Wednesday, May 27, 2009

US Navy Commander Serving in Iraq With Army Corps of Engineers Killed by IED Blast

Dispatches from the Front
News from Multi-National Force Iraq.

Dispatches from the Front:

Baghdad, Iraq, May 27, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Defense announced today that Navy Commander Duane G. Wolfe was killed May 25 when the vehicle he was traveling in near Fallujah was struck by an improvised explosive device. Cmdr. Wolfe was assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Gulf Region Division in Iraq where he served as the Officer-in-Charge of the Al-Anbar Area Office, which is part of the division’s Gulf Region Central district.

Cmdr. Wolfe was an activated Navy Reserve Officer from Los Osos, Calif. His home Navy Reserve unit is Navy Operational Support Center, Port Hueneme, Calif. In addition, Cmdr. Wolfe was a Department of the Air Force civilian employee, working at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

“Commander Wolfe was an outstanding warrior, patriot, loving husband, and father of three,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Eyre, commander of the Gulf Region Division. “Monday’s attack has been a devastating loss and the entire GRD team is deeply saddened by this tragedy. We honor Commander Wolfe’s life and service to our country and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues. Our thoughts and prayers are also with all of those impacted by this attack, the families of the two others killed and the two who were wounded.”

As the Officer-in-Charge of the Al-Anbar Area Office, Cmdr. Wolfe was responsible for 59 personnel including U.S. military, government civilians, and Iraqis who work at the area office and three geographically dispersed subordinate resident offices. His staff is responsible for overseeing nearly $300 million in planned and ongoing construction projects, many of which are providing essential services to the Iraqi people. Projects include the first-ever waste water treatment facility for Fallujah, a location command for the Iraqi Army, a judicial complex and a 132 kilovolt substation in Ramadi.

Commander Wolfe will posthumously receive the Bronze Star with “V” Device for Valor; Purple Heart; Combat Action Ribbon; National Defense Service Medal with Service Star; Iraqi Campaign Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device for Mobilization; Overseas Service Ribbon; and the Combat Action Badge.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

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