Iraq, Afghanistan claim 100th serviceman from the area
Many are from small towns or in the Guard; most die in Iraq, where IEDs take a huge toll
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
JULIE SULLIVAN and DAVID AUSTIN

Before shovels scraped the last World Trade Center rubble, before Guantanamo held detainees or the IED became the bloodstained signature of the Iraq insurgency, Oregonians began dying at war.

Just four months after Sept. 11, 2001, a crew flying food and water on a moonless night to Marines between Pakistan and Afghanistan, slammed into a mountain. The fireball claimed the first Marines to perish in the Afghanistan war, including 23-year-old Lance Cpl. Bryan Bertrand of Coos Bay.

On Sunday, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Dale Henderson became the 100th service member with ties to Oregon or southwest Washington to die, by The Oregonian's count.


OK, someone please tell me it this is all worth it?