In less than a week, Utah has lost a soldier and a marine in Operation Enduring Freedom. The Department of DefenseВ announced the death of Marine Lance Cpl. Norberto Mendez Hernandez on Monday, and the death of Army Spc. Preston J. Suter on July 7. Both died in Afghanistan.
Hernandez, 22, of Logan, died July 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmond province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California.
Suter, also 22, of Sandy, was among four soldiers killed on July 5 when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. Suter was assigned to the 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Hohenfels, Germany.