DoD Identifies Army Casualties
November 09, 2003

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Mark D. Vasquez, 35, of Port Huron, Mich., was killed on Nov. 8, 2003, in Fallujah, Iraq. Vasquez was in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle that was struck by an improvised explosive device . The soldier died of his injuries. Vasquez was assigned to 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, based in Fort Riley, Kan.

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was shot down Nov. 7, 2003, in Tikrit, Iraq. The Black Hawk was shot down by unknown enemy ordnance. Killed were:

Chief Warrant Officer (CW5) Sharon T. Swartworth [female], 43, of Virginia. Swartworth was the regimental warrant officer for the Judge Advocate General Office, based at Headquarters Department of the Army, Pentagon.

Chief Warrant Officer (CW3) Kyran E. Kennedy, 43, of Boston, Mass.

Staff Sgt. Paul M. Neff II, 30, of Fort Mill, S.C.

Sgt. Scott C. Rose, 30, of Fayetteville, N.C.

Kennedy, Neff and Rose were assigned to 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based in Fort Campbell, Ky.

There were six soldiers killed in action aboard the Black Hawk helicopter. Two soldiers’ names are still pending next-of-kin notification.

These incidents are under investigation.