DuPage County Illinois

Gomez, Joel
Army Sergeant

Joel Gomez, age 42, from Wheaton, Illinois, DuPage county.

Service era: Iraq

Date of death: Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Death details: Died after developing pneumonia and kidney problems. He lived with quadriplegia since breaking his spine in two places while on a combat mission in 2004. His armored vehicle on March 17, 2004 toppled into the Tigris River. It was unknown whether an explosive device or the weight of the vehicle caused the road to collapse.
Cemetery: Abraham Lincoln National

Source: Chicago Tribune (2022)

Burris, Ryan D.
Navy Petty officer 3rd class

Ryan D. Burris, age 23, from Lisle, Illinois.

Parents: Karen and Daniel Burris
Spouse: None
Children: None

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: Crisis Response element of Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula, Special Operations Command Central, U.S. Central Command.

Date of death: Thursday, May 21, 2015
Death details: Died in Abu Dhabi, UAE of non-combat related injuries in Zayed Military City.
Cemetery: Abraham Lincoln National

Source: Department of Defense, Chicago Tribune, Legacy

Watts, Samuel T.
Army Specialist

Samuel T. Watts, age 20, from Wheaton, Illinois, DuPage county.

Parents: Thomas and Susan Watts

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Wheaton North High (2010)
Military history: 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Date of death: Saturday, May 19, 2012
Death details: Died in Bethesda, Maryland of wounds sustained April 25 in Zharay, Afghanistan when he was attacked with an enemy improvised explosive device.
Cemetery: Wheaton Cemetery

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times, Chicago Tribune

Oratowski, Kevin E.
Marines Lance corporal

Kevin E. Oratowski, age 23, from Wheaton, Illinois, DuPage county.

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Glenbard South High (2005)
Military history: 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Enlisted June 23, 2008, Purple Heart

Date of death: Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Death details: Died while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Source: Department of Defense, Sun Times, Daily Herald, Chicago Tribune, Military Times

Hotchkin, Gunnar R.
Army Private 1st class

Gunnar R. Hotchkin, age 31, from Naperville, Illinois.

Parents: Christine, Randall Hotchkin
Spouse: Erin Hotchkin
Children: Tristan, 4; Ethan, 8; stepdaughter Taylor, 10

Service era: Afghanistan
Schools: Hinsdale Central High (1997)
Military history: 161st Engineer Support Company, 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade, 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Date of death: Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Death details: He and Joseph D. Johnson died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device.
Cemetery: Fairmount Willow Hills Memorial Park

Source: Department of Defense, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Military Times

Bessa, Jeremy Eugene
Army Staff Sergeant

Jeremy Eugene Bessa, age 26, from Woodridge, Illinois, Du Page county.

Service era: Iraq

Parents: Ted

School: South Illinois University

Military history: Company B, 1st Battalion, 3D Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Date of death: Friday, February 20, 2009
Death details: Hostile; Kandahar, Afghanistan; Killed when his vehicle was struck by an explosive and small arms fire.

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Gulczynski, Leonard Joseph II
Army Private 1st class

Leonard Joseph II Gulczynski, age 19, from Carol Stream, Illinois, Du Page county.

Parents: Mike Gulczynski and Jackie

Service era: Iraq
Military history: 610Th Engineer Company, 14Th Battalion, 555Th Brigade, Ft. Lewis, Wa

Date of death: Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Death details: Baghdad, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Mihalo, Anthony Gary
Marines Corporal

Anthony Gary Mihalo, age 23, from Naperville, Illinois, DuPage county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: E Co, 2D Bn, 7Th Mar, 1St Mar Div, Twentynine Palms, Ca

Date of death: Thursday, August 14, 2008
Death details: Hostile; Sangin, Afghanistan

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Hale, James Melvin
Army Corporal

James Melvin Hale, age 23, from Naperville, Illinois, Du Page county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: 978Th Military Police Company, 716Th Mp Bn, 18Th Mp Bde, Fort Bliss, Tx

Date of death: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Death details: Hostile; Baghdad, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

Vanek, Joseph Michael
Army Sergeant

Joseph Michael Vanek, age 22, from Elmhurst, Illinois, Du Page county.

Service era: Iraq
Military history: Company C, 2D Battalion, 325Th Infantry, 2D Brigade, Fort Bragg, Nc

Date of death: Monday, November 12, 2007
Death details: Hostile; Baghdad, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

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