[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8406-8407]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                         California Casualties

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 27 
servicemembers from California or based in California who have died 
while serving our country in Operation Enduring Freedom since March 1, 
2012. This brings to 351 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.
  Cpl Conner T. Lowry, 24, of Chicago, IL, died March 1 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Corporal 
Lowry was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine 
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  SPC Edward J. Acosta, 21, of Hesperia, CA, died March 5 in La Jolla, 
CA, of injuries sustained December 3, 2011, when his vehicle was struck 
by an improvised explosive device in Wardak province, Afghanistan. 
Specialist Acosta was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, TX.
  CPT Francis D. Imlay, 31, of Vacaville, CA, died March 28 from 
injuries received in an accident involving an F 15 aircraft near a base 
in Southwest Asia. Captain Imlay was assigned to the 391st Fighter 
Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID.
  Cpl Michael J. Palacio, 23, of Lake Elsinore, CA, died March 29 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Corporal 
Palacio was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, 
III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
  Cpl Roberto Cazarez, 24, of Harbor City, CA, died March 30 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Corporal 
Cazarez was assigned to the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 
1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  Cpl Alex Martinez, 21, of Elgin, IL, died April 5 while conducting 
combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Corporal Martinez 
was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 
I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  CN Trevor J. Stanley, 22, of Virginia Beach, VA, died April 7 while 
deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. Constructionman Stanley, a 
Seabee, was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, 
homeported in Port Hueneme, CA.
  LCpl Ramon T. Kaipat, 22, of Tacoma, WA, died April 11 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Lance 
Corporal Kaipat was assigned to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance 
Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp 
Pendleton, CA.
  CW2 Nicholas S. Johnson, 27, of San Diego, CA, died April 19 in 
Helmand province, Afghanistan, when his Black Hawk (UH 60) crashed. 
Chief Warrant Officer Johnson was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th 
Aviation Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, HI.
  SSgt Joseph H. Fankhauser, 30, of Mason, TX, died April 22 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Staff 
Sergeant Fankhauser was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st 
Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, 
CA.
  SPC Manuel J. Vasquez, 22, of West Sacramento, CA, died April 24 in 
Paktika province, Afghanistan. Specialist Vasquez was assigned to the 
2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, 
Grafenwoehr, Germany.

[[Page 8407]]

  SGT Moises J. Gonzalez, 29, of Huntington Beach, CA, died April 25 in 
Balkh province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle 
rolled over. Sergeant Gonzalez was assigned to the 509th Combat Service 
Support Company, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, TX.
  SSG Andrew T. Britton-Mihalo, 25, of Simi Valley, CA, died April 25 
in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from small 
arms fire. Staff Sergeant Britton-Mihalo was assigned to the 2nd 
Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Eglin Air Force Base, FL.
  LT Christopher E. Mosko, 28, of Pittsford, NY, died April 26 while 
conducting combat operations in Nawa district, Ghazni province, 
Afghanistan. Lieutenant Mosko was assigned as a Navy Explosive Ordnance 
Disposal (EOD) Platoon Commander to Combined Joint Special Operations 
Task Force, Afghanistan. He was stationed at EOD Mobile Unit 3, San 
Diego, CA.
  MSgt Scott E. Pruitt, 38, of Gautier, MS, died April 28 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Master 
Sergeant Pruitt was assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force 
Headquarters Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  PFC Christian R. SanNicolas, 20, of Anaheim, CA, died April 28 in 
Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle 
encountered an improvised explosive device. Private First Class 
SanNicolas was assigned to 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry 
Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, 
NC.
  Sgt John P. Huling, 25, of West Chester, OH, died May 6 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Sergeant 
Huling was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine 
Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  SSG Thomas K. Fogarty, 30, of Alameda, CA, died May 6 in Ahmad-Kheyl, 
Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his 
unit with an improvised explosive device. Staff Sergeant Fogarty was 
assigned to the 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th 
Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Joint Base 
Elmendorf-Richardson, AK.
  SPC Chase S. Marta, 24, of Chico, CA, died May 7 in Ghazni province, 
Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit 
with an improvised explosive device. Specialist Marta was assigned to 
the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd 
Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
  Sgt Wade D. Wilson, 22, of Normangee, TX, died May 11 while 
conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Sergeant 
Wilson was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine 
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  SGT Brian L. Walker, 25, of Lucerne Valley, CA, died May 13 in Bowri 
Tana, Afghanistan, when the enemy attacked his vehicle with an 
improvised explosive device. Sergeant Walker was assigned to the 425th 
Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 
25th Infantry Division, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK.
  PO1 Ryan J. Wilson, 26, of Shasta, CA, died of complications 
associated with a medical condition May 20 in Manama, Bahrain. Petty 
Officer First Class Wilson was assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central 
Command headquarters in Bahrain.
  2LT Travis A. Morgado, 25, of San Jose, CA, died May 23 in Zharay, 
Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his patrol 
with an improvised explosive device. Second Lieutenant Morgado was 
assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker 
Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 
WA.
  Cpl Keaton G. Coffey, 22, of Boring, OR, died May 24 while conducting 
combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Corporal Coffey was 
assigned to 1st Law Enforcement Battalion, 1st Marine Headquarters 
Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  SPC Vilmar Galarza Hernandez, 21, of Salinas, CA, died May 26 in 
Zharay, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his 
unit with an improvised explosive device. Specialist Galarza Hernandez 
was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker 
Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 
WA.
  SPC Tofiga J. Tautolo, 23, of Wilmington, CA, died May 27 in Bati 
Kot, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his 
vehicle was attacked with an enemy improvised explosive device. 
Specialist Tautolo was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry 
Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, 
CO.
  LCpl Joshua E. Witsman, 23, of Covington, IN, died May 30 while 
supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Lance 
Corporal Witsman was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 
1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.

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