The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 14 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, while conducting vehicle recovery operations, and encountered a secondary explosion while dismounted.
They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade Grafenwoehr, Germany.
Killed were:
Sgt. Matthew A. Harmon, 29, of Bagley, Minn.; and
Cpl. Joseph A. VanDreumel, 32, of Grand Rapids, Mich.
For more information, media should contact ocpa.pi@eur.army.mil or 011-49-6221-57-5815.
UPDATE: Aug. 24, 2011 -- Spc. VanDreumel was posthumously promoted to corporal.
