Fallen Soldiers

Presented here in chronological order, the following Iowa National Guard soldiers were killed during the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division to Eastern Afghanistan from November 2010 to August 2011:

Spc. Brent M. Maher, 31, of Honey Creek, Iowa. Member of 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.), headquartered in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Killed April 11, 2011 in Paktia Province, when an Improvised Explosive Device (I.E.D.) detonated under the armored vehicle in which he was positioned as gunner. Posthumously promoted to sergeant.

Spc. Donald L. Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock, Iowa. Member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.), headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa. Killed April 13, 2011 in Laghman Province, when an IED detonated under the vehicle in which he was traveling.

Staff Sgt. James A. Justice, 32, of Grimes, Iowa. Member of Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment (1-113th Cav.). Killed April 23, 2011 by small-arms fire in Kapisa Province, during an helicopter-borne mission to secure the position of a downed U.S. attack helicopter.

Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker, 39, of Cedar Rapids. Member of Bravo Company, 334th Brigade Support Battalion (B.S.B.), headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Pasker, assigned to a 16-member Embedded Training Team (E.T.T.), was killed by small-arms fire July 9, 2011 when a rogue Afghan security officer attacked at a makeshift traffic stop in Panjshir Province.