30 Marines and one Navy man killed in helicopter crash in Iraq
 

They said they were Hawaii based on national news tonight. I also seen San deigo based on websites.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Thirty Marines and a Navy corpsman were killed in a helicopter crash near Iraq's border with Jordan, bringing the number of U.S. troops killed Wednesday to 37 -- the deadliest day for U.S. forces since the start of the war in Iraq.

Four U.S. Marines were killed during combat in Iraq's Anbar province, and two U.S. soldiers were killed in attacks in the Baghdad area, according to the U.S. military. (Camp Pendleton mourns)

The cause of the chopper crash is still under investigation, although it appears to be weather-related, according to Gen. John Abizaid, chief of U.S. Central Command.

"The weather was bad. We don't know of any enemy action; the investigation continues," he said.

There is no evidence of any survivors, according to Abizaid, who said the helicopter was on "a routine mission in support of the elections."

"It's a dangerous environment that we operate in Iraq, we all understand that, and again our condolences to the families," he said.

Wednesday's death toll surpassed the 31 U.S. troops killed on March 23, 2003 -- four days after the start of the war in Iraq. Twenty-nine of them died in combat that day.

Wednesday's incidents brought the U.S. death toll in the war to 1,418.

The CH 53E Super Stallion crashed near Ar Rutba in western Iraq about 1:20 a.m. local time (5:20 p.m. Tuesday ET). (Map)




For full article...

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/...ain/index.html

how sad!!!
one has to wonder when it will end.
no time soon unfortunately.

I was called early this morning about this by my sorority sister Amanda, her best friend John is a Marine and was one of the soldiers killed in the crash. It's taking a large toll on her right now :(

Has anyone seen a list of the helicopter crashes
 

Has anyone seen a list of the helicopter crashes/casualties in Iraq?

In addition to this one with 31 deaths, there have been several more (according to the daily newsp.) with 15 - 20 deaths each.

Normally the cause of death isn't released to the general media, and non-combat deaths really don't capture the media attention either - is has to be "unusual" in some way for the media to report...

However a listing of reported casualties in the Iraq War is available on the following site:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/iraq/casualties.html

The entire island/state is a close-knit community, and whenever a soldier based here dies, it hits the community hard...whether or not you know the victims personally.

That's why when 30 of our own die like this, the feeling is unimaginable.

My prayers and thoughts go to the families of those lost, as well as those they left behind at Kaneohe MCBH.