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NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense



No. 179-03

(703)697-5131(media)

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 31, 2003

(703)428-0711(public/industry)



DOD IDENTIFIES MARINE CASUALTIES



The Department of Defense announced today the identification of

the following Marines who have been killed in action during

Operation Iraqi Freedom. They are:



Staff Sgt. James W. Cawley, 41, of Roy, Utah, was killed on

March 29 during a firefight with enemy forces. He was assigned

to F Company, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine

Division, in Salt Lake City, Utah.



Sgt. Michael V. Lalush, 23, of Troutville, Va., was killed on

March 30 in a UH-1N Huey helicopter crash in Southern Iraq. He

was assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron

(HMLA)-169, Marine Air Craft Group-39, Marine Corps Air Station

Camp Pendleton, Calif.



The Department of Defense also announced today it has changed

the status of the following Marine casualties from missing in

action to killed in action. They are:



Staff Sgt. Donald C. May, Jr., 31, of Richmond, Va.



Lance Cpl. Patrick T. O'Day, 20, of Sonoma, Calif.



Pfc. Francisco A. MartinezFlores, 21, of Los Angeles, Calif.



These Marines were assigned to the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st

Marine Division, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center,

Twentynine Palms, Calif. They were killed while their unit was

conducting convoy operations in the vicinity of the Euphrates

River on March 25. Their remains were recovered on March 28.



[Web version: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2003/b03312003_bt179-03.html]