Tag: Erie County Pennsylvania

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Bell, Bryan R.
Air Force Senior airman

Bryan R. Bell, age 23, from Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie county.

Parents: Rick Bell and Donna Aldrich
Spouse: Alaina Hart Bell

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Joined Air Force in 2006.

Date of death: Thursday, January 5, 2012
Death details: Died in Shir ghazi, Helmand Province, Afghanistan when his vechile was struck by an improvised explosive device. Killed were Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz, and Airman 1st class Matthew R. Seidler.

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

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Vangiesen, Kenneth R.
Army Staff Sergeant

Kenneth R. Vangiesen, age 30, from Erie, Pennsylania, Erie county.

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 131st Transportation Company, 213th Area Support Group, Williamspot, Pennsylvania

Date of death: Monday, July 18, 2011
Death details: Died in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his convoy with an imrprovised explosive device. Killed were Staff Sgt. Kenneth R. Vangiesen, Sgt. Edward W. Koehler, Sgt. Brian K. Mowery.

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

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King, Jarrid L.
Army Specialist

Jarrid L. King, age 20, from Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie county.

Service era: Afghanistan
Military history: 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.

Date of death: Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Death details: Died in Ghazni Province Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Killed were Sgt. Omar Aceves, Spc. Jarrid L. King, Pfc. Benjamin G. Moore.

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

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Cortes, Victor Manuel III
Army Staff sergeant

Victor Manuel Iii Cortes, age 29, from Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie county.

Service era: Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Military history: Co E, 703d Fsb, 3rd Inf Div (Tf Baghdad), Fort Stewart, Georgia

Date of death: Sunday, May 29, 2005
Death details: Baghdad, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

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Horton, Jeremy Richard
Army Staff sergeant

Jeremy Richard Horton, age 24, from Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie county.

Spouse: Christie

Service era: Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Military history: B Co, 2d Bn, 6th Infantry, 1st Armored Division Apo Ae 09034 (Baumholder, Ge)

Date of death: Friday, May 21, 2004
Death details: Killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb
Cemetery: Buried in Erie, Pennsylvania

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times

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Curran, Carl Francis II
Army Sergeant

Carl Francis II Curran, age 22, from Union City, Pennsylvania, Erie county.

Spouse: Dianna
Children: Infant daughter

Service era: Iraq – Operation Iraqi Freedom
Military history: Battery C, 1st Battalion/107th Field Artillery, Oil City, Pa 16301

Date of death: Monday, May 17, 2004
Death details: Died after an explosion flipped his Humvee off a bridge near Fallujah, Iraq

Source: Department of Defense, Military Times, Army Historical Foundation

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Harapko, Joshua M.
Army Sergeant

Joshua M. Harapko, age 23, from Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie county. Their last known residence was in Peoria, Arizona..

Parents: John Harapko and Patricia Moran

Schools: Centennial High, GED from Project Challenge (1997).

Date of death: Tuesday, March 11, 2003
Death details: Among 11 soldiers who died when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training mission in Fort Drum, New York.
Cemetery: Arlington National Cemetery

Source: New York Times, Army Times

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Smith, Michael S.
Army Sergeant

Michael S. Smith, age 25, from Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie county.

Service era: Gulf War

Date of death: Tuesday, March 12, 1991
Death details: Died non-battle; Killed in a helicopter crash in the Middle East.

Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Department of Defense, Associated Press

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Schaaf, Lee Richard
Army Specialist 4

Lee Richard Schaaf, age 42, from Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie county.

Service era: Vietnam

Spouse: Mary Glass Schaaf

Children: Three

Date of death: Sunday, February 11, 1990
Death details: Lee was wounded Sept. 5, 1969 as he walked at the head of an infantry patrol in the jungle north of Saigon. A mine explosion shattered his legs. A comrade carried him behind a rock, but Lee was struck in the back by an enemy bullet. Lee was almost put in a body bag when another soldier noticed he was breathing. He lived the next decades in pain. He died from a heart muscle swelling caused by his war injuries. 

Source: National Archives, Lebanon Daily News (1994) 

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Fluegel, Richard A.
Marines Private 1st class

Richard A. Fluegel, age 19, from Erie County Erie, Pennsylvania .

Parents: Sandra Bianco

Service era: Beirut bombings

Date of death: Sunday, October 23, 1983
Death details: Among more than 200 military personnel killed in the terroist bombing of Marine headquarters in Beirut.

Source: White House Commission on Remembrance, Asbury Park Press (1983)