Chief Warrant Officer Scott A. Saboe

33

4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Willow Lake, South Dakota

Killed when two 101st Airborne Division UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters collided in mid-air over Mosul, Iraq, on November 15, 2003

RASHID SAHIB

Age: 22

Rank: Specialist, 20th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division

Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.

Rasheed Sahib was so good-natured that friends called him ''Smiley.''

'His nickname was `Smiley' because he never got mad at anyone,'' said his childhood friend, Omar Permaul.

Sahib was killed May 18 in Balad, Iraq, when he and another soldier were cleaning their weapons, and the other's weapon discharged striking Sahib in the chest.

''My hero is gone. Nothing can bring him back to me,'' said his mother, Fizoon Ashram.

Sahib graduated from Franklin K. Lane High School. Sahib, born in Guyana, promised his family he'd become an American citizen the moment he got out of the Army.

''That dream is gone,'' his mother said.

Sahib had a passion for barbecuing.

''Not even the rain would stop him,'' Permaul said. ''He would stand there holding an umbrella.''

1st Lt. Edward M. Saltz

27

2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Division

Bigfork, Montana

Saltz, a U.S. Army Reservist, was killed when an improvised explosive device struck his convoy in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 22, 2003.

BENJAMIN W. SAMMIS

Age: 29

Rank: Captain, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) - 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

Hometown: Rehoboth, Mass.

By age 10, Benjamin Sammis knew he wanted to fly. He realized his dream in the Marines.

''Our son loved to fly and loved the Corps as much as life itself,'' said his parents, Steve and Beth Sammis.

Sammis was killed April 4 when his AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter crashed during combat operations near Ali Aziziyal, Iraq.

Sammis raced sailboats and yachts, and enjoyed teaching younger kids to sail. He played soccer and tennis, and also performed in plays at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School.

Sammis joined the Marines in 1995. He met his wife Stacey during basic training, and married her 1"" years ago.

''Sometimes in life, you are lucky enough to find and marry your best friend,'' she said. ''Ben and I were that lucky.''

GREGORY P. SANDERS

Age: 19

Rank: Specialist, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor

Hometown: Hobart, Ind.

Greg Sanders, the son of a Navy sailor, was enamored with military life since he was very young.

He began wearing combat fatigues at age 2, said his uncle, Rick Knight.

In his junior year at Hobart High School, where he ran in track and cross-country, Sanders committed to join the Army right after graduation.

''He wanted to be a soldier. He was born to be soldier,'' said his mother, Leslie Sanders.

Greg Sanders was shot dead by a sniper Monday while on duty with the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor, southwest of Baghdad.

''I want him to be remembered for who he was -- a hero,'' his mother said.

In addition to his mother, Sanders leaves his wife, Ruthann, and a 14-month-old daughter, Gwendolyn.

The family received a letter from him Monday, his uncle said. ''His morale was great, and he said he anticipated coming home in June or July.''

Pfc. Leroy Sandoval Jr.

21

2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force

Houston, Texas

Killed in a firefight with Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah, Iraq, on March 26, 2004

Spc. Matthew J. Sandri

24

82nd Forward Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division

Shamokin, Pennsylvania

Killed when his living area came under rocket attack in Fallujah, Iraq, on March 20, 2004

Staff Sgt. Barry Sanford Sr.

46

101st Support Group, 101st Airborne Division

Aurora, Colorado

Died of a gunshot wound received in a non-combat incident on July 7, 2003, in Balad, Iraq

2nd Lt. Nikolay Saraev

26

Bulgarian light infantry battalion

Krumovgrad, Bulgaria

Died in a Baghdad hospital one day after he was wounded when a car bomb exploded in the Bulgarian Army camp in Karbala, Iraq, on December 27, 2003

Staff Sgt. Cameron B. Sarno

43

257th Transportation Company

Las Vegas, Nevada

Hit by a truck and killed while changing his vehicle's tire in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on September 1, 2003

Cameron B. Sarno was full of energy. After driving a truck all day, he would drop by to see his aunt and the two would talk late into the night. And his enthusiasm for the Reserves was boundless.

SCOTT D. SATHER

Age: 29

Rank: Staff Sergeant, 24th Special Tactics Squadron

Hometown: Clio, Mich.

Scott Sather often spoke of the dream home he planned to build for his two loves: His wife and his Harley.

''He had a beautiful motorcycle,'' said Staff Sgt. Michael Bain, a colleague at Pope Air Force Base. He had a great Harley-Davidson, loved to ride his bike, loved to work on his bike and looked forward to building his new home.''

Sather, assigned to a unit that constructs makeshift runways, was killed in combat April 8.

Sather played football and baseball for Clio High School. He graduated in 1991, and enlisted the following year. He married his wife Melanie in July 2002.

''The 'quiet professional' is a good example of him,'' Bain said. ''He likes to do his job and does it very well.''

''He was well-loved in the community,'' said Sather's uncle, Michigan state Rep. John Gleason.

Pfc. Sean M. Schneider

22

115th Forward Support Battalion, Division Support Command, 1st Cavalry Division

Janesville, Wisconsin

Died as the result of a vehicle accident near Baghdad, Iraq, on March 29, 2004

MATHEW E. SCHRAM

Age: 36

Rank: Major, HHT Support Squadron 3rd ACR

Hometown: Brookfield, Wisconsin

Mathew Schram didn't leave for Iraq until April 1, when the offensive war was nearly over. Still, his father worried for his safety.

''I knew that the war wasn't really over,'' said Earl Schram, a Korean War veteran. ''There are too many pockets of resistance out there.''

Schram was killed May 26 when his convoy encountered enemy machine gun and grenade fire about 110 mile northwest of Baghdad.

Schram graduated from Brookfield Central High School, where he played football, in 1985.

He was a member of ROTC at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater before enlisting in 1989, fulfilling a long-time ambition.

''He was poured into the uniform, born to be a soldier,'' said his younger brother, Bob.

Schram, who was unmarried and childless, enjoyed playing guitar, basketball running.

Spc. Christian C. Schulz

20

3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division

Colleyville, Texas

Died from non-combat injuries in Baqubah, Iraq on July 11, 2003

Master Sgt. David A. Scott

51

445th Communi- cations Flight Squadron, 445th Mission Support Group, 445th Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve

Union, Ohio

Died as a result of a non-hostile cause on July 20, 2003, in Doha, Qatar

Pfc. Kerry D. Scott

21

1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division

Mount Vernon, Washington

Killed on October 6, 2003, when his combat patrol convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device in Iskandariyah, Iraq

Spc. Stephen M. Scott

21

3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

Lawton, Oklahoma

Died as a result of a non-hostile gunshot wound on August 23, 2003, in Baghdad, Iraq

Spc. Marc S. Seiden

26

2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

Brigantine, New Jersey

Killed when the convoy he was in was ambushed with an improvised explosive device, small-arms fire, and a rocket-propelled grenade in Baghdad, Iraq, on January 2, 2004

CHRISTOPHER SCOTT SEIFERT

Age: 27

Rank: Captain, 101st Airborne Division

Hometown: Not disclosed

Seifert grew up in Easton, Pa., in the same rural white-frame house where his father, Thomas, was born. Christopher and his father used to hunt deer together, and they helped cut the wood his father would sell, neighbor Fred Ritter recalled.

Seifert would bring the Ritters candy from Germany, where he was stationed during the 1990s, Ritter said.

''Every time he'd come home, he'd come and visit us,'' Ritter said. ''He was just a good kid.''

Seifert, who Ritter said was married and had a baby less than a year old, was killed as he slept in what military officials described as a ''fragging'' grenade attack by a ''resentful'' American soldier on March 23 at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait. Another serviceman also has died from injuries sustained in the attack.

Seifert graduated from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., where he studied history and helped found the school's chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.

Pfc. Dustin M. Sekula

18

2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force

Edinburg, Texas

Died due to injuries sustained from enemy fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 1, 2004

Lance Cpl. Matthew K. Serio

21

1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force

North Providence, Rhode Island

Killed by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 5, 2004

Sgt. Juan M. Serrano

31

1st Battalion, 37th Armor, 1st Armored Division

Manati, Puerto Rico

Died when a Humvee fell on him while changing a tire, inflicting a fatal head injury, in Baghdad, Iraq on July 24, 2003

Mechanic (Comm.) Second Class Ian Seymour

N/A

148 Commando Battery Royal Artillery, RN

Hometown of record not available

Killed in a U.S. CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crash south of the Kuwait border on March 21, 2003

Staff Sgt. Wentz Jerome Henry Shanaberger III

33

21st Military Police Company, 16th Military Police Brigade, XVIIIth Airborne Corps

Naples, Florida

Killed when he was investigating a suspicious vehicle in Baqubah, Iraq, and was attacked by individuals using small arms and an improvised explosive device on March 24, 2004

Lance Cpl. Karl Shearer

N/A

Household Cavalry Regiment

Hometown of record not available

Killed April 1, 2003, in an accident involving a light armored vehicle

Spc. Casey Sheehan

24

1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division

Vacaville, California

Killed when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 4, 2004

Cpl. David John Shepherd

34

Royal Air Force Police

N/A

Died in Kuwait of natural causes on May 19, 2003

Lt. Col. Anthony L. Sherman

43

304th Civil Affairs Brigade, Army Reserves

Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Found unconscious in his living quarters and died after cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and other attempts to revive him were unsucessful on August 27, 2003, in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait

Capt. James A. Shull

32

4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Division

California

Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 17, 2003

ERIC H. SILVA

Age: 22

Rank: Corporal, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division

Hometown: Holtville, Calif.

Erik Silva sought and received a special blessing from his grandmother during his last visit home. She gave the Marine a kiss and said a prayer with him.

''He valued my mom's blessing very much,'' said his aunt, Elvira Silva.

Silva was killed April 3 when his platoon was ambushed in Iraq.

The youngest of four children, Erik Silva graduated from Holtville High, where he played the trumpet, was a drum major and a member of the varsity golf team.

''He joined the Marines mainly because he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement,'' said his brother, Isaac Silva.

During their last visit together, the brothers discussed the risks of war.

''It wasn't the normal, Hey bro, let's go have a few beers.'‚‚ Isaac Silva said. ''It was, 'Do you have everything set? Do you have all your papers in order?'‚‚'' he recalled. ''It was a very serious, deep conversation.''

Pvt. Sean A. Silva

23

2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment

Roseville, California

Killed when his unit was ambushed while on patrol by individuals using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in the Sadr City section of Baghdad, Iraq, on October 9, 2003

Sgt. Leonard D. Simmons

33

3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division

New Bern, North Carolina

Died after suffering a seizure in Mosul, Iraq on August 6, 2003

Pfc. Charles M. Sims

18

549th Military Police Company, 3rd Military Police Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division

Miami, Florida

Drowned in a swimming pool in Baghdad, Iraq, on October 3, 2003

Lance Cpl. John T. Sims Jr.

21

2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force

Alexander City, Alabama

Killed by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 10, 2004

Spc. Uday Singh

21

1st Battalion, 34th Armored Regiment, 1st Infantry Division

Lake Forest, Illinois

Killed when his patrol was attacked in Habbaniyah, Iraq, on December 1, 2003

Spc. Aaron J. Sissel

22

2133rd Transportation Company, Army National Guard

Tipton, Iowa

Killed when his convoy was ambushed with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in Haditha, Iraq, on November 29, 2003

Pfc. Christopher A. Sisson

20

3rd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division

Oak Park, Illinois

Killed when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter he was in rolled over after making a hard landing in Baghdad, Iraq, on September 2, 2003

Christopher A. Sisson loved to fly and planned to become a pilot when he returned from his stint overseas as a paratrooper. Upbeat and confident, he was known as a professional soldier who always did his duty.

Sisson, 20, of Oak Park, Ill., died Sept. 2 in Iraq when the helicopter he was riding in flipped and crashed on takeoff. He was stationed at Fort Bragg.

"He died doing something that he loved to do and wanted to be a part of," said Pfc. Jeremy Brown, one of his friends from the squad.

Brown said he and Sisson did everything together. In North Carolina, they hung out when they weren't working. In Iraq, they kept each other company on guard duty.

"He kept me going," Brown said. "He was motivated, determined and loyal. You could not ask any more from this guy. He did it all."

Petty Officer 3rd Class David Sisung

21

Assigned to aircraft carrier USS Nimitz

Phoenix, Arizona

Died of a non-combat related injury on June 6, 2003, while in the Persian Gulf

1st Lt. Brian D. Slavenas

30

F Company, 106th Aviation Battalion, Army National Guard

Genoa, Illinois

Slavenas was aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter when it crashed near Fallujah, Iraq, on November 2, 2003

BRANDON U. SLOAN

Age: 19

Rank: Private

Unit: 507th Maintenance Company

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

For more than a week after his son was declared missing in Iraq, the Rev. Tandy Sloan, pastor at the Historic Greater Friendship Baptist Church in Cleveland, led services almost every night praying for his safe return.

''My family is going through a very difficult time right now,'' said the soldier's grandfather, James Muldrow.

Sloan grew up in Cleveland, then moved in with his mother in Fraser, Mich., after leaving high school to get computer training in the Army.

Tony Tucker, a 12th-grader at Cleveland's Bedford High School, said he liked to lift weights with Sloan.

''He is a cool person to be around, but kind of quiet,'' Tucker said. ''He is a kind, sweet person who really cares about people.''

THOMAS J. SLOCUM

Age: 22

Rank: Lance corporal, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade

Hometown: Thornton, Colo.

The Marines turned Thomas Slocum from a troubled teenager into an honor-roll student.

''He was gung-ho,'' said Slocum's stepfather, Stanley Cooper. ''Once he got in the Marines, he was in it all the way. He didn't do anything halfway.''

Slocum, of the Denver suburb of Thornton, was one of the Marines killed Sunday near Nassiriyah.

''We're very, very proud of him,'' Cooper said.

Cooper, a Navy veteran, suggested that his stepson join the military. Although he initially refused, Slocum joined the Marines while still attending Skyview High School.

Though Slocum was not a very good student before enlisting, his grades soared afterward. He made the honor roll before graduating in 1998, Cooper said.

''He believed the war was necessary, and that's the same way we felt,'' Cooper said.

Pfc. Corey L. Small

20

502nd Military Intelligence Company, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment

East Berlin, Pennsylvania

Died from a non-combat related cause on July 3, 2003, in Iraq

Sgt. Keith L. Smette

25

957th Engineer Company, 130th Engineer Brigade

Fargo, North Dakota

Killed after the convoy he was in was attacked with an improvised explosive device north of Fallujah, Iraq, on January 24, 2004

Capt. Benedict J. Smith

29

5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Monroe City, Missouri

Killed when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter he was in was shot down in Tikrit, Iraq, on November 7, 2003

Pfc. Brandon C. Smith

20

3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Killed in action while conducting security and stability operations in Al Anbar province in northern Iraq on March 18, 2004

Chief Warrant Officer Bruce A. Smith

41

Detachment 1, Company F, 106th Aviation Battalion, Army National Guard

West Liberty, Iowa

Killed when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed in Fallujah, Iraq, on November 2, 2003

Cpl. Darrell L. Smith

28

1st Battalion, 152nd Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard

Otwell, Indiana

Smith drowned after his vehicle overturned and fell into a river in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 23, 2003

EDWARD SMITH

Age: 38

Rank: 1st Sergeant, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Hometown: Vista, Calif.

Edward Smith had submitted the paperwork to end his 20-year Marine career in January and begin a new life in law enforcement. But the Corps suspended all retirements until 2004.

''He was ready to retire and wanted to start on a new path with the Anaheim Police Department, but he had to go [to Iraq],'' his wife, Sandy Smith, said.

Smith died April 5 in Doha, Qatar, from wounds suffered in combat the day before in Central Iraq.

Smith worked four years as a reserve officer for the Anaheim police department. In a postcard fashioned from an empty MRE container, he told his peers he'd wear his SWAT cap into Baghdad when he arrived. It isn't known if he got that chance.

The Smiths have two sons, Nathan, 12, and Ryan, 10, and a daughter, Shelby, 8.

''He was the best dad you could ever have,'' Ryan told a news conference April 8. ''I miss him a lot.''

ERIC A. SMITH

Age: 41

Rank: Chief Warrant Officer, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment

Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.

Lillian Lake argued with her Army son, saying her Jehovah's Witness faith said war and killing were wrong.

''This is not what God created man to do,'' she told him.

He said, So it's OK for me to go and perhaps die for you to have a country with freedoms like religion?''

They resolved that going to war was his choice, while opposing killing was hers.

Smith was killed April 2 when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during combat near Karbala, Iraq.

Smith had wanted to fly for years, but feared his college grades would keep him grounded. Some Air Force pilots he met in the mid-1980s gave him new hope.

''They told him he would be better off going into the Army and being a helicopter pilot, even though it's more difficult to fly a helicopter than a plane,'' Lake said.

Smith grew up near Rochester, N.Y. He graduated from Brighton High School in 1980. He earned a business degree from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1984.

Pvt. Jason Smith

32

52nd Lowland Regiment, Territorial Army

Hawick, Scotland

Died of a non-hostile cause in southern Iraq on August 13, 2003

JEREMIAH D. SMITH

Age: 25

Rank: Private 1st Class, 1st Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment

Hometown: Odessa, Mo.

Memorial Day will carry a sad, added significance for the family of Jeremiah ''Jerry'' Smith.

Smith was killed on that holiday -- May 26 -- when his vehicle struck a land mine in Baghdad.

His family expected him home soon, said his wife's cousin, Neoma Risen.

''So close, and then to pass away on Memorial Day,'' Risen said. ''That's really sad.''

Smith was married and had two daughters, ages 2 and 4. He and his wife, Jessica, recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary.

''He was a really good guy,'' Risen said. ''He loved his family very dearly. He thought of his family all the time.''

Smith enlisted in February 2002, shortly after moving with his family from Independence to Odessa.

''He was just trying to make a better living'' for his family, Risen said.

MATTHEW R. SMITH

Age: 20

Rank: Lance Corporal, Detachment 1, Communications Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group

Hometown: Anderson, Ind.

Matthew Smith felt serving as a Marine was the realization of his life's mission.

Smith was killed May 10 near Kuwait's Camp Coyote when his Humvee crashed into a parked trailer.

On the day his son died, David Smith received the first letter from Matthew since his deployment, saying how proud he was to be overseas fighting for his country's freedom.

''He said that he was certain that's what he wanted to do -- be a Marine,'' Smith's father said. ''How many people on this Earth die doing the job they know they were put here to do?''

Smith attended Indiana University before his Reserve unit was deployed. He never let his small stature -- 5 feet 8 inches and 140 pounds -- keep him from big accomplishments.

His aunt, Vicki Buck, called him ''a runt who didn't know it.''

Spc. Orenthial J. Smith

21

123rd Main Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division

Allendale, South Carolina

Killed when the convoy he was traveling in was ambushed by small-arms fire on June 22, 2003, in Baghdad, Iraq

Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith

33

11th Engineer Battalion

Tampa, Florida

Killed in action in Iraq on April 4, 2003

Capt. Christopher F. Soelzer

26

5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade

South Dakota

Killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device on Highway 1 near Samarra, Iraq, on December 24, 2003

RODERIC A. SOLOMON

Age: 32

Rank: Sergeant, 2-7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division

Hometown: Fayetteville, N.C.

Roderic Solomon spent six years in the Army, then six years in civilian life, before realizing an Army career was what he wanted. But the service was reluctant to readmit a 30-year-old infantryman with three children.

After a year-long battle, the 1991 Gulf War veteran won an interview with a colonel, made his case, and reenlisted in May 2002.

''The Army said no, no, no, but Roddy wouldn't accept that,'' said his father, Robert Solomon. ''He pushed and pushed and pushed.''

Solomon was killed March 28 when the Bradley Fighting Vehicle he was in drove off a cliff near Najaf, Iraq.

Solomon, who is divorced, had a daughter, Asia, 8, and two sons, Talyn, 7, and Kenyon, 3.

Solomon's father is a retired Army major. His grandfathers and a great-uncle fought in World War II, and his older brother is an Army veteran.

Pfc. Armando Soriano

20

3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

Houston, Texas

Died when his Humvee slid off the road and rolled over while in a two-vehicle convoy on a supply route in Haditha, Iraq, on February 1, 2004

Cpl. Tomas Sotelo Jr.

20

Headquarters Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment

Houston, Texas

Killed when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle while traveling in a convoy in Baghdad, Iraq,on June 27, 2003

Pfc. Kenneth C. Souslin

21

440th Signal Company, 22nd Signal Brigade, V Corps

Mansfield, Ohio

Died of non-combat related injuries at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, on December 15, 2003

Cpl. Michael R. Speer

24

2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force

Davenport, Iowa

Died from hostile fire in Iraq on April 9, 2004

Maj. Christopher J. Splinter

43

5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade

Platteville, Wisconsin

Killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device on Highway 1 near Samarra, Iraq, on December 24, 2003

Pvt. Bryan N. Spry

19

Company A, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

Chestertown, Maryland

Died when his vehicle rolled into a water-filled ditch in Baghdad, Iraq, on February 13, 2004

Sgt. Maj. Michael B. Stack

48

Company C, 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)

Lake City, South Carolina

Killed when his convoy was ambushed with small-arms fire while on patrol near Baghdad, Iraq, on April 11, 2004

Maj. James Stenner

30

1st Battalion, Welsh Guards Regiment

Monmouthshire, England

Killed in a traffic accident in Baghdad, Iraq, on January 1, 2004

Lance Cpl. Barry 'Baz' Stephen

31

1st Battalion, Black Watch Regiment

Perth, Scotland

Killed in action near Al Zubayr, Iraq, on March 24, 2003

ROBERT A. STEVER

Age: 36

Rank: Staff Sergeant, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division

Hometown: Pendleton, Ore.

Robert Tony'' Stever's parents in Springfield, Mo., and grandparents in Pendleton, Ore., had a special way of keeping up with him in Iraq: Stever befriended NBC reporter David Bloom, and could often be seen during Bloom's broadcasts.

''It's like you're looking over his shoulder,'' Stever's father, David Yarbrough, said. ''We were right there on the battlefield with him.''

Stever was killed April 8 when Iraqi soldiers ambushed his supply truck.

Family members said Bloom …… who died April 6 of an apparent blood clot - let Stever use his satellite phone to call his wife Cyndi on March 6, their 10th wedding anniversary. They have a daughter, Nichole, 10.

Stever graduated from Pendleton High School in 1985. He was a volunteer with the Pendleton Fire Department. During 13 years in the Army, he served in Bosnia and Macedonia.

GREGORY STONE

Age: 40

Rank: Major, 124th Air Support Operations Squadron

Hometown: Boise, Idaho

Gregory Stone's sons, Alex, 11 and Joshua, 7, recently convinced their old man to take up a new sport: snowboarding.

Stone died March 25 in Kuwait from wounds incurred when a fellow serviceman threw a grenade into his tent March 22.

"My son died to allow the guy who killed him to believe what he believed,'' Stone's father, Richard, told KIVI-TV.

Stone, a 20-year Air Force veteran, was born in Weiser, Idaho, but grew up mostly in Portland, Oregon, where he graduated from Benson High School and Oregon State University. He enlisted in 1983 and was commissioned in 1988.

He worked full-time as a civilian consultant to the Air Force.

Stone often went fishing with his two sons, who live in Boise with their mother. The boys had recently convinced him to try snowboarding, said Air Force Maj. Thomas Westall.

Stone and his wife, Tonya, divorced in 2000, but the officer remained close to his sons, Westall said. "He was a great dad and a great officer.''

Pfc. William R. Strange

19

91st Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division

Adrian, Georgia

Killed when an improvised explosive device detonated where he was setting up an observation point in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 2, 2004

KIRK ALLEN STRASESKIE

Rank: Sergeant, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment

Hometown: Beaver Dam, Wis.

In his last letter to his fiancee, Kirk Straseskie wrote that he was more afraid of the deaths of his fellow Marines than his own. His last act affirmed his words.

''He said that he was not afraid to die,'' Kate Klossner said. ''He was more afraid of coming home without some of his brother Marines. They were family to him.''

Straseskie drowned May 19 near Al Hillah, Iraq, attempting to rescue the crew of a Marine helicopter that plunged into a canal.

The Los Angeles Times ran a picture of the former Beaver Dam High School linebacker last month, shirtless and smoking a cigarette, to illustrate the swagger and seeming invincibility of the U.S. troops stationed in postwar Iraq.

John Straseskie's pain over his son's death tempered a bit by the knowledge he died trying to save others.

''I'm proud,'' John Straseskie said. ''It hurts, but I'm proud.''

Warrant Officer Second Class Mark Stratford

N/A

Royal Marines

Hometown of record not available

Killed in a U.S. CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crash south of the Kuwait border on March 21, 2003

Spc. William R. Sturges Jr.

24

Company B, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division

Spring Church, Pennsylvania

Killed when a vehicle-based improvised explosive device detonated in Khalidiyah, Iraq, on January 24, 2004

Spc. Paul J. Sturino

21

2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in an area south of Mosul, Iraq, on September 22, 2003

For years, older brother Alonzo Sturino led and younger brother Paul Sturino followed –– from high school wrestling to joining the Army to going to Iraq.

The two were having a friendly race to see who would be the first promoted to sergeant, said their uncle, Duane Sturino of Kenosha, Wis.

Now, "Alonzo said he is even more motivated now because of Paul's death," Duane Sturino said.

Paul Sturino, 21, died Sept. 22 in Iraq after another soldier's firearm accidentally discharged. He grew up in Rice Lake, Wis., and was based at Fort Campbell.

Family members reminisced at his funeral about the happy boy who often spent summers in Kenosha, where the Sturino family is widely known and well-loved. He also spent three summers on the Barracuda Swim Team in Kenosha.

"He was a fun-loving, well-liked young man," Duane Sturino said.

JESUS A. SUAREZ DEL SOLAR

CAMP PENDLETON, CALIF.

Age: 20

Rank: Lance Corporal, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division

Hometown: Escondido, Calif.

As a boy, Jesús Suárez del Solar knew he wanted to be a U.S. Marine even before he lived in the United States.

Suárez's father, Fernando Suárez del Solar, said he brought his family from Tijuana, Mexico, to the United States six years ago to fulfill his son's wish. The young man enlisted in 2001 after graduating from Valley High School.

Suárez was killed in combat March 27 in Iraq. The Pentagon did not release details.

The elder Suárez de Solar said he blamed himself for his son's death.

''This never would have happened if I didn't come to this country,'' he said.

Suárez's wife of nearly a year, Sayne, said her husband wanted to go to Iraq to prevent an attack on the United States.

''He always told us that he would rather go over there so that those people don't come here and hurt us,'' she said. ''I love him and we're very proud of him.''

Spc. Joseph D. Suell

24

Headquarters and Service Battery, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment

Lufkin, Texas

Died from a non-combat related cause on June 16, 2003, in Todjie, Iraq

Spc. John R. Sullivan

26

626th Forward Support Battalion, 101st Airborne Division

Countryside, Illinois

Killed when two 101st Airborne Division UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters collided in mid-air over Mosul, Iraq, on November 15, 2003

NARSON B. SULLIVAN

Age: 21

Rank: Specialist

Unit: 411th Military Police Company

Hometown: North Brunswick, N.J.

Narson Sullivan was a good-natured young man known around town for walking his dog while rollerblading.

''He was the most polite kid I've ever met,'' said Janice Kriqui, mother of Sullivan's friend Nicole Kriqui. 'Whenever he would speak to me, it was, `Yes, ma'am, no ma'am.' ''

Sullivan was killed April 25 in Iraq when his weapon discharged during maintenance and struck him.

Sullivan studied culinary arts and played varsity soccer at East Brunswick High School. He enlisted after graduating in 2000.

''He visited, proudly wearing his Army uniform,'' said schools superintendent Joseph Columbo. ''He thought very fully of what that uniform stood for and what it required.''

''Narson was the type of person that, if you just knew him for a couple of minutes, you felt like you've known him forever,'' said another friend, Ryan Revetto.

Sgt. Serhiy Suslov

N/A

5th Mechanized Brigade, Ukrainian Army

Ukraine

Killed when he accidentally fired his machine gun in Al Azizyah, Iraq, on November 11, 2003

Staff Sgt. Michael J. Sutter

28

745th Ordnance Company, 79th Ordnance Battalion, Army National Guard

Tinley Park, Illinois

Killed when the improvised explosive device he was attempting to render safe detonated on December 26, 2003, in Baqubah, Iraq

Pfc. Ernest Harold Sutphin

21

2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery, 25th Infantry Division

Parkersburg, West Virginia

Died in Landstuhl, Germany, on March 18, 2004, of injuries sustained in a vehicle incident in Kirkuk, Iraq, on March 11, 2004

Chief Warrant Officer Sharon T. Swartworth

43

Judge Advocate General Office, Headquarters Department of the Army, Pentagon

Virginia

Killed when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter she was in was shot down in Tikrit, Iraq, on November 7, 2003

Sgt. Thomas J. Sweet II

23

1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Infantry Division

Bismarck, North Dakota

Died of a non-combat gunshot wound in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on November 27, 2003

Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Swisher

26

2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment

Lincoln, Nebraska

Killed when his unit was ambushed while on patrol by individuals using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in the Sadr City section of Baghdad, Iraq, on October 9, 2003

Sgt. Patrick S. Tainsh

33

Troop E, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment

Oceanside, California

Killed when a roadside bomb exploded while he was on a mounted patrol in western Baghdad, Iraq, on February 11, 2004

Spc. Christopher M. Taylor

25

1165th Military Police Company, Alabama National Guard, attached to the 18th Military Police Brigade

Daphne, Alabama

Killed when an improvised explosive device struck his convoy in Baghdad, Iraq, on February 16, 2004

Maj. Mark D. Taylor

41

782nd Main Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division

Stockton, California

Killed when his living area came under rocket attack in Fallujah, Iraq, on March 20, 2004

Capt. John R. Teal

31

2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division

Mechanicsville, Virginia

Killed when the convoy he was traveling in was struck by an improvised explosive device in Baqubah, Iraq, on October 23, 2003

RIAYAN A. TEJEDA

Age: 26

Rank: Staff Sergeant, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regimen

Hometown: New York

Despite eight years in the Marines, Dominican-born Riayan Tejada never achieved his dream of becoming a U.S. citizen.

''He loved being in the Marines and fighting for this country,'' said his father, Julio Tejeda, in interviews with New York newspapers. But, he added, ''eight years in the Marines and they never gave him citizenship. It's too late. A piece of paper won't bring back my son.''

Tejeda was killed in combat April 11 in northeast Baghdad.

Tejeda arrived in the United States in 1989. He enlisted upon graduating from George Washington High School in 1989, and served in Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and East Timor.

While stationed in California, Tejeda, an avid music fan, invested in a Chula Vista nightclub and directed a meringue band.

Tejeda and his ex-wife, Dina, had two daughters, Miranda, 6, and Soriana, 3.

Lance Cpl. Jason Andrew Tetrault

20

7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Moreno Valley, California

Killed in a vehicle accident in Kuwait on July 9, 2003

Master Sgt. Thomas R. Thigpen Sr.

52

151st Signal Battalion, 228th Signal Brigade, South Carolina Army National Guard

Greenville, South Carolina

Died of a non-combat injury at Camp Virginia, Kuwait (north of Kuwait City), on March 16, 2004

Cpl. Jesse L. Thiry

23

1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force

Casco, Wisconsin

Killed by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 5, 2004

Spc. Kyle G. Thomas

23

2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade

Topeka, Kansas

Killed by an improvised explosive device while he was on patrol in Tikrit, Iraq, on September 25, 2003

Pvt. Ryan Lloyd Thomas

18

1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st of Foot)

Resolven, Wales

Killed in a traffic accident in Basra on November 6, 2003

Sgt. Anthony O. Thompson

26

4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division

Orangeburg, South Carolina

Killed when his unit was ambushed with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in Tikrit, Iraq, on September 18, 2003

In his hometown of Orangeburg, S.C., Anthony Orlando Thompson was known as a quiet but friendly leader who always did the right thing.

"He was a fine kid in the neighborhood. He was respectful and disciplined. A loving son any mother would like to have," said neighbor Earl Fersner.

Thompson, 26, died Sept. 18 during a small arms and rocket-propelled grenade ambush five miles south of Tikrit, Iraq. He was stationed at Fort Hood.

Friend Morio Miller, 19, credited Thompson with keeping him on the "straight and narrow."

"Anthony was always on top of things. He was always trying to keep us out of trouble. He was a loving person."

Twenty-year-old Furman Mintz said Thompson was "like a big brother to me. We used to play ball together in the neighborhood; football, basketball, baseball. He was a nice guy."

Spc. Jarrett B. Thompson

27

946th Transportation Company, Army Reserves

Dover, Delaware

Died September 7, 2003, at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., from injuries suffered August 30 in a vehicle accident in Iraq

Jarrett B. Thompson worked hard but knew how to have fun, too. He appreciated good beer and good music, and was a guitar player himself.

"Elvis and the Grateful Dead were his favorites," said his wife, Kelly Thompson.

Thompson, 27, of Dover, Del., died Sept. 7 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of injuries he suffered Aug. 30 in a vehicle accident in Iraq. He is also survived by two sons, ages 2 and 6.

Thompson served in the Army for two years after graduating from high school in 1993 and joined the Reserves in January 2000. Before being deployed overseas in April, he worked in computer animated design.

Neighbor Kevin Yingling recalled the first time he met Thompson.

"He came over wearing a tie-dye T-shirt and carrying two microbrews," Yingling said. "That's how he introduced himself."

A military history buff, Thompson recently had taken up brewing and golf, and was making plans to get his pilot's license.

"He was a good, wonderful husband and father," Kelly Thompson said. "He was our hero."

Sapper Robert Thomson

22

35 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers

Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland

Killed in an engineering-related accident in Basra, Iraq, on January 31, 2004

Maj. Matthew Titchener

32

150 Provost Company, R