Hero Stories for OEF

Senior Airman Ashton L.M. Goodman, 21, of Indianapolis, Indiana, died May 26, 2009, near Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Senior Airman Goodman was assigned to the 43rd Logistics Readiness Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. </d

Chief Warrant Officer Brent S. Cole, 38, of Reedsville, West Virginia, died May 22, 2009, when his helicopter went down in Tarin Kwot, Afghanistan. Chief Warrant Officer Cole was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. </d

1st Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte, 25, of St. Louis, Missouri, died May 20, 2009, near Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. 1st Lt. Schulte was assigned to the Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces Command, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. </d

Sgt. Carlie M. Lee III, 23, of Birmingham, Alabama, died May 15, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire in Chak, Afghanistan. Sgt. Lee was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. </d

Staff Sgt. Esau I. de la Pena-Hernandez, 25, of La Puente, California, died May 15, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire in Chak, Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. de la Pena-Hernandez was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. </d

Sgt. Lukasz D. Saczek, 23, of Lake in the Hills, Illinois, died May 10, 2009, in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. Sgt. Saczek was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, Illinois Army National Guard, Woodstock, Illinois. </d

The remains of Staff Sgt. William D. Vile, 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were identified on May 5, 2009. Previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN), he died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using direct fire on May 1, 2009, near the village of Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Vile was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. </d

Sgt. James D. Pirtle, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, died on May 1, 2009, near the village of Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using direct fire. Sgt. Pirtle was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. </d

Spc. Ryan C. King, 22, of Dallas, Georgia, died on May 1, 2009, near the village of Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using direct fire. Spc. King was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. </d

Sgt. James R. McIlvaine, 26, of Olney, Maryland, died April 30, 2009, while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Sgt. McIlvaine was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California. </d