Here are the soldiers from Route 66 towns who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.
ILLINOIS
Chicago
- Staff Sgt. Oscar D. Vargas-Medina, died May 1, 2004
- 1st Sgt. Edward Smith, died April 5, 2003
- Sgt. Ivory L. Phipps, died March 17, 2004
- Pfc. Torry D. Harris, died July 13, 2004
- Sgt. Sirlou C. Cuaresma, died June 21, 2006
- Cmdr. Adrian Basil Szwec, died April 12, 2004
- Machinist’s Mate Fireman Apprentice Bryant L. Davis, died Nov. 7, 2001
- Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr., died May 6, 2007
- Sgt. Eric A. Lill, died July 6, 2007
- Pfc. Omar E. Torres, died Aug. 22, 2007
- Cpl. Albert Britton, died Feb. 20, 2008
- Pfc. Howard A. Jones Jr., died May 18, 2008
Countryside
- Spc. John R. Sullivan, died Nov. 15, 2003
Cicero
- Sgt. Pedro J. Colon, died Feb. 19, 2007
Dwight
- Lance Cpl. Raymond J. Holzhauer, died March 15, 2007
Lincoln
- Staff Sgt. Daniel G. Gresham, died Feb. 24, 2005
- Spc. Francis M. Trussel Jr., died May 26, 2007
Normal
- Spc. Jessica L. Cawvey, died Oct. 6, 2004
Bloomington
- Capt. Ryan Anthony Beaupre, died March 21, 2003
- 1st Lt. Debra A. Banaszak, died Oct. 28, 2005
Springfield
- Spc. Jacob C. Palmatier, died Feb. 24, 2005
Virden
- Staff Sgt. Gary R. Harper Jr., died Oct. 9, 2005
Carlinville
- Spc. Jeremiah D. Costello, died June 2, 2007
Edwardsville
- Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, died Feb. 18, 2007
Granite City
- Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Christopher Dostie, died Dec. 30, 2005
- Sgt. Steven P. Mennemeyer, died Aug. 9, 2006
MISSOURI
Florissant
- Pvt. Lavena L. Johnson, died July 19, 2005
St. Louis
- Maj. William F. Hecker III, died Jan. 5, 2006
- Sgt. Amanda N. Pinson, died March 16, 2006
- Pfc. James F. Costello III, died April 11, 2006
- Lance Cpl. Leon Lance Deraps, died May 6, 2006
- Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Walsh, died Sept. 4, 2006
- Cpl. Jacob R. Fleisher, died Nov. 24, 2004
- Spc. Christopher M. Katzenberger, died Aug. 9, 2005
- Maj. Gloria D. Davis, died Dec. 12, 2006
- Lance Cpl. Matthew W. Clark, died Dec. 14, 2006
- Sgt. Milton A. Gist Jr., died Jan. 30, 2007
- Sgt. Brandon L. Wallace, died April 14, 2007
- Lt. Daniel P. Riordan, died June 23, 2007
Wildwood
- Spc. Peter J. Navarro, died Dec. 13, 2005
Pacific
- Cpl. Riley E. Baker, died June 22, 2006
Bourbon
- Corp. James E. Summers III, died May 28, 2007
Lebanon
- Sgt. Lawrence Parrish, died Oct. 7, 2006
Marshfield
- Spc. Michael C. Campbell, died May 19, 2004
Springfield
- Pfc. Jesse Alan Givens, died May 1, 2003
- Sgt. Timothy J. Sutton, died July 11, 2005
- Sgt. 1st Class Randall L. Lamberson, died April 10, 2006
- Spc. Jessy G. Pollard, died Aug. 22, 2007
- Staff Sgt. Ronald C. Blystone, died April 23, 2008
Carthage
- Master Sgt. Thomas A. Wallsmith, died Oct. 26, 2005
Joplin
- Sgt. Philip J. Svitak, died March 4, 2002
KANSAS
Riverton
- Pvt. Dustin L. Kreider, died March 21, 2004
OKLAHOMA
Miami
- Civilian Fern L. Holland, died March 9, 2004
- Tech. Sgt. Jason L. Norton, died Jan. 22, 2006
Vinita
- Sgt. Justin Noyes, died July 2, 2006
Claremore
- Staff Sgt. John G. Doles, died Sept. 30, 2005
Tulsa
- Pvt. Jason M. Ward, died Oct. 22, 2003
- Spc. James E. Marshall, died May 5, 2004
- Lance Cpl. Jordan D. Winkler, died Nov. 26, 2004
- Cpl. Nathaniel T. Hammond, died Nov. 8, 2004
- Cpl. Jared M. Shoemaker, died Sept. 4, 2006
- Cpl. Derek A. Stanley, died June 5, 2006
- Pfc. Jaron D. Holliday, died Aug. 4, 2007
Luther
- Cpl. Jeremy D. Allbaugh, died July 5, 2007
Edmond
- Pfc. David J. Martin, died Oct. 31, 2005
Oklahoma City
- Spc. Sonny Gene Sampler, died July 8, 2004
- Sgt. Carl W. Lee, died Nov. 28, 2004
- Cpl. Jeffry A. Rogers, died Nov. 16, 2005
- Staff Sgt. Lance M. Chase, died Jan. 23, 2006
- Chief Warrant Officer Lawrence S. Colton, died April 11, 2004
- Sgt. Danton K. Seitsinger, died Jan. 29, 2004
- Lance Cpl. Trevor A. Roberts, died March 24, 2007
- Sgt. Ryan M. Wood, died June 21, 2007
- Spc. Derek A. Calhoun, died June 23, 2007
- Staff Sgt. William D. Scates, died Aug. 11, 2007
TEXAS
Amarillo
- Capt. Eric Bruce Das, died April 7, 2003
- Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal Mata, died March 23, 2003
- Spc. Taylor J. Burk, died Jan. 26, 2005
- Staff Sgt. Tommy Ike Folks Jr., died Oct. 19, 2005
- Chief Warrant Officer Miles P. Henderson, died Nov. 6, 2006
- Pfc. Troy D. Cooper, died Dec. 3, 2006
NEW MEXICO
Las Vegas
- Lance Cpl. Shane P. Harris, died Sept. 3, 2006
Santa Fe
- Lance Cpl. Jonathan Walter Grant, died May 11, 2005
Albuquerque
- Pfc. Christopher Ramos, died April 5, 2004
- Pfc. Christopher S. Adlesperger, died Dec. 9, 2004
- Spc. Jeremy E. Christensen, died Nov. 27, 2004
- Spc. Christopher A. Merville, died Oct. 12, 2004
- Sgt. 1st Class Christopher J. Speer, died Aug. 7, 2002
- Spc. Eric Vizcaino, died Nov. 21, 2006
- Tech Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, died Feb. 18, 2007
- Spc. Clifford A. Spohn III, died April 9, 2007
- Maj. Douglas Zembiec, died May 10, 2007
- Sgt. James C. Akin, died June 3, 2007
- Capt. Thomas J. Casey, died Jan. 3, 2008
Los Lunas
- Sgt. Joel A. Dahl, died June 23, 2007
Belen
- 1st Lt. Tamara Long Archuleta, died March 23, 2003
ARIZONA
Holbrook
- Spc. Damien M. Montoya, died July 9, 2006
Winslow
- Sgt. Christopher N. Gonzalez, died May 14, 2007
Flagstaff
- Lance Cpl. Marty G. Mortenson, died April 20, 2005
- Spc. Alyssa R. Peterson, died Sept. 15, 2003
Kingman
- Hospitalman Joshua McIntosh, died June 26, 2003
- Staff Sgt. William T. Latham, died June 18, 2003
- Spc. Coty J. Phelps, died May 17, 2007
CALIFORNIA
Barstow
- Sgt. 1st Class James F. Hayes, died Nov. 6, 2005
- Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Phillip Daugherty, died July 6, 2007
Victorville
- Lance Cpl. William J. Wiscowiche, died March 30, 2004
Hesperia
- Sgt. James K. Healy, died Jan. 7, 2008
San Bernardino
- Cpl. Sean R. Grilley, died Oct. 16, 2003
- Cpl. Nicanor Alvarez, died Aug. 21, 2004
- Spc. Timothy D. Watkins, died Oct. 15, 2005
- Pfc. Alex Oceguera, died Oct. 31, 2006
Rialto
- Staff Sgt. Jorge A. Molina Bautista, died May 23, 2004
- Spc. Luis D. Santos, died June 8, 2006
- Spc. Victor A. Garcia, died July 1, 2007
Azusa
- Pfc. Leroy Harris-Kelly, died April 20, 2004
Arcadia
- Sgt. Kyle A. Colnot, died April 22, 2006
Fontana
- Sgt. Bryan A. Brewster, died May 5, 2006
- Lance Corp. Fontana S. Tamayo, died Dec. 21, 2006
Glendora
- Spc. Elias Elias, died Dec. 23, 2006
- Lance Corp. Blake H. Howey, died Feb. 18, 2007
- Staff Sgt. Thomas M. McFall, died May 28, 2007
Monrovia
- Lance Cpl. Raul Mercado, died Jan. 7, 2006
Rancho Cucamonga
- Capt. Mark C. Paine, died Oct. 15, 2006
- Sgt. Lawrence J. Carter, died Dec. 29, 2006
Pomona
- Petty Officer 2nd Class Cesar O. Baez, died June 15, 2005
- Sgt. Shaker T. Guy, died Oct. 29, 2005
- Spc. Sergio Gudino, died Dec. 25, 2005
Pasadena
- Lance Cpl. Sergio H. Escobar, died Oct. 8, 2005
- Spc. Adam J. Rosema, died March 14, 2007
- Lance Cpl. Rogelio A. Ramirez, died Aug. 26, 2007
Hollywood
- Sgt. James E. Craig, died Jan. 28, 2008
Los Angeles
- Staff Sgt. Juan de Dios Garcia-Arana, April 30, 2005
- Staff Sgt. Eddie E. Menyweather, died Nov. 23, 2003
- Lance Cpl. Benjamin R. Gonzalez, died May 29, 2004
- Staff Sgt. Abraham D. Penamedina, died April 27, 2004
- Sgt. 1st Class John Winston, Marshall, died April 8, 2003
- Pfc. Francisco Abraham Martinez-Flores, died March 27, 2003
- Cpl. Jorge Alonso Gonzalez, died March 23, 2003
- Lance Cpl. Victor R. Lu, died Nov. 13, 2004
- Sgt. Trinidad R. Martinezluis, died Nov. 28, 2004
- Lance Cpl. Luis A. Figueroa, died Nov. 18, 2004
- Spc. Omead H. Razani, died Aug. 27, 2004
- Sgt. Edgar E. Lopez, died Aug. 28, 2004
- Sgt. 1st Class Joselito O. Villanueva, Sept. 27, 2004
- Lance Cpl. Felipe D. Sandoval-Flores, died April 2, 2006
- Lance Cpl. Salvador Guerrero, died June 9, 2006
- Cpl. Roberto Abad, died Aug. 6, 2004
- Pfc. Geoffrey Perez, died Aug. 15, 2004
- Lance Cpl. Veashna Muy, died June 23, 2005
- Cpl. Carlos Pineda, died June 24, 2005
- Lance Cpl. Dion M. Whitley, died June 15, 2005
- Sgt. Milton M. Monzon Jr., died July 24, 2005
- Sgt. Alejandro Carrillo, died Jan. 30, 2007
- Spc. Christopher D. Young, died March 2, 2007
- Spc. Romel Catalan, died June 2, 2007
- Staff Sgt. Greg P. Gagarin, died June 3, 2007
- Sgt. Robert T. Ayres III, died Sept. 29, 2007
- Staff Sgt. Joseph F. Curreri, died Oct. 27, 2007
(Sources: CNN.com, icasualties.org)
Ron,
Thanks for taking the time to remember.
Semper Fi
Frank
Thanks for updating the list. Too often, we forget all the personal sacrifices going on over there.
I don’t know of any better way to remember them than this.
I’m a bit behind in reading because I’ve been in extreme southern Georgia for a month. But this list is a tremendous thing Ron. May they all R.I.P. and may their families find comfort in knowing they died defending the principals that make the USA the wonderful place it is.
Thank you for posting these names. My nephew is here and its been 1 year since his passing and Joseph’s sacrifice for what he believed in was extraordinary as well as every man and woman who have given their life for our freedoms in America. God Bless…Save Our Soliders!