DoD Identifies Army Casualties
September 13, 2007

The Department of Defense announced today the death of seven soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Sept. 10 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related vehicle rollover. They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Yance T. Gray, 26, of Ismay, Mont.

Staff Sgt. Gregory Rivera-Santiago, 26, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands.

Sgt. Michael C. Hardegree, 21, of Villa Rica, Ga.

Sgt. Omar L. Mora, 28, of Texas City, Texas.

Sgt. Nicholas J. Patterson, 24, of Rochester, Ind.

Spc. Ari D. Brown-Weeks, 23, of Abingdon, Md.

Spc. Steven R. Elrod, 20, of Hope Mills, N.C.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

For more information on these soldiers, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.