Posted on: Friday, April 8, 2005

Soldier assigned to Hawai'i Guard dies

Advertiser Staff

A Mainland soldier attached to the Hawai'i National Guard's 29th Brigade Combat Team was killed in Iraq this week.

The soldier was a member of the Washington State National Guard and died Tuesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near the Al Ad Darwah Market.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment. The Pentagon had not officially listed his death, pending notification of next of kin.

But the news of his death was made public Wednesday by the commander of the 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Maj. Gen. Eric T. Olson, who told a gathering of returning soldiers and the media about the guardsman.

None of the approximately 3,700 soldiers from the Hawai'i Guard has been killed or wounded during their deployment to Iraq, Anthony said.

Olson also had announced on Wednesday that two of the soldiers killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan were from Schofield Barracks. As with the guardsman, the Pentagon had not yet officially listed them as killed in action until the family is notified.

A division spokeswoman yesterday would not confirm that.

"I can't confirm that we have even two soldiers dead on the aircraft," Capt. Kathy Turner said.