US troops who have died while serving in Iraq and Kuwait

US troops killed in Iraq and Kuwait

Army Spc. Brushaun X. Anderson

Back in middle school, Brushaun Anderson could often be found in the computer lab with a few of his buddies — a curious student building Web sites and working on other technology projects.

“I can not think of Brushaun without smiling,” Dee Ann Barlow, one of Anderson’s teachers at Marshall Middle School in Columbus, Ga., wrote in an online message board. “He was so energetic and loved to learn. As a soldier he became a hero.”

Anderson, 20, of Columbus died Jan. 1 in Baghdad in a noncombat incident. The military is investigating. The soldier, assigned to Fort Drum, enlisted in the Army in 2007 after graduating from Carver High School.

One of Anderson’s technology pals, Ricardo Toro, wrote in an online message board the technology club the two founded at their middle continues going strong to this day.

“He and I shared our rivalries from time to time but it didn’t make us any less of what we were, friends to the end,” Toro said.

Anderson is survived by his parents, eight brothers, a sister, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Army Pfc. Scott G. Barnett

In high school, Scott Barnett fell in love with Nikki Gill, his future wife, went to Linkin Park concerts with her and participated in walks to raise cancer awareness.

Now Nikki Barnett, the 24-year-old soldier’s wife — who battled non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teenager — says he was her “soul mate.”

“We loved each other so insanely much,” she said.

Scott Barnett, of Concord, Calif., died Jan. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations. He was based at Katterbach, Germany.

“He had his ups and downs, but he was proud to be fighting for his country,” Nikki Barnett said. “We always told each other it was temporary. You’ll be home soon. You’ll be back.”

Scott Barnett attended Olympic High School in Concord, where the two had a math class together. It was 2003. And they started talking after he made her laugh.

“We just started talking, and we never stopped,” she said.

Five years later, Scott Barnett enlisted in the Army, saying it was what he wanted.

“We knew the risk. We didn’t take it as seriously as we should have,” she said. “We didn’t think it could happen to us. We were young, in love. We had everything going.”

Army Sgt. David A. Croft

David Croft managed to avoid drugs, gangs and trouble — things that swallowed up so many kids in the tough neighborhood where he grew up.

And when he returned from his deployment to Iraq, he wanted to work in law enforcement in an anti-gang task force, where he hoped to help kids.

“He wanted to make a difference over there,” said Croft’s best friend, Jacob Hollifield. “But he wanted to make a difference here, too.”

Croft 22, of Plant City, Fla., was killed by a roadside bomb Jan. 5 in Baghdad. The 2005 graduate of Durant High School was assigned to Fort Hood.

Hollifield recalled going riding go-carts and fishing with Croft — who once caught a bass weighing at least 5 pounds in a pond behind a Walmart.

Croft’s fiancee, Susie Clark, said her high school sweetheart loved cooking and trying new restaurants. They got engaged in the day after Christmas 2008. Croft also was a gun enthusiast and was close to his family, who knew him as “Little David” — his nickname to differentiate him from his father, David Sr.

The soldier was eager to come home and see his family — “that’s all he talked about was coming home,” said his mother, Vickie Croft.

In addition to his mother and fiancee, Croft is survived by three sisters and a brother.

Army Pfc. Gifford E. Hurt

Gifford Hurt’s parents are Army veterans, and he grew up on military bases.

No one was surprised when Hurt, of Yonkers N.Y., decided on an Army career and enlisted a year ago at age 18.

“All of our friends are in the military, and that’s all he knew,” said his mother, Lisa Davis.

Hurt’s assignment at Fort Sill required him to work at the post while several others were deployed to Iraq. But when an opportunity arose, Hurt, known as “GJ,” eagerly volunteered to join them.

Hurt was a passenger in a Humvee in Mosul, Iraq, when it crashed Jan. 20, killing him. The Army says the crash was not combat related and is under investigation.

Hurt enjoyed boxing, basketball and weight training. He also was skilled at defusing conflicts, said Mike Henry, who went through basic training with him.

“There would be fights going on, and he would be the one to stop the fighting,” Henry said.

Another comrade, Frank Perez, said in an online tribute that Hurt will not be forgotten and that his unit “will finish out this mission in your memory.”

Survivors also include his father, Gifford Hurt Sr., sisters, Ashley Trapp and Alyssa Thompson, and brothers, Tarique and Malik Thompson.

Army Pfc. Michael R. Jarrett

Michael R. Jarrett grew up in southern California but joined the Army in 2007 in North Platte, Neb., where he had traveled with best friend Andy Clark.

“He decided it was better than minimum wage in Nebraska,” Clark told the Ramona Sentinel of Ramona, Calif.

Jarrett’s mother, Brenda, said the longtime Boy Scout had a knack for getting others involved, whether he was camping, riding three-wheelers or digging for crabs at the beach. She called him Mike, but close friends used the default moniker he was once assigned while logging on to play a video game.

“For the next hour we all kept getting killed by ‘Potato,’” Clark said, according to the newspaper. “The guys kept saying, ‘Dude! Who’s Potato?’”

It was Jarrett, from then on.

The lanky, 20-year-old helicopter mechanic died Jan. 6 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries from a non-combat-related incident. He was assigned to Illesheim, Germany.

“He always did what was asked of him,” automotive instructor Robert Grace of Ramona High School told the paper, adding that Jarrett was one of the most courageous kids he knew.

Jarrett left the school but earned a diploma from the district’s adult school program in 2007.

He’s also survived by his father and sister.