While remembering Michael Jackson, take a moment to remember our fallen heroes

While America prepares for Tuesday's Michael Jackson funeral after 24/7 coverage of his June 25th death, and as thousands prepare to invade Los Angeles, we may want to take a moment to remember American military forces who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) during the month of June 2009.

Here are the names of those who died protecting the freedoms we enjoy:

Afghanistan
1st Lt. Brian N. Bradshaw, 24, of Steilacoom, Washington, died June 25 in Kheyl, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Bradshaw was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Two soldiers died June 21 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their unit was attacked by indirect fire. Killed were: Sgt. Ricky D. Jones, 26, of Plantersville, Alabama. Jones was assigned to the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Polk, Louisiana. Spc. Rodrigo A. Munguia Rivas, 27, of Germantown, Maryland. Munguia Rivas was assigned to the 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York.

Two Illinois National Guard members who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom died in Kandahar, Afghanistan of wounds sustained when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. Killed were: Staff Sgt. Joshua A. Melton, 26, of Carlyle, Illinois. Melton was an Illinois Army National Guardsman assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry, Marion, Illinois. Sgt. Paul G. Smith, 43, of Peoria, Illinois. Smith was an Illinois Army National Guardsman assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry, Aurora, Illinois.

Command Master Chief Jeffrey J. Garber, 43, of Hemingford, Nebraska, a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations in the Fifth Fleet area of responsibility, died of non-hostile causes June 20 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the North Arabian Sea.

Sgt. 1st Class Kevin A. Dupont, 52, of Templeton, Massachusetts, died June 17 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, of wounds suffered March 8 in Kandau, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Dupont was assigned to the 79th Troop Command, Rehoboth, Massachusetts.

Spc. Jonathan C. O'Neill, 22, of Zephyrhills, Florida, died June 15 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, of wounds suffered June 2 in Paktya, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. O'Neill was assigned to the 549th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ricky L. Richardson, Jr., 33, of Franklin, Missouri, died June 10 while supporting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan. Richardson was assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

Spc. Eduardo S. Silva, 25, of Greenfield, California, died June 9 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of a non-combat related incident. Silva was assigned to the 563rd Aviation Support Battalion, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Lance Cpl. Joshua R. Whittle, 20, of Downey, California, died June 6 while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Whittle was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Maj. Rocco M. Barnes, 50, of Los Angeles, died June 4 in Afghanistan of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. Barnes was a member of the Tactical Command Post, 40th Infantry Division, California Army National Guard, assigned as an individual augmentee to the 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Three members of the 1st Battalion, 108th Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, Calhoun, Georgia, died June 4 near Kapisa, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. Killed were: Maj. Kevin M. Jenrette, 37, of Lula, Georgia., Staff Sgt. John C. Beale, 39, of Riverdale, Georgia, and Spc. Jeffrey W. Jordan, 21, of Rome, Georgia.

Spc. Roberto A. Hernandez II, 21, of Far Rockaway, New York, died June 2 in Paktya, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his mounted patrol was attacked with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. Hernandez was assigned to the 549th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Four members of the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) Fort Drum, New York died June 1 in Nerkh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. Killed were: Staff Sgt. Jeffrey A. Hall, 28, of Huntsville, Alabama. Sgt. Jasper K. Obakrairur, 26, of Hilo, Hawaii. Pfc. Matthew D. Ogden, 33, of Corpus Christi, Texas. Pfc. Matthew W. Wilson, 19, of Miller, Missouri.

Iraq
Spc. Casey L. Hills, 23, of Salem, Illinois, died June 24 in Iraq of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. Hills was assigned to the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, Pago Pago, American Samoa.

Spc. Chancellor A. Keesling, 25, of Indianapolis, Indiana, died June 19 in Baghdad, Iraq of a non-combat related incident. Kessling was assigned to the 961st Engineer Company, Sharonville, Ohio.

Capt. Kafele H. Sims, 32, of Los Angeles, died June 16 in Mosul, Iraq, of a non-combat related incident. Sims was assigned to the 18th Engineer Brigade, Schwetzingen, Germany.

Sgt. Joshua W. Soto, 25, of San Angelo, Texas, died June 16 in Iraq of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Soto was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss Texas.

Staff Sgt. Edmond L. Lo, 23, of Salem, New Hampshire, died June 13 in Samarra City, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device that his explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team was acting to neutralize detonated. Edmond was assigned to the 797th Ordnance Company, 79th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.

Lance Cpl. Robert D. Ulmer, 22, of Landisville, Pennsylvania., died June 5 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar Province, Iraq. Ulmer was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Spc. Charles D. Parrish, 23, of Jasper, Alabama died June 4 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered earlier that day in Jalula, Iraq, when his vehicle was struck by an anti-tank grenade. Parrish was assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Spc. Christopher M. Kurth, 23, of Alamogordo, New Mexico, died June 4 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by an anti-tank grenade. Kurth was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Sgt. Justin J. Duffy, 31, of Cozad, Nebraska, died June 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Duffy was assigned the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Kuwait
Spc. Joshua L. Hazlewood, 22, of Manvel, Texas, died June 25 in Arifjan, Kuwait, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. Hazlewood was assigned to the 614th Automated Cargo Documentation Detachment.