New Mexico Department of Veteran Services

NM FALLEN HEROES
America owes a great deal to the men and women who’ve worn the uniform of the Armed Forces. Freedom does not come free, and veterans have sacrificed to serve and protect this constitutionally-guaranteed right. 77 New Mexicans have paid the ultimate price while defending our country against enemy forces since the commencement of the Global War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. The New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services offers its deepest gratitude to these fallen heroes for their selfless and honorable service. We offer our heartfelt gratitude to their families for allowing these husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters to serve so that we may remain free. Play Taps
3/4/2002	SrA Jason Cunningham (U.S. Air Force)	The 26-year old Carlsbad native was killed while taking part in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan attempting to save the lives of ten wounded soldiers.
8/6/2002	SFC 1st Class Christopher Speer (U.S. Army)	The 28-year old Albuquerque native--a Special Forces medic--died from injuries sustained when his unit was ambushed during a search of the Ab Khail village in Afghanistan.
3/23/2003	1st Lt Tamara Archuleta (U.S. Air Force)	The 23-year old Los Lunas native was killed when the helicopter she was co-piloting crashed in southeastern Afghanistan during a mission to rescue two critically injured children.
3/23/2003	CPL Lori Piestewa (U.S. Army)	The 22-year old native of Gallup was killed when the Humvee she was driving was ambushed near the town of Nasiriya in Iraq. She was the first American woman killed in Iraq, and the first-ever Native-American U.S. woman soldier killed in any war.
10/4/2003	SPC James Pirtle (U.S. Army)	The 27-year old Carlsbad native died of injuries he suffered when his Bradley fighting vehicle was hit by small arms fire and a rocket-propelled grenade during an ambush near Baghdad, Iraq.
11/23/2003	Maj Steven Plumhoff (U.S. Air Force)	The 33-year oldnative of Neshanic Station, NJ, was killed when the MH-53M Pave Low Transport helicopter he was piloting crashed due to mechanical failure over mountainous terrain east of Bagram Air Base in Iraq. Major Plumhoff was stationed at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque.
4/5/2004	LCpl Christopher Ramos (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 26-year old Albuquerque native was killed while engaging enemy forces in a gun battle with enemy forces in Al-Anbar province west of Baghdad. It was Ramos' 2nd tour of duty in Iraq.
4/6/2004	SGT Lee Todacheene (U.S. Army)	The 29-year old Farmington native was killed when mortar fire hit his guard post in Balad, Iraq. He's believed to be the first Navajo killed in the Iraq war.
4/26/2004	LCpl Aaron Austin (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 21-year old Lovington native was killed while engaging enemy forces in Fallujah. It was his 2nd tour of duty in Iraq.
8/3/2004	SGT Tommy Gray (U.S. Army)	The 34-year old tank mechanic and native of Roswell was killed in a vehicle accident in Taji, Iraq.
8/5/2004	Sgt Moses Rocha (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 33-year old Roswell native died from injuries suffered from enemy action in An-Najaf in Iraq.
10/12/2004	SPC Christopher Merville (U.S. Army)	The 26-year old Albuquerque native was killed when his unit came under heavy enemy fire in Baghdad.
11/27/2004	SPC Jeremy Christensen (U.S. Army)	The 27-year old Albuquerque native was killed when and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded near his patrol vehicle in Ad-Duilayah, Iraq.
11/27/2004	LCpl Joshua Lucero (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 19-year old native of Albuquerque was killed from an explosion during combat action in Al-Anbar Province, Iraq.
11/28/2004	CPT Todd Christmas (U.S. Army)	The 26-year old native of Wagon Mound was killed when a helicopter crashed in heavy fog during a training exercise near Waco, TX. He had been preparing for a 2nd tour of duty in Iraq.
12/9/2004	LCpl Christopher Adlesperger (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 20-year old native of Albuquerque was killed while on patrol in a hostile neighborhood in Al-Anbar, Iraq. Three weeks earlier, during combat action he was credited with saving the lives of two fellow soldiers, for which he was Posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
1/28/2005	SSG Joseph Rodriguez (U.S. Army)	The 25-year old Las Cruces native was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded near his armored vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq.
5/11/2005	LCpl Jonathan Grant (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 23-year old native of Pojoaque was killed when the armored troop transport vehicle in which he was riding encountered and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near Karabilah, Iraq.
5/30/2005	1st Lt Jeremy Fresques (U.S. Air Force)	The 26-year old Farmington native was killed in an airplane crash near Baghdad, Iraq. A member of the Special Forces, he was on a mission to train Iraqi soldiers.
7/5/2005	CPL Lyle Cambridge (U.S. Army)	The 23-year old native of Aztec was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near the vehicle he was riding in near Baghdad, Iraq.
8/4/2005	PFC Damian Garza (U.S. Army)	The 19-year old Clovis native died as the result of a vehicle accident while on patrol outside of Jalalabad, Iraq.
10/1/2005	SGT Marshall Westbrook (NM Army National Guard)	The 43-year old Farmington native was killed when a Humvee in which he was riding ran over a hidden Improvised Explosives Device (IED) near Baghdad, Iraq. Four years later, his younger brother Kenneth would also lose his life from combat injuries suffered in Afghanistan.
10/17/2005	LCpl Chad Hildebrandt (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 22-year old native of Maxwell was killed from enemy small-arms fire while on combat patrol in Rutba. It was his 2nd tour of duty in Iraq.
11/7/2005	PVT 1st Class Mario Reyes (U.S. Army)	The 19-year old Las Cruces native was killed in Baghdad when a suicide bomber drove a car into a checkpoint manned by his unit.
1/22/2006	SGT Clifton Yazzie (U.S. Army)	The 23-year old native of Fruitland was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded near his unit's Humvee near Al-Huwijah, Iraq. Yazzie was on his 2nd tour of duty.
2/9/2006	CPL Jesse Zamora (U.S. Army)	The 22-year old native of Las Cruces was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded near his Humvee in Bayji, Iraq.
3/9/2006	PFC Ricky Salas, Jr. (U.S. Army)	The 22-year old Roswell native was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated near his military vehicle while conducting mounted operations in Mosul, Iraq.
7/16/2006	SGT Robert Kassin (U.S. Army)	The 29-year old native of Clovis was killed while leading his unit into enemy action in Zabul, Iraq.
8/4/2006	SGT Leroy Segura (U.S. Army)	The 23-year old Clovis native died as the result of a vehicle accident while on patrol outside of Habbaniyah, Iraq.
8/6/2006	SPC Jose Zamora (U.S. Army)	The 24-year old native of Sunland Park was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded near his Humvee while on patrol in Baghdad
9/3/2006	LCpl Shane Harris (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 23-year old Las Vegas, NM native was killed in combat action in Al-Anbar, Iraq.
9/4/2006	LTC Marshall Gutierrez (U.S. Army)	The 41-year old Las Vegas, NM native died of non-combat related injuries while serving in Camp Virginia, Kuwait.
9/10/2006	CPL Alexander Jordan (U.S. Army)	The 31-year old native of Albuquerque was died from injuries suffered from an encounter with enemy forces in Baghdad, Iraq.
11/1/2006	Cpl Gary Koehler (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 21-year old resident of Albuquerque was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded near his unit while it was conducting combat operations in Al-Anbar, Iraq
11/20/2006	SGT Eric Vizcaino (U.S. Army)	The 21-year old Albuquerque native died from injuries suffered in a non-combat incident in Samarra, Iraq.
11/25/2006	LCpl Jeromy West (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 20-year old native of Albuquerque was killed by enemy fire while on patrol in Al-Anbar, Iraq.
1/21/2007	LCpl Emilian Sanchez (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 20-year old Santa Ana Pueblo native died from injuries suffered from combat action in Al-Anbar, Iraq.
2/18/2007	SGT Matthew Apuan (U.S. Army)	The 27-year old native of Las Cruces was killed when his unit came under enemy attack while on patrol in Baghdad.
2/18/2007	TSgt Scott Duffman (U.S. Air Force)	The 32-year old Albuquerque native was killed when his Chinook transport helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan.
3/14/2007	LCpl Steven Chavez (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 20-year old native of Hondo was killed in a non-hostile incident in Al-Anbar, Iraq.
3/14/2007	SPC Stephen Kowalszcyk (U.S. Army)	The 32-year old Albuquerque native was killed when his unit came under attack while on patrol in in Muqdadiyah, Iraq.
4/8/2007	SPC Clifford Spohn (U.S. Army)	The 21-year old native of Albuquerque was killed when his unit came under attack while it was assisting Iraqi Police during operations in Karmah, Iraq.
5/6/2007	SGT Joel Lewis (U.S. Army)	The 28-year old Sandia Park native died from wounds sustained when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated near his unit's vehicle during combat operations in Baqubah, Iraq
5/11/2007	Maj Douglas Zembiec (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 34-year old Albuquerque native was killed while leading his unit into combat action in Baghdad, Iraq.
6/2/2007	SGT James Akin (U.S. Army)	The 23-year old Albuquerque native was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his unit's vehicle in Thania, Iraq
6/23/2007	CPL Joel Dahl (U.S. Army)	The 21-year old native of Los Lunas was killed when his unit came under enemy attack while on patrol near Baghdad, Iraq.
6/24/2007	PFC Henry Byrd III (U.S. Army)	The 20-year old Veguita native died at a U.S. base in Landstuhl Germany, from a non-combat related illness sustained on combat patrol in Iraq
7/5/2007	CPL Jeremy Stacey (U.S. Army)	The 23-year old native of Las Chavez was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded while his unit was on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq.
7/7/2007	SPC Roberto Causor, Jr. (U.S. Army)	The 21-year old native of Rio rancho was killed when insurgents attacked his unit with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and small arms fire while on patrol in Samarra, Iraq.
7/27/2007	MAJ Thomas Bostick (U.S. Army)	The 37-year old Lovington native was killed when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations in Kamu, Afghanistan.
8/14/2007	WO2 Christopher Johnson (U.S. Army)	The 31-year old native of Gallup was killed when his Chinook troop transport helicopter he was piloting crashed during a post-maintenance test flight Al-Anbar, Iraq.
12/13/2007	SPC Brynn Naylor (U.S. Army)	The 21-year old Roswell native was killed when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq.
1/2/2008	PO2 Menelek Brown (U.S. Navy)	The 24-year old Roswell native was declared dead two days after apparently going overboard from USS Hopper in the Arabian Sea. Navy aircraft and ships conducted an extensive search but did not locate him
1/3/2008	CPT Thomas Casey (U.S. Army)	The 32-year old Albuquerque native was killed when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations in As-Sadiyah, Iraq
1/9/2008	SGT Christopher Sanders (U.S. Army)	The 22-year old Roswell native was killed when a booby-trapped home detonated after his unit entered during patrols in Baghdad, Iraq.
2/8/2008	SGT Gary Willett (U.S. Army)	The 34-year old Alamogordo native was killed when a Humvee carrying his unit encountered a hidden Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Taji, Iraq.
4/3/2008	SSgt Christopher Frost (U.S. Air Force)	The 24-year old Waukesha, WI native was killed when the helicopter he was riding in crashed due to a severe sandstorm near Baghdad, Iraq. Sgt. Frost was stationed at Kirtland AFB.
4/3/2008	SSG Travis Griffin (U.S. Army)	The 28-year old Dover, DE native was killed while performing a PTT (Police Transition Team) mission in Baghdad, Iraq.
5/7/2008	SSG Kevin Roberts (U.S. Army)	The25-year old native of Farmington was killed when a Humvee carrying his unit encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while on patrol in the Sabari District of Afghanistan.
9/17/2008	CPT Bruce Hays (U.S. Army)	The 42-year old Capitan native was killed when a vehicle carrying members of his Wyoming National Guard Unit encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while on patrol in Gerdia Seria, Afghanistan.
11/15/2008	WO2 Christian Humphreys (U.S. Army)	The 28-year old native of Alamogordo was killed when an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter transporting him and his unit crashed while on a mission over Mosul, Iraq.
1/31/2009	SPC Darrell Fernandez (U.S. Army)	The 25-year old Truth or Consequences native died from injuries suffered in a vehicle accident while patrolling near Kirkuk. It was Fernandez's third tour of duty in Iraq.
2/29/2009	SSG Daniel Tallouzi (U.S. Army)	The 24-year old Albuquerque native died at the Univ. of New Mexico Hospital from injuries suffered in a mortar attack at Camp Taji, Iraq 2-1/2 years earlier (September, 2006)
3/15/2009	SSgt Timothy Bowles (U.S. Air Force)	The 24-year old native of Tucson, AZ died from wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while on patrol near Kot, Afghanistan. His parents live in Glorieta, New Mexico.
3/20/2009	SGT Jose Escobedo (U.S. Army)	The 32-year old Albuquerque native died from injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident Forward Operating Base Kalsu in Iskandariyah, Iraq.
6/4/2009	SPC Christopher Kurth (U.S. Army)	The 24-year old native of Alamogordo was killed when his convoy was attacked while on patrol near Kirkuk, Iraq.
8/17/2009	SPC Troy Tom (U.S. Army)	The 21-year old native of Beclabito died from wounds suffered when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated near his unit while on patrol near Arghandab, Afghanistan.
11/4/2009	SPC Tony Carrasco, Jr. (U.S. Army)	The 25-year old Anthony native died from injuries suffered when his unit was attacked by enemy forces in Ad-Dawr, Iraq.
11/7/2009	SFC Kenneth Westbrook (U.S. Army)	The 41-year old native of Farmington died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., from wounds suffered three months earlier when insurgents attacked his unit in the Ganjigal Valley, Afghanistan. Four years earlier, his older brother was killed in action while on patrol in Iraq.
2/2/2010	PFC Zachary Lovejoy (U.S. Army)	The 20-year old Albuquerque native was killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) struck his vehicle while on patrol in Zabul Province, Afghanistan.
5/5/2010	1stLt Brandon Barrett (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 27-year old native of Albuquerque was killed by sniper fire in Marjah, Afghanistan while on a mission to support combat operations by his unit on patrol in Helmand Province.
8/17/2010	PVT Charles Milton High IV (U.S. Army)	The 21-year old Albuquerque native was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol vehicle in Kunar province, Afghanistan.
12/1/2010	SFC James Thode (U.S. Army)	The 45-year old resident of Farmington was killed in action on December 1st by a roadside bomb while he was on patrol in Afghanistan. It was the 2nd tour of duty for Sgt. Thode.
12/27/2010	Sgt Garrett Misener (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 25-year old native of Clovis was killed on December 27th from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast while on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
4/22/2011	PFC Antonio Stiggins (U.S. Army)	The 25-year old native of Roswell was killed on April 22nd, 2011, when insurgents attacked his convoy unit with an Improvised Explosive Device in the city of Numaniyah, southeast of Baghdad during Operation New Dawn. He was the first New Mexican casualty from Operation New Dawn.
9/28/2011	Sgt. Christopher Diaz (U.S. Marine Corps)	The 27-year old native of Albuquerque was killed while trying to rescue a wounded fellow U.S. Marine during combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
12/31/11	SGT Pernell Herrerra (NM Army National Guard)	The 33-year old native of Espanola died in a non-combat related incident near Helmand Province, Afghanistan.