NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense
No. 975-05
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2005
Media Contact: Marine Corps Public Affairs – (703) 614-4309 Public/Industry Contact: (703)428-0711
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lance Corporal Steven A. Valdez, 20, of McRea, Arkansas, died September 26, 2005, from enemy mortar fire at Camp Blessing, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Media with questions about this Marine can call the Marine Corps Base Hawaii Public Affairs Office at (808) 257-8840 or (808) 257-8839.
Two U.S. troops die in combat in Afghanistan
Wednesday 28th September, 2005
A U.S. soldier and a U.S. Marine were killed Monday in separate attacks near Kandahar and Asadabad, Afghanistan, military officials reported Tuesday.
The soldier was taking part in a combined assault with U.S. and Afghan troops west of Kandahar when enemy forces fired rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire at their vehicles. Another U.S. soldier was wounded in the attack and taken to a hospital in Kandahar for treatment. He was listed in stable condition.
The unit returned fire, killing two enemy fighters and wounding a third. The wounded fighter was taken to Bagram Air Base for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.
At a U.S. forward operating base at Camp Blessing, near Asadabad, U.S. Marines reported receiving enemy mortar, rocket-propelled-grenade and small-arms fire. A U.S. Marine, Lance Corporal Steven A. Valdez, 20, of McRea, Arkansas, was killed in the attack.Coalition forces responded with mortar fire and close air support. Valdez was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
“These men gave their lives for America and a free Afghanistan,” Army Brigadier General James G. Champion,
Combined Joint Task Force 76 Deputy Commanding General, said. “We will continue to aggressively take the fight to the enemy until they are defeated.”
III MEF Marine killed in Afghanistan
Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Friday, September 30, 2005
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — A III Marine Expeditionary Force Marine was killed Sunday in Afghanistan in a mortar attack on Camp Blessing, a U.S. forward operating base near Asadabad, Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Steven A. Valdez, 20, of McRea, Arkansas, was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, based at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, according to a Defense Department news release.
Marines at Camp Blessing reported receiving enemy mortar, rocket-propelled-grenade and small-arms fire, and Valdez was killed in the attack, the release said.
Coalition forces responded with mortar fire and close air support, it stated.
Lance Corporal Valdez is scheduled to be buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery on 11 October 2005.
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard