[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 98 (Wednesday, July 10, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5615-S5616]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                         california casualties

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to 21 
servicemembers from California or based in California who have died 
while serving our country in Operation Enduring Freedom since I last 
entered names into the Record on September 11, 2012. This brings to 402 
the number of servicemembers either from California or based in 
California who have been killed while serving our country in 
Afghanistan. This represents 18 percent of all U.S. deaths in 
Afghanistan:
  CS2 Milton W. Brown, 28, of Dallas, TX, died August 4, 2012, from a 
noncombat related incident in Rota, Spain. Culinary Specialist Second 
Class Brown was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137, Lemoore, 
CA;
  Sgt Camella M. Steedley, 31, of San Diego, CA, died October 3, 2012, 
while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. 
Sergeant Steedley was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st 
Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, 
CA;
  SGT Thomas R. Macpherson, 26, of Long Beach, CA, died October 12, 
2012, in Andar District, Afghanistan, from small arms fire while on 
patrol during combat operations. Sergeant Macpherson was assigned to 
the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, U.S. Army Special Operations 
Command, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA;
  SGT Clinton K. Ruiz, 22, of Murrieta, CA, died October 25, 2012, of 
wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by small arms fire in Khas 
Uruzgan, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Sergeant Ruiz was assigned to 
the 9th Military Information Support Battalion (Airborne), 8th Military 
Information Support Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC;
  SPC Daniel L. Carlson, 21, of Running Springs, CA, died November 9, 
2012, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Specialist Carlson was 
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation 
Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, HI;
  SSG Kenneth W. Bennett, 26, of Glendora, CA, died November 10, 2012, 
in Sperwan Gar, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when he 
encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations. 
Staff Sergeant Bennett was assigned to the 53rd Ordnance Company (EOD), 
3rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA;
  PO1 Class Kevin R. Ebbert, 32, of Arcata, CA, died November 24, 2012, 
while supporting stability operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. 
Petty Officer First Class Ebbert was assigned to an east coast-based 
Naval Special Warfare unit in Virginia Beach, VA;
  Sgt Michael J. Guillory, 28, of Pearl River, LA, died December 14, 
2012, while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, 
Afghanistan. Sergeant Guillory was assigned to 1st Marine Special 
Operations Battalion, Camp Pendleton, CA;
  SSgt Jonathan D. Davis, 34, of Kayenta, AZ, died February 22 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Staff 
Sergeant Davis was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 32nd Georgian 
Liaison Team, Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Division, I Marine 
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA;
  CPO Christian Michael Pike, 31, of Peoria, AZ, died March 13 in 
Landstuhl, Germany, as a result of combat-related injuries sustained on 
March 10 while conducting stability operations in Maiwand District, 
Afghanistan. Chief Petty Officer Pike was assigned to a west coast-
based Naval Special Warfare unit;
  SFC James F. Grissom, 31, of Hayward, CA, died March 21 at Landstuhl 
Regional Medical Center, Germany, of wounds suffered from small arms 
fire March 18 in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. Sergeant First Class 
Grissom was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group 
(Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA;
  SGT Deflin M. Santos Jr., 24, of San Jose, CA, died April 6 in 
Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked 
his unit in Zabul, Afghanistan with a vehicle-borne improvised 
explosive device. Sergeant Santos was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 7th 
Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, 
Fort Stewart, GA;
  Capt Reid K. Nishizuka, 30, of Kailua, HI, died April 27 near 
Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in the crash of an MC-12 aircraft. 
Captain Nishizuka was assigned to the 427th Reconnaissance Squadron, 
Beale Air Force Base, CA;
  SSgt Richard A. Dickson, 24, of Rancho Cordova, CA, died April 27 
near Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in the crash of an MC-12 aircraft. 
Staff Sergeant Dickson was assigned to the 306th Intelligence Squadron, 
Beale Air Force Base, CA;
  SPC Trinidad Santiago Jr., 25, of San Diego, CA, died May 2 in Camp 
Buehring, Kuwait, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident. 
Specialist Santiago was assigned to 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery 
Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, 
CO;
  Capt Victoria A. Pinckney, 27, of Palmdale, CA, died May 3 near Chon-
Aryk, Kyrgyzstan, in the crash of a

[[Page S5616]]

KC-135 aircraft. Captain Pinckney was assigned to the 93rd Air 
Refueling Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base, WA;
  TSgt Herman Mackey III, 30, of Bakersfield, CA, died May 3 near Chon-
Aryk, Kyrgyzstan, in the crash of a KC-135 aircraft. Technical Sergeant 
Mackey was assigned to the 93rd Air Refueling Squadron, Fairchild Air 
Force Base, WA;
  SFC Jeffrey C. Baker, 29, of Hesperia, CA, died May 14 in Sanjaray, 
Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit 
with an improvised explosive device. Sergeant First Class Baker was 
assigned to 766th Ordnance Company, 63rd Ordnance Battalion, 52nd 
Ordnance Group, Fort Stewart, GA;
  SPC William J. Gilbert, 24, of Hacienda Heights, CA, died May 14 in 
Sanjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked 
his unit with an improvised explosive device. Specialist Gilbert was 
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat 
Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, TX;
  SPC Ray A. Ramirez, 20, of Sacramento, CA, died June 1 in Wardak 
Province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when his unit was 
attacked by an improvised explosive device. Specialist Ramirez was 
assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry 
Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA;
  SGT Javier Sanchez Jr., 28, of Greenfield, CA, died June 23 in Sar 
Rowzah, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with 
an improvised explosive device while on mounted patrol. Sergeant 
Sanchez was assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade 
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY.

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