DoD Identifies Army Casualties
November 04, 2003

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The soldiers were on board a CH-47 Chinook Helicopter when it went down on Nov. 2 in Al Fallujah, Iraq. Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Bader, 28, of Colorado Springs, Colo. Bader was assigned to Air Defense Artillery Battery, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, based in Fort Carson, Colo.

Spc. Steven D. Conover, 21, of Wilmington, Ohio. Conover was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, based in Fort Sill, Okla.

Spc. Brian H. Penisten, 28, of Fort Wayne, Ind. Penisten was assigned to Air Defense Artillery Battery, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, based in Fort Carson, Colo.

Sgt. Joel Perez, 25, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Perez was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, based in Fort Sill, Okla.

Chief Warrant Officer Bruce A. Smith, 41, of West Liberty, Iowa. Smith was assigned to Detachment 1, Company F, 106th Aviation Battalion, Army National Guard, based in Davenport, Iowa.

The cause of the incident is unknown and an investigation is underway.