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Fort Lewis task force soldier dies after attack

May-11-2004 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

Michael Gilbert provides additional details regarding recent events.

[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune

Another soldier from the Fort Lewis-based Task Force Olympia was killed in Iraq on Monday, officials said.

The soldier was struck by small-arms fire while on patrol in western Mosul and later died at the Army field hospital at the Mosul airfield, task force officials said.

Meantime, the Defense Department identified the two Stryker brigade soldiers killed over the weekend, one in an accident, the other in a mortar attack.

Spc. Isela Rubalcava, 25, of El Paso, Texas, was killed in Saturday night's mortar attack on a coalition base in Mosul, the Pentagon announced. Rubalcava was a supply technician with the 296th Brigade Support Battalion.

Spc. Chase R. Whitham, 21, of Eugene, Ore., was electrocuted in a swimming pool at the brigade's Combat Outpost Patriots on Saturday afternoon. Whitham was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, the Pentagon said.

Patriots outpost is a series of old Baath Party buildings and recreational facilities along the Tigris River in central Mosul. Brigade spokesman Lt. Col. Joseph Piek said brigade officials were investigating the accident.


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