Military, National

DoD Identifies Army and Air Force Casualties


Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Andrew Celiz
Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Andrew Celiz pictured above. Photo of Staff Sgt. James T. Grotjan not available (Source: Stars & Stripes)

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—July 13, 2018

By: Rosemary Piser

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and an airman who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Andrew Celiz, 32, from Summerville, South Carolina, died, July 12, in Afghanistan, of wounds sustained as a result of enemy small arms fire while conducting operations in support of a medical evacuation landing zone in Zurmat district, Paktiya province. The incident is under investigation.

Celiz was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia.

Staff Sgt. James T. Grotjan, 26, of Waterford, Connecticut, died July 12 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, from injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident July 8 at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. He was assigned to the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.

Source: www.defense.gov


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