honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, October 27, 2005

Soldier deployed with Island unit dies

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

A Kansas soldier deployed with a Hawai'i National Guard unit in Iraq died yesterday from injuries he suffered Sunday when insurgents detonated a roadside bomb, a guard spokesman in Iraq said.

Sgt. Parker Evans died at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, said Capt. Kyle Yonemura, spokesman for the 29th Brigade Combat Team. Evans' age was unavailable.

Evans was a forward artillery observer assigned to the 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery.

His death came a day after U.S. military losses in Iraq reached 2,000.

Evans was manning a checkpoint Sunday on a stretch of road west of LSA Anaconda, which is outside of Baghdad, Yonemura said. About 12:30 a.m., insurgents set off an improvised explosive device at the checkpoint, seriously injuring Evans and another soldier.

The insurgents were captured not far from the scene of the blast.

Two other soldiers suffered minor injuries in the attack. They were treated and returned to duty.

Evans and the other seriously injured soldier were flown to Germany. The other soldier was in stable condition but details were not available.

Evans was activated for deployment from ready reserve status, which puts people who have left military service on a standby basis for as many as six years.

A memorial service was being planned for Evans.

About 2,200 Hawai'i soldiers are in their ninth month of a year-long deployment to Iraq and Kuwait. Guard personnel and reservists from all over the United States have been attached to the Hawai'i group for the deployment.

Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.