United States Department of Defense

                The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  They died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.  They were assigned to the 1^st Battalion, 17^th Infantry Regiment, 5^th Stryker Brigade, 2^nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

                Killed were:

                Capt. John L. Hallett III, 30, of California.

                Capt. Cory J. Jenkins, 30, of Arizona.

                Sgt. 1^st Class Ronald W. Sawyer, 38, of Trenton, Mo.

                Spc. Dennis M. Williams, 24, of Federal Way, Wash.

                For more information media may contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0152, (253) 967-0147, or after hours (253) 967-0015 (ask for the public affairs officer on call).