Five Minn. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in July

Minnesota Public Radio

Spc. Daniel P. Drevnick, 22, of Woodbury, died July 16, 2009 in Basra, Iraq after an insurgent attack. He was assigned to the Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company, part of the 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division.

Drevnick was born in St. Paul and graduated from Woodbury High School, before enlisting in the Minnesota Army National Guard in March 2005. He was attending Century College in White Bear Lake before his deployment on March 2, 2009.

Drevnick planned to get a degree in law enforcement and was studying to become a state trooper. In his personal time, he was also a drag racing partner with his dad and raced his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution at tracks all over the Midwest.

Drevnick received numerous awards and decoration, including a Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart. He had just returned to Iraq after a short leave in Minnesota.

Spc. James D. Wertish, 20, of Olivia, died Thursday in Basra after an insurgent attack. He was assigned to the Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company, part of the 34th "red Bull" Infantry Division.

Wertish was born in Redwood Falls and graduated from the B.O.L.D. High School in Olivia. He enlisted into the Minnesota Army National Guard on in February 2006.

In his spare time, Wertish loved working on his family farm. He also enjoyed snowmobiles and playing Rock Band II.

Wertish received numerous awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.

Spc. Carlos E. Wilcox IV, 27, of Cottage Grove, died Thursday in Basra after an insurgent attack. He was assigned to the Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company, part of the 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division.

Wilcox was born in Golden Valley and graduated from Tartan High School in Oakdale. He enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard March 15, 2006 after a short break in service from the United States Army Reserve. He graduated from the Health Care Specialist Course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas in November 2006.

Wilcox graduated from Metropolitan State University with a bachelor's degree in biology and had aspirations of going to medical school and becoming a doctor. He had worked security at the Ugly Mug in Minneapolis before deploying to Iraq this spring. Friends said he had a magnetic personality that lit up a room.

Wilcox's dream was to go to medical school and become a doctor. Wilcox had received numerous awards, including a Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart.

Army Ranger Ben Kopp, 21, of Rosemount, died July 18, 2009 at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He was wounded in battle on July 10 while serving in Afghanistan.

Air Force Capt. Thomas Gramith, 27, of Eagan, was killed when his fighter jet crashed in Kabul, Afghanistan on July 17, 2009.

He was part of the Fourth Fighter Wing Squadron, based at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. The unit provides close air support to ground troops in combat. A spokesman for the U.S. Air Force said Gramith and 26-year-old Capt. Mark R. McDowell of Colorado Springs, Colo. died when their fighter jet crashed in Eastern Afghanistan. Officials say the crash was not caused by enemy fire.