IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN: U.S. casualties identified

The Defense Department has identified several  American soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. At least 4,084 U.S. military personnel have died since the Iraq war began, and at least 509 in the Afghan conflict:

Pfc. Kyle P. Norris, 22, of Zanesville, Ohio, died Friday in Balad, Iraq, from wounds caused by a roadside bomb on May 22 in Jurf as Sakhr, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Ft. Stewart, Ga.

Staff Sgt. Frank J. Gasper, 25, of Merced, Calif., died Sunday in Najaf, Iraq, of wounds caused by a roadside bomb. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Ft. Carson, Colo.

Sgt. Blake W. Evans, 24, of Rockford, Ill., died Sunday in Iraq's Al Jazeera Desert of wounds caused by a roadside bomb. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Ft. Campbell, Ky.

Sgt. 1st Class Jason F. Dene, 37, of Castleton, Vt., died Sunday in Baghdad from non-combat injuries. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Ft. Stewart, Ga.
   
Spc. David L. Leimbach, 38, of Taylors, S.C., died Sunday near Bala Baluk, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with guns and rocket-propelled grenades. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 118th Infantry, South Carolina Army National Guard, Fountain Inn, S.C., and attached to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard.

Spc. Christopher Gathercole, 21, of Santa Rosa, Calif., died Monday in Ghazni, Afghanistan, of gunshot wounds. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Spc. Justin L. Buxbaum, 23, of South Portland, Maine, died Monday in Kushamond, Afghanistan, of non-combat injuries. He was assigned to the 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Ft. Hood Texas.