2 Schofield soldiers killed in Afghanistan

Two Schofield Barracks soldiers died in combat this week in Kunar province, one of the most violent areas of eastern Afghanistan.

The deaths of Spc. Levi E. Nuncio, 24, of Harrisonburg, Va., on Wednesday and Pfc. Joshua L. Jetton, 21, of Sebring, Fla., on Monday came less than a month after four Schofield Barracks soldiers were killed by a homemade bomb May 23 in Kunar province.

Lt. Col. Daniel Wilson, commander of the 2nd "Wolfhound" Battalion, reported Jetton's death on the battalion's Facebook page:

"It is with deep sorrow that I must inform you … of the loss of one of our Wolfhounds," Wilson posted. "Pfc. Joshua Jetton from B Company was killed in action on 20 June, 2011. Our most sincere condolences go out to his family, and our hearts go out to them in their time of grief."

Jetton was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, of the 25th Infantry Division. Nuncio was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

Both soldiers died from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their units with small-arms fire.

Nuncio's awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, two Purple Hearts, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO medal, National Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Combat Medical Badge and the Army Service Medal.

Nuncio joined the Army on Sept. 23, 2009, as a combat medic and was on his first deployment.

Jetton joined the Army on Aug. 11 as an infantryman and also was on his first deployment.

On Sunday a Kaneohe Bay-based Marine died of injuries from an improvised bomb in Helmand province in Afghanistan.

Pfc. Josue Ibarra, 21, of Midland, Texas, suffered severe injuries in the bomb blast. He was a field artilleryman with the 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment.

A July 13, 2008, firefight on the Kunar and Nuristan border in the village of Wanat resulted in the deaths of nine soldiers with the Italian-based 173rd Airborne Brigade. Among the dead were the unit's platoon leader, 1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom of Aiea.