“Many have made the ultimate sacrifice, including more than 150 women who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan—patriots whose sacrifices show that valor knows no gender.” President Barack Obama, 24 January 2013
THE HEROES
Hoosier hero?
Seaman Katrina R. Grady, USN
Seaman Katrina R. Grady, USN (Greenville, MS, 29 years)
USS Port Royal deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: 18 Apr 02, Bethesda Naval Hospital, MD
SN Grady died from a non-combat related illness after being medically evacuated.
Seaman Sandra S. (Grant) Fry, USN
Seaman Sandra S. (Grant) Fry, USN (Linwood, NC, 23 years)
USS Eisenhower
Died: 31 Dec 06, Arabian Sea
Seaman Grant died from natural causes.
Seaman Genesia Mattril Gresham, USN
Seaman Genesia Mattril Gresham, USN (Lithonia, GA, 19 years)
U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain
Died: 22 Oct 07, Bahrain
SN Gresham died of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident.
Seaman Apprentice Shayna Ann Schnell, USN
Seaman Apprentice Shayna Ann Schnell, USN (Tell City, IN, 19 years)
Naval Security Force Bahrain, Jebel Ali Detachment, United Arab Emirates
Died: 1 Oct 07
Seaman Schnell died as a result of injuries suffered from a vehicle accident that occurred on 25 Sep. She was serving as a master-at-arms.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Laquita Pate James, USN
Petty Officer 2nd Class Laquita Pate James, USN (Orange Park, FL, 33 years)
USS Bataan
Died: 12 Feb 07, USS Bataan, off the Horn of Africa
PO2 James died of apparent natural causes while deployed aboard
the multipurpose amphibious assault ship the USS Bataan,
supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Petty Officer Dominique Cruz, USN
Petty Officer Dominique Cruz, USN (Panama City, FL, 26 years)
USS Halsey homeported in San Diego, CA
Died: 18 Jan 11, Gulf of Oman, Fifth Fleet area of operations
PO Cruz was found during search and rescue operations Jan 19 in the Gulf of Oman after being reported missing Jan 18.
Lance Corporal Juana Navarro Arellano, USMC
Lance Corporal Juana NavarroArellano, USMC (Ceres, CA, 24 years)
9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan
Died: 8 Apr 06 in Al Anbar province, Iraq
LCpl Navaro Arellano died from wounds received while supporting combat operations.
Major Megan M. McClung, USMC
Major Megan M. McClung, USMC (Coupeville, WA, 34 years)
I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, I MEF, Camp Pendleton, CA
Died: 6 Dec 06, Al Anbar province, Iraq
Maj. McClung died while supporting combat operations.
Lance Corporal Holly A. Charette, USMC
Lance Corporal Holly A. Charette, USMC (Cranston, RI, 21 years)
Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, NC
Died: 23 Jun 05 in Fallujah, Iraq.
Lance Cpl Charette died from wounds sustained when a suicide, vehicle-borne, improvised explosive device struck her vehicle.
Corporal Ramona M. Valdez, USMC
Corporal Ramona M. Valdez, USMC (Bronx, NY, 20 years)
Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, NC
Died: 23 Jun 05 in Fallujah, Iraq.
Cpl Valdez died from wounds sustained when a suicide, vehicle-borne, improvised explosive device struck her vehicle.
Sergeant Jeannette L. Winters, USMC
Sergeant Jeannette L. Winters, USMC (Gary, IN, 26 years)
Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352), the "Raiders," Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, CA.
Died: 9 Jan 02, Pakistan
Sergeant Winters was the radio operator aboard a KC-130/R Hercules which hit a mountain in Pakistan. She and her crew where on a mission related to the war on terrorism and in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She was the first woman to die in this conflict.
Seaman Jakia S. Cannon, USN
Seaman Jakia S. Cannon, USN (Baltimore, MD, 20 years)
USS Enterprise
Died: 25 Oct 03, aboard the USS Enterprise which was underway in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
Seaman Cannon died of natural causes.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jaime S. Jaenke, USN
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jaime S. Jaenke, USN (Bay City, WI, 29 years)
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25, Fort McCoy, WI
Died: 5 Jun 06 in Al Anbar province, Iraq
PO2 Jaenke died as a result of enemy action when improvised explosive device struck her HMMWV.
Petty Officer 1st Class Regina R. Clark, USN (Centralia, WA, 43 years)
Naval Construction Regiment Detachment 30, Port Hueneme, CA., and was temporarily assigned to II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).
Died: 23 Jun 05 in Fallujah, Iraq.
PO1 Clark died from wounds sustained when a suicide, vehicle-borne improvised explosive device struck her vehicle.
Petty Officer 1st Class Regina R. Clark, USN
Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer A. Valdivia, USN
Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer A. Valdivia, USN (Cambridge, IL, 27 years) Naval Support Activity, Bahrain (part of the designated hostile fire zone)
Died: 16 Jan 07, Bahrain
PO1 Valdivia died as a result of a non-combat related incident in Bahrain.
Petty Officer 1st Class Cherie L. Morton, USN (Bakersfield, CA, 40 years)
Naval Security Force, Naval Support Activity Bahrain
Died: 20 Apr 08, Galali, Muharraq, Bahrain
PO1 Morton died of a non-combat related cause.
Petty Officer 1st Class Cherie L. Morton, USN
Sergeant Camella M. Steedley, USMC
Sergeant Camella M. Steedley, USMC (San Diego, CA, 31 years),
Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA
Died: 3 Oct 12, Helmand Province, Afghanistan
Sgt. Steedley died while supporting combat operations.
MLance Corporal Stacy A. Dryden, USMC
Lance Corporal Stacy A. Dryden, USMC (North Canton, OH, 22 years)
1st Supply Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, Camp Pendleton, CA
Died: 19 Oct 08, Anbar province, Iraq
LCpl. Stacy died from injuries sustained in a non-hostile incident.
Lance Corporal Casey L. Casanova, USMC
Lance Corporal Casey L. Casanova, USMC (McComb, MS, 22 years)
Combat Logistics Battalion 1, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA
Died: 2 May 08. Al Anbar Province, Iraq
LCpl Casey died from a roadside bomb while supporting combat operations.
Corporal Jennifer M. Parcell, USMC (Bel Air, MD, 20 years)
Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan
Died: 7 Feb 07, Al Anbar province, Iraq
Cpl. Parcell died while supporting combat operations.
Corporal Jennifer M. Parcell, USMC
Captain Jennifer J. Harris, USMC
Captain Jennifer J. Harris, USMC (Swampscott, MA, 28 years)
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing,
I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA
Died: 7 Feb 07, Al Anbar province, Iraq
Capt. Harris died when the helicopter she was piloting crashed as a result of enemy action.
Staff Sergeant Renee Antoinette Deville, USAR
Staff Sergeant Renee Antoinette Deville, USAR (Glendale, MD, 44 years)
401st Civil Affairs Battalion, Webster, NY
Died: 1 Sep 08, Walter Reed Army Medical Center
SSG Deville died from wounds received in an Aug 2006 mortar attack.
Staff Sergeant Renee Antoinette Deville, USAR (Glendale, MD, 44 years)
401st Civil Affairs Battalion, Webster, NY
Died: 1 Sep 08, Walter Reed Army Medical Center
SSG Deville died from wounds received in an Aug 2006 mortar attack.
Staff Sergeant Lillian Clamens, USAR
Staff Sergeant Lillian Clamens, USAR (Lawton, OK, 35 years)
1st Postal Platoon, 834th Adjutant General Company, Miami, FL
Died: 10 Oct 07, Baghdad, Iraq
SSG Clamens died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with rockets.
Specialist Rachael L. Hugo, USAR
Specialist Rachael L. Hugo, USAR (Madison, WI, 24 years)
303rd Military Police Company, 97th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve, Jackson, MI
Died 5 Oct 07, Bayji, Iraq
SPC Hugo died of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked her unit using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.