Our Latest American Heros #144 - 151

I used to post these randomly selected tributes to our soldiers who have died in the War on Terrorism, but since July have slackened off. I wish I could say that it was because the war is winding down, but the 508 casualties to date for 2010, have already surpassed the 2009 total of 480, and the 2008 total of 489. As November is tracking toward the deadliest month of the year, I offer these in place of the many. Eight soldiers to represent the 197 who have died in the past 4 months.

Army Sgt. Martin A. Lugo, 24, of Tucson, Ariz.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.; died Aug. 19 in Puli Alam, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart. Martin was a man who had deep faith in God. It is his faith that led him to serve our nation. He loved his family, friends and his Ranger brothers. He was generous, funny, loving, adventurous, intelligent and passionate. He was a strong courageous leader. He embraced life and lived it to the fullest!

Army Sgt. Steven J. Deluzio, 25, of South Glastonbury, Conn.; assigned to 172nd Infantry Regiment, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Jericho, Vt.; died Aug. 22 in Paktya province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire.

Deluzio leaves behind his parents, a fiancée and his brother, staff Sgt. Scott Deluzio, also a member of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as a member of Connecticut National Guard, who was returning home from Afghanistan, Dubie said.

“He’s a hero, and he’s the greatest son,” said his father, Mark DeLuzio, his voice choking with emotion. “Two sons I have — the greatest you could ever ask for.”

Army Pfc. William B. Dawson, 20, of Tunica, Miss.; assigned to 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died Sept. 24 while traveling between Ghanzi and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, when his military vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive device.

“He never talked back to his mother or father. He was always respectful,” Joseph Dawson said of his older brother. “He was a perfect man.”

Air Force Senior Airman Daniel R. Sanchez, 23, of El Paso, Texas; assigned to 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; died Sept. 16 while conducting combat operations in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan.

Friends say Daniel Sanchez was a green-eyed, walking ball of energy who had a knack for persuasion, a passion for skateboarding and playing sports, and a creative streak that showed in his music and sketches.

His mother urged mourners at his memorial to live as Sanchez had, according to the El Paso Times in Texas.

"It's not easy because he took it one day at a time," Yvette Sierra Duchene said. "Get up, go to work, put a smile on your face and enjoy every second of your life."

Army Pfc. Dylan T. Reid, 24, of Springfield, Mo.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Oct. 16 in Amarah, Iraq in a non-combat related incident.

Reid was a new and proud father, family and friends said.

“He couldn’t wait to be a dad,” said Dylan’s sister Erika Reid of Lamar. “It’s all he ever talked about.”

Mason Dosey of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., graduated with Dylan Reid from Desert Technology High School in 2005.

“He was a really good guy to talk to,” Dosey said, “He never judged anybody.”

“He pretty much just talked about how beautiful his daughter was,” Dosey said.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Lance H. Vogeler, 29, of Frederick, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.; died Oct.1 at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained in Helmand, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire.

Vogeler was on his 12th deployment after seven previous deployments to Afghanistan and four deployments to Iraq.

He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

He is survived by his wife, Melissa, and two children.

Army Spc. Shane H. Ahmed, 31, of Chesterfield, Mich.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Nov. 14 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.

[Ahmed’s] death occurred during a four-day push called Operation Bulldog Bite to search out militants and weapons caches near the Pech river.

“Operation Bulldog Bite has degraded the insurgents’ ability to terrorize the people of the Pech valley,” Maj. Mary Constantino said.

Army Pfc. Kyle M. Holder, 18, of Conroe, Texas; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment (Reconnaissance and Surveillance), 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Nov. 17 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat incident.