The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began 10 years ago this week -- on March 19, 2003 -- and although officially "over," fighting continues.
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 a map of 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.
Among them, three service members from Temecula were killed. From the CNN war casualties web site:
- Capt. Brian Scott Freeman, 31, of Temecula was one of five soldiers killed while repelling an attack on the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Karbala, Iraq, Jan. 20, 2007.
- Spc. Mary Jane Jaenichen, 20, of Temecula died on a non-combat related injury in Iskandariya, Iraq, May 9, 2008.
- Sgt. Stephen Patrick Saxton, 24, of Temecula was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee while his unit was conducting a route security mission in Baghdad, Iraq, May 3, 2005.
In the Afghanistan conflict, the following local serviceman lost his life:
- , of Temecula died of wounds received from small-arms fire while on patrol near Sangin in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 21, 2012.
