U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
On the Web:
http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=3816
Media contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132
Public contact:
http://www.defense.gov/landing/comment.aspx
or +1 (703) 571-3343

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 318-03
May 12, 2003

DOD IDENTIFIES MARINE CASUALTIES

The Department of Defense announced today that Lance Cpl. Cedric E. Bruns, 22, of Vancouver, Wash., was killed May 9 in a non-hostile vehicle accident in Kuwait. Bruns was driving a pick-up truck that was struck on the driver side by a logistics vehicle system. He was a reservist assigned to the 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group, Eugene, Ore.

The Department of Defense also announced today that Lance Cpl. Matthew R. Smith, 20, of Anderson, Ind., was killed May 10 in a non-hostile vehicle accident in Kuwait. Smith was driving a HMMWV as part of a convoy to Camp Coyote in Kuwait when his vehicle struck a parked trailer. He was a reservist assigned to Detachment 1, Communications Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group, Peru, Ind.

Both incidents are under investigation.