Two Oregon National Guardsmen killed Friday in Iraq have been identifed as Sgt. Earl D. Werner, 38, of Amboy, Wash., and Specialist Taylor D. Marks, 19, of Monmouth.
The wounded soldier is Specialist. Reid Walch, 24, of Redmond, according to KTVZ TV in Bend. He is expected to arrive soon at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C.
The three were with the 41st Special Troops Battalion, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon Army National Guard in Portland.
The two died in Rashid, Iraq, when their convoy was hit by an explosive device., according to the Oregon Military Department.
"All the STB leadership were present to support our soldiers at the ramp ceremony in Iraq," said Battalion Commander Lt. ken Nygren. "It was a sad event, but very evident that the unit is very cohesive and still very proudly STB. They are serving Oregon and the nation well."
Born in Idaho, this was Sgt. Werner's third tour with the Guard. His first was with the 2nd Battalion, 162 Infantry in 2004 and then with the 234th Engineer Company in 2007, from which he transferred to the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
With the 41st, he was awarded the Bronze Star, two Army Commendation Medals and the Combat Action Badge.
Werner leaves his wife Casey and son Charles, age 19 of Amboy, Wash.
Born in Salem, Spc. Marks grew up in Monmouth. A graduate of Central High School, he joined the Guard after being with a friend during training.
His plan was to be in the Guard, then continue with his schooling. He had been scheduled to attend the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio in California, but postponed that to go with the 41st to Iraq.
He is survived by his mother Michelle and stepfather Don; sister Courtney, 15; brother Alex, 19 of Monmouth, and father Morey Marks of Salem.
the wounded Walch's brother, who said he had only been in Iraq for a month.
The attack came at 2:18 in the morning. Walch was a gunner on top of what is called a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Truck. Despite the armor, the bomb was big enough to take lives.
Walch was knocked unconscious. He came to, realized he was wounded and checking on his squadmates, realized they were dead.
He was first taken by a hospital in Germany to have shrapnel removed from his legs. "But everything else is intact. All of his arms, hands," his mother Susan Walch said. "I'm just thankful he's alive."
