Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2009 -- The following news release made available Monday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Matthew M. Martinek, 20, of DeKalb, Ill., died Sept. 11 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered in Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 4 when enemy attacked his vehicle with an improvised-explosive device followed by a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)