Related Resources • Palo Verde on Alert • POWs and MIAs • The Iraq War

Elsewhere on the Web • Full Casualty List

In any war there will be casualties, and the Iraqi conflict is no different. Some will say that losing one life is too much. Yes, it is very painful to see young people give their lives for any cause. The risks involved in serving in the military are known to those brave people who serve. That doesn't make it any easier when they pay the ultimate price. 

On this page I will mention those of our military who have ties to Arizona who have been confirmed by government sources as either killed or missing in action. I will update the page as new information becomes available.

The following individuals with ties to Arizona were killed in the line of duty during this campaign:

Major Jay Aubin
36 years old
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Killed in a U.S. CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crash on March 21, 2003

The crash in which Maj. Aubin was killed along with 11 other Marines has been defined as an accident. No enemy fire or attack was involved. He, his wife and two children came to Yuma in July 2002. Aubin was an instructor for the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1.

Sgt. Bradley S. Korthaus
28 years old
Engineering Company C, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Force Service Group
Drowned in the Saddam Canal in southeastern Iraq on March 24th.

His grandfather lives in Mesa, AZ.

Pfc. Lori Piestewa
22 years old
507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, TX
Missing and believed to be captured on March 23, 2003  after an ambush. She was in the same squad as the soldiers who were killed execution style and whose bodies were shown on Iraqi television. After Pfc. Jessica Lynch was rescued, it was confirmed that Lori's was one of the bodies found at the hospital.

Lance Cpl. Michael J. Williams
31 years old
1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, based at Camp Lejuene, N.C.
Killed March 23rd near the southern Iraqi city of An Nasiriyah

Before joining the Marines, Williams owned a flooring business in Phoenix. He attended Deer Valley High School and Glendale Community College.

The following individuals with ties to Arizona are missing or known to be captured:

Spc. James Kiehl
22 years old
Missing and believed to be captured on March 23, 2003 near the southern Iraqi city of An Nasiriyah after an ambush. He was in the same squad as the soldiers who were killed execution style and whose bodies were shown on Iraqi television. His mother lives in Kingman, AZ.

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I hope that this list of Arizonans killed and missing doesn't get any longer than it already is. We hope all our troops fighting in Iraq will return home safely to their families and friends soon.

©2003 Judy Hedding, licensed to About.com