The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel who were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq or who died at a military hospital of their injuries:
Dane R. Balcon, 19, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; private first class, Army. Balcon was one of two soldiers killed Wednesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near them in Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.
David A. Cooper Jr., 36, of State College, Pa.; sergeant first class, Army. Cooper died of noncombat-related injuries Wednesday in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, Wash.
Kevin A. Gilbertson, 24, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; sergeant, Army. Gilbertson died Aug. 31 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany of injuries suffered two days earlier when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire while on foot patrol in Ramadi, Iraq, west of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany.
Jason J. Hernandez, 21, of Streetsboro, Ohio; specialist, Army. Hernandez died Friday of injuries suffered a day earlier when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Mosul, Iraq, north of Baghdad. Another soldier was killed in the blast, and a third also died of his injuries Friday. Hernandez was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Bliss, Texas.
Thomas L. Hilbert, 20, of Venus, Texas; specialist, Army. Hilbert died Friday of injuries suffered a day earlier when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Mosul, Iraq, north of Baghdad. Another soldier was killed in the blast, and a third also died of his injuries Friday. Hilbert was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Bliss, Texas.
Rodney J. Johnson, 20, of Houston; specialist, Army. Johnson was killed Tuesday when his unit came under a grenade attack while on foot patrol in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kan.
