At least 1,145 US military deaths in Afghanistan since 2001

US military deaths in Afghanistan at 1,145

As of Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010, at least 1,145 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.

The AP count is five more than the Defense Department’s tally, last updated Thursday at 10 a.m. EDT.

At least 927 military personnel have died in Afghanistan as a result of hostile action, according to the military’s numbers.

Outside of Afghanistan, the department reports at least 93 more members of the U.S. military died in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Of those, 11 were the result of hostile action.

The AP count of total OEF casualties outside of Afghanistan is one fewer than the department’s tally.

The Defense Department also counts two military civilian deaths.

Since the start of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, 7,643 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department.

The latest identifications reported by the military:

— Lance Cpl. Kevin E. Oratowski, 23, of Wheaton, Ill.; died Aug. 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan; assigned to 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

— Sgt. 1st Class Edgar N. Roberts, 39, of Hinesville, Ga.; died Aug. 17 at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., of wounds sustained June 26 in the Sayed Abad district of Wardak province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device; assigned to 810th Engineer Company (SAPPER), Swainsboro, Ga.

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

— Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Collin Thomas, 33, of Morehead, Ky.; died Aug. 18 during a combat operation in eastern Afghanistan; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

— Cpl. Christopher J. Boyd, 22, of Palatine, Ill.; died Aug. 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, IMarine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

— Lance Cpl. Cody S. Childers, 19, of Chesapeake, Va.; died Aug. 20 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, IIMarine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

— Spc. Christopher S. Wright, 23, of Tollesboro, Ky.; died Aug. 19 in the Pech district of Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.

— Lance Cpl. Nathaniel J. A. Schultz, 19, of Safety Harbor, Fla.; died Aug. 21 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

— Pfc. Alexis V. Maldonado, 20, of Wichita Falls, Texas; died Aug. 21 at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire in the Zhari district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan; assigned to the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

—Pfc. Justin B. Shoecraft, 28, of Elkhart, Ind., died Tuesday in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device at Kakarak, Afghanistan; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

—Sgt. Ronald A. Rodriguez, 26, of Falls Church, Va., died Monday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

—Lance Cpl. Robert J. Newton, 21, of Creve Coeur, Ill., died Monday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.

—Sgt. Jason D. Calo, 23, of Lexington, Ky.; died Sunday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

—Spc. Pedro A. Millet Meletiche, 20, of Elizabeth, N.J.; died Sunday in Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

—Sgt. Steven J. Deluzio, 25, of South Glastonbury, Conn., and Spc. Tristan H. Southworth, 21, of West Danville, Vt.; died Sunday in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked their unit with small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire; assigned to the 172nd Infantry, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Jericho, Vt.