State trooper among 2 N.J. servicemen killed in Iraq

[Buttercup]

State trooper among 2 N.J. servicemen killed in Iraq

- nj.com




Two New Jersey servicemen, a soldier from Cherry Hill and a reservist from South Orange who was a member of the State Police, were killed in Iraq this week, the Department of Defense announced today.


Cpt. Gregory T. Dalessio, 30, of Cherry Hill, died Monday in Baghdad of wounds suffered during combat operations in Salman Pak, Iraq, according to the Defense Department.


Dalessio served with the 2nd Battalian, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division based in Baumholder, Germany, according to the department release.


The second service member killed, Dwayne Kelley, 48, of South Orange, was a New Jersey State Police sergeant serving his third tour of duty with the U.S. Army Reserve. He was killed Tuesday in an explosion in the Sadr City section of Baghdad, a State Police spokesman said today.

The two men are the 100th and 101st service members with ties to the state killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.


Kelley, who was married with two children, spoke fluent Arabic, was a major in a civil affairs unit of the Army Reserve.
He joined the State Police in 1988 and held the rank of detective sergeant first class, Jones said. He was assigned to the police counter-terrorism bureau. He had interrogated detainees at Guantanamo Bay as a member of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, said Sgt. Steven Jones, a State Police spokesman.


"Dwayne was a talented detective who spoke Arabic, won the Essex County 200 Club Award for Valor and was well-known for his productive years in both our Counter-Terrorism Unit and Auto Unit," State Police Superintendent Col. Joseph R. Fuentes said in a statement released by the State Police. "He touched many lives throughout the law enforcement and military communities, and he will be deeply missed by us all."


Jones said the explosion that killed Kelley occurred early Tuesday. The Associated Press reported that four Americans were among 10 people killed when a bomb exploded inside Sadr City's district council building. The four Americans included two soldiers who were not identified in the report.


The AP report says the Americans were working to restore local government in Sadr City, a former Shiite militia stronghold. Officials told the AP that the bomb exploded just as the Americans arrived in the deputy council chief's office for a meeting.


State Police Sgt. Guy Packwood, a friend, said Kelley was proud to serve in Iraq.
"He volunteered to go this time," Packwood said. "He believed in what he was doing."
Kelley had come home on leave recently and ran into a trooper who had also served in Iraq.
"Dwayne told him to let people know he believed in what he was doing and that he loved what he was doing," Packwood said.

[deputysykes]

Thoughts and prayers.

[armsmaster270]

Rest in Peace Brothers

[gozling]

RIP

[depusm12]

R.I.P. brothers. Thoughts and prayers to the familys and friends of both men.

[BigDawg]

RIP brothers

[HudsonHawk]

Rest easy brother. You and your family are in my prayers.

[Willowdared]

RIP

[Captain America]

Fading Light

Falling Night

Trumpet Call, As The Sun, Sinks In Fright

Sleep In Peace, Comrades Dear

GOD Is Near

[10-42Adam]

RIP

[Pudge]

Rest easy

[Kate]

My sincerest sympathies sent.

R.I.P.

[2 Blue 4 U]

Condolences and sympathy to their family and friends.

Rest in Peace

[Resident Smart Ass]

RIP!

Thank you for your services!

[Big Al]

Sad news, RIP

[lb18532]

R.I.P
THANK YOU FOR YOU'RE SERVICE TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS.