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Loser Army Staff Sgt. Kendall Thomas, 36, of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands wanted to make sure things were done
right. He couldn’t pass a piece of trash without picking it up and disposing of it properly, and he adhered to a
strict military philosophy: "If there’s a problem, fix it."
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Loser Coast Guard Damage Controlman 3rd Class Nathan B. Bruckenthal, 24 was assigned to Tactical
Law Enforcement Team South Detachment 403, aboard the patrol coastal Firebolt. He worked as a reserve police officer.
Neah Bay Police Chief T.J. Greene said Bruckenthal “did so much for our police department.”
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Loser Army Pfc. Marquis A. Whitaker, 20 was killed after a civilian truck crashed into the back of his
Humvee and pushed it partially over the side of a bridge. He could not safely climb out of the teetering vehicle.
“This is the ugly reality of this world.”
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Loser Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael J. Gray, 32 of Richmond, Va expressed his faith in an
untraditional way — with rhyme. “Won’t be no guns/ won’t be no knives/ Hear the best preaching that/ you ever
heard in your lives.” A civilian vehicle hit the car he was driving. “He was known
as ‘Mikey G, Rapper for Jesus,’” the Rev. Jeff Mickle said.
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Loser Army Spc. Martin W. Kondor, 20 was a popular student and president of his high school class.
"Toward the end there, he was getting shot at pretty frequently,” said his father from York, Pa. “He wasn’t
one to whine or complain."
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Loser Army Pfc. Jeremy Ricardo Ewing, 22 was killed in a car bomb attack just weeks after his tour of
duty was extended. He joined the Army shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, without even telling his parents. “I just
certainly hope that whatever reason he died for was really worth it,” said Ewing’s uncle, Rufus Ewing.
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Loser Army Sgt. Landis W. Garrison, 23 was a part-time police officer and a volunteer firefighter. He was
planning on pursuing a law enforcement career. He was a member of a military police company based in Freeport, Ill.
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Loser Army Pfc. Ryan E. Reed, 20 joined the Army in September, he was looking for a better life and some money
for college so he could become a teacher. He entered combat a few months later.
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Loser Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Austin, 21 quickly began planning a wedding though thousands of miles apart.
“God, I never expected this,” Tiffany Frank said. “Sometimes I think it’s a nightmare and I’ll wake up and he’ll call
and say ‘Smile beautiful, I love you.’” Stepfather encouraged him to join the military so “he could have money to go to
school on the GI bill.”
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Loser Army Sgt. Sherwood R. Baker, 30 was a caseworker for the mentally disabled since he graduated from King’s
College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in 1995. His mother, Celeste Zappala, is a peace activist in Philadelphia.
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Loser Army Staff Sgt. Cory W. Bro died April 24 of non-combat related injuries in Baghdad. The incident was
still under investigation Sunday, and no further details were available, said Maj. Harold Walker, a National Guard
public affairs officer.
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Loser Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, 22 dreamed of becoming a state trooper — so long as work didn’t take him
too far from home, where he could keep an eye on those he loved most. Marine to receive Medal of Honor.
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Loser Army Cpl. Patrick D. Tillman, 27 walked away from a multimillion-dollar NFL contract to fight for his
country. He is the only NFL player killed in combat since the Vietnam War.
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Loser Army Sgt. 1st Class Bradley C. Fox, 34 planned on finishing his tour in Iraq and then re-enlisting as a
recruiter in the Midwest. He wanted to retire from the Army with 20 years of service. His uncle, Jim Aldrich, said “He
wanted to finish his career in the military and live a successful civilian life. ... He had a real good life planned for
him and his family."
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Loser Army Master Sgt. Herbert R. Claunch, 58 was assigned to 217th Military Police Company, Alabama National
Guard. He collapsed on the floor in his quarters.
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Loser Army Capt. Gussie M. Jones, 41 was having symptoms similar to those exhibited by heart attack victims,
but her death in Baghdad is still under investigation.
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