NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense

No. 551-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 08, 2007

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 6 at Pol-e-Charki, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. Their deaths are under investigation.

Killed were:

Col. James W. Harrison Jr., 47, of Missouri. He was assigned to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr., 36, of Chicago. He was assigned to the U.S. Military Police
School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

For more information on Harrison the media can contact the Fort Leavenworth public affairs office at (913) 684-1718.For more information on Sabalu the media can contact the Fort Leonard Wood public affairs office at (573) 563-4015.

Col. James W. Harrison Jr., 47, was the former commandant of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. He was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday. He and MSG Sabalu were killed near a prison at Pol-e-Charki. They were allegedly shot by an Afghan soldier - which is why the notice says their deaths are under investigation.

Colonel Harrison was married and had three sons. The family is keeping to themselves and I'm not bothering them. MSG Sabalu, was an MP stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He was married and has two children.

Stars and Stripes has reported that two U.S. personnel were ambushed Sunday outside the Pol-e-Charki prison by an Afghan soldier described by some as mentally ill.

Stars and Stripes says that the shooting was the act of a single gunman who was later killed by soldiers from the Afghan National Army.

The Fort Leavenworth PAO said Harrison was detailed out as a detention policy expert with the Combined Forces Command Afghanistan. Harrison, who among other jobs had commanded the Fort Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks had an extensive background in detention operations. I knew him tangentially, having run across him while he was the director of the School for Command Preparation at the Command and General Staff College.

Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam.