Opaque Lucidity

Army Spc. Robert J. Dixon, 27, of Minneapolis; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died May 6 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Army Sgt. Sameer A.M. Rateb, 22, of Absecon, N.J.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 6 at Forward Operating Base Summerall in Bayji, Iraq, from injuries sustained froma non-combat-related incident. His death is under investigation.

Army Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, 23, of Lodi, N.J.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, 28, of Sandia Park, N.M.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, 25, of Clarkesville, Ga.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, 21, of Gretna, Neb.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw, 21, of San Antonio; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Cpl. Michael A. Pursel, 19, of Clinton, Utah; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander and Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw.

Army Sgt. Timothy P. Padgett, 28, of Defuniak Springs, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 8 in Tarin Kwot, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by enemy forces during combat patrol operations.

Army Spc. Dan H. Nguyen, 24, of Sugar Land, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 8 in Tahrir, Iraq, when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.

Army Sgt. Blake C. Stephens, 25, of Pocatello, Idaho; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; died May 8 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed was Spc. Kyle A. Little.

Army Spc. Kyle A. Little, 20, of West Boylston, Mass.; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; died May 8 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed was Sgt. Blake C. Stephens.

Army Sgt. Maj. Bradly D. Conner, 41, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 9 near Al-Hillah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improved explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Marine Lance Cpl. Walter K. O’Haire, 20, of Lynn, Mass.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 9 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.