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IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 840-11
September 30, 2011

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died Sep 28, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device.  They were assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

            Killed were:

            1st Lt. Ivan D. Lechowich, 27, of Valrico, Fla.,

            Spc. Steven E. Gutowski, 24, of Plymouth, Mass., and

            Pfc. David A. Drake, 21, of Lumberton, Texas

            For more information the media may contact the Fort Leonard Wood public affairs office at 573-563-4145.