Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OIF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2009 -- The following news release made available Friday 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 Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Ralph Anthony Webb Frietas, 23, of Detroit, Mich., died Dec 8. as a result of unknown causes in Baghdad. He was assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

The incident is under investigation.

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