The Iraq War, 10 Years of Casualties: Plum-Oakmont Feels Its touch

The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began 10 years ago this week—on March 19, 2003—and although it is officially "over," fighting continues with discouraging persistence.

By one count, the war is directly responsible for 189,000 deaths, not including those who died from hardship caused by the fighting.

CNN has assembled a map identifying all casualties in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In all, 4,802 Americans and allies have died in the war, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, including 196 Pennsylvanians.

Among those casualties: young soliders from Plum, Oakmont and Verona:

• Cpl. Jason Christopher Kazarick, 30, of Plum was killed April 7, 2008. He served with B Troop, 1st Squadron of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. Kazarick was one of two soldiers who died in an attack by enemy forces armed with a rocket-propelled grenade in Sadr City. Kazarick was a 1995 graduate of Plum High School, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

• Army Cpl. Jason C. Kazarick, 30, of Oakmont was killed April 7, 2008, in Baghdad when enemy forces attacked using a rocket-propelled grenade. He served during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

• 1st Lt. Neil Anthony Santoriello, 24, of Verona, was killed Aug. 13, 2004, when a bomb exploded near his patrol vehicle near Khalidiyah in Iraq’s Anbar province. He was assigned to Fort Riley, Kan.

___________________

Plum-Oakmont Patch is on Facebook  and on Twitter. Don't forget to sign up for our daily email newsletter by  clicking here.