Oregon's Fallen

One hundred and thirty men and women from Oregon have died in action while serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, from 2002 to the present. The median age of the dead is 24.

They include six soldiers as young as 19—among them are Spc. Taylor D. Marks, a recent high-school graduate from Monmouth who joined the Oregon National Guard to help pay for school where he had planned to study Japanese and finance and SPC Daniel A. Leckel of Glendale, who wrote for his high-school newspaper and wanted to become a journalist. And there are two as old as 46—Lt. Colonel James L. Wiley of North Bend, and Major Steven W. Thornton of Springfield who were both survived by their wives and children.

Despite their small populations, Hood River and Union counties each has seen four military deaths. From the town Hood River, the deaths include Army Chaplain Dale Allen Goetz, 43, a captain who was the first US Army chaplain to be killed in action since 1970; and Petty Officer 2nd Class Marc A. Lee, 28, who was the first Navy SEAL to die in the War in Iraq

After examining the records of Oregon's fallen, WW has compiled data about the state's military losses in Iraq and Afghanistan to date. Our numbers do not account for troops who have been injured or those who have committed suicide since returning home—Oregon's military suicide rate is among the highest in the nation.

While most of the following men and women included were living in Oregon at the time of their deployment, several additional names have been added because the deceased had strong ties to the state. In some cases, they served in the Oregon National Guard, attended college in Oregon or lived in Oregon for a length of time.

Oregon's fallen by county - mouse over county to see data

Number of Oregon women killed: 3

Oregon's worst months: March of 2003, April of 2005 and July of 2007 each saw five lives lost

Lives lost in Afghanistan: 26

Lives lost in Iraq: 96

Oregon: 2007 with 24 lives lost and 2004 with 23 lives lost

A timeline of Oregon deaths 

 
Deaths by military branch:

Army: 70
Marine Corps: 26
Oregon National Guard: 20
Other branches: 14

Current and former Oregon soldiers who have committed suicide since 2007: 18. One additional death is under investigation.

Oregon veterans under the age of 30: 13,735

Number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in Oregon (2010): 21,731

Number of Oregon National Guard Members deployed since 2002: 9,268

Afghanistan: 1,691
Iraq: 7,048
Iraq Southern No Fly Zone (not in Iraq): 529

Troops with Oregon ties; counties unspecified:
United States Marine 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, 25
Oregon National Guard Sgt. Earl D. Werner, 38
Oregon National Guard Capt. Bruno G. de Solenni, 32
United States Army Sgt. James M. Treber, 24
New York National Guard Spc. David L. Roustum, 22
Sgt. Major Eric F. Cooke, 43
United States Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Willoughby, 29
United States Navy Hospitalman Joshua McIntosh, 22
United States Air Force Major Gregory L. Stone, 40
United States Marine Second Lt. Frederick E. Pokorney Jr., 31
United States Army 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, 27
United States Army Staff Sgt. David S. Perry, 36

Sources:
oregon.gov/ODVA/INFO/stats.shtml
oregon.gov/Gov/soldier/soldier_oregons_most_honorable.shtml

WWeek 2015