaging enemy forces in Anbar province. Lance Cpl. Emilian Sanchez, 20, Marines, Santa Ana Pueblo: Killed Jan. 21, 2007, in Anbar province while doing military operations. Sgt. Matthew Apuan, 27, Army, Las Cruces: Killed Feb. 18, 2007, in Baghdad when his unit came under sniper fire. Lance Cpl. Steven Chavez, 20, Marines, Hondo: Died March 14, 2007, of a nonhostile incident in Anbar province. Spc. Stephen Kowalszcyk, 32, Army, Albuquerque: Killed March 14, 2007, in Iraq from small arms fire. Spc. Clifford A. Spohn, 21, Army, Albuquerque: Killed April 8, 2007, when his unit came under fire while assisting Iraqi police. Sgt. Joel Lewis, 28, Army, Sandia Park: Killed May 6, 2007, when an IED exploded near his vehicle during combat operations in Baqubah. Maj. Douglas Zembiec, 34, Marines, Albuquerque: Killed May 11, 2007, in combat operations in Baghdad. Sgt. James C. Akin, 23, Army, Albuquerque: Killed June 2, 2007, when his Humvee was destroyed by a roadside bomb near Baghdad. Cpl. Joel Dahl, 21, Army, Los Lunas: Killed June 23, 2007, by small arms fire south of Baghdad. Pfc. Henry Byrd III, 20, Army, Veguita: Died June 24, 2007, after collapsing from heatstroke while his unit was patrolling in Iraq. Cpl. Jeremy Stacey, 23, Army, Los Chavez: Killed July 5, 2007, while serving in Iraq. Spc. Roberto Causor Jr., 21, Army, Rio Rancho: Killed July 7, 2007, while patrolling in Iraq. Warrant Officer Christopher Johnson, 31, Army, Gallup: Killed Aug. 14, 2007, when his Chinook helicopter crashed in a routine maintenance flight. Spc. Brynn Naylor, 21, Army, Roswell: Killed Dec. 13, 2007, by small arms fire when his unit came under fire in Baghdad. Petty Officer 2nd Class Menelek Brown, 24, Navy, Roswell: Fell overboard into Arabian Sea Jan. 2, 2008. Capt. Thomas Casey, 32, Army, Albuquerque: Killed Jan. 3, 2008, while on patrol in Iraq. Sgt. Christopher Sanders, 22, Army, Roswell: Killed Jan. 9, 2008, when an IED went off during patrol in Baghdad. Sgt. Gary Willett, 34, Army, Alamogordo: Killed Feb. 8, 2008, when his vehicle was hit by an IED in Taj. Staff Sgt. Christopher Frost, 24, Air Force, Kirtland AFB: Killed when his helicopter crashed in Iraq April 3, 2008, during a dust storm. Staff Sgt. Travis Griffin, 28, Air Force, Kirtland AFB: Killed April 3, 2008, by a roadside bomb near Baghdad. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christian Humphreys, 28, Army, Alamogordo: Killed Nov. 15, 2008, when his helicopter crashed in Mosul. Spc. Darrell Fernandez, 25, Army, TorC: Died Jan. 31, 2009, from injuries caused by a vehicle accident in Kirkuk. Staff Sgt. Daniel Tallouzi, 24, Army, Albuquerque: Died Feb. 28, 2009, from injuries suffered in a mortar attack in September 2006. Staff Sgt. Jose Escobedo, 32, Army, Albuquerque: Died March 20, 2009, from noncombat injuries. Spc. Tony Carrasco, Jr., 25, Army, Anthony: Died Nov. 4, 2009, from injuries suffered from small-arms fire in Ad Dawr. Spc. Christopher Kurth, 24, Army, Alamogordo: Killed June 4, 2009, when his vehicle was hit by an anti-tank grenade in Kirkuk. Pfc. Antonio Stiggins, 25, Army, Roswell: Killed April 22, 2011, when his unit came under attack near Numaniyah.