Ricardo Barraza |
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Shafter, California |
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March 18, 2006 |
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Killed in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when they came under small arms fire by enemy forces during combat operations. |
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DATE POSTED: MARCH 21, 2006 PRESS RELEASE: Two Rangers killed in Iraq U.S. Army Special Operations Command FORT LEWIS, Wash. (USASOC News Service, Mar. 21, 2006) — Two Army Rangers assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment died recently in western Iraq of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations. Staff Sgt. Ricardo Barraza and Sgt. Dale G. M. Brehm, both assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Rgt., Fort Lewis, Wash., were killed by enemy small arms fire during the mission. Barraza, 24, of Shafter, Calif., volunteered for military service and entered the Army in August 1999. After completing basic infantry, basic airborne and Ranger Indoctrination Training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Rgt., in March 2000. A Ranger squad leader, Barraza was a six-time veteran of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal with a two knot rope, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Korean Parachutist Wings, Jordanian Parachutist Wings, and Ranger Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal. Barraza is survived by his parents, Fransisco and Nina Barraza, and two sisters, Amanda and Rachel, of Shafter, Calif., and another sister, Jamie Barraza, and a brother, Frankie Barraza, of Sunnyside, Wash. He is also survived by his fiancé, Maghan K. Harrington, and her daughter, Kayla, of Lacey, Wash. Brehm, 23, of Turlock, Calif., volunteered for military service and entered the Army in February 2001. After completing basic infantry, basic airborne and Ranger Indoctrination Training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regt., in October 2001. A Ranger team leader, Brehm was a six-time veteran of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal for Valor, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommisioned Officer Proefssional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Jordanian Parachutist Wings, and Ranger Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, Purple Heart and two Army Commendation Medals. Brehm is survived by his wife, Raini Brehm, of Steilacoom, Wash., his father and stepmother, William and Linda Brehm, of Turlock, Calif., and his mother, Laura Williams, of Riverbank, Calif. “Staff Sgt. Barraza fully embodied the Ranger Creed and took every opportunity to perform at the highest level,” said Maj. Jasper Jeffers. “Sgt. Brehm always demanded that the men around him gave nothing less than 100 percent with every task.” Both Barraza and Brehm were assigned to Jeffers’ Ranger company. |
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