Army Pfc. Juctin P. McDaniel

Died December 17, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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19, of Andover, N.H.; assigned to the 524th Combat Service Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; died Dec. 17 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat-related incident in Taji, Iraq.

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Hawaii-based soldier dies of non-combat-related injuries in Iraq

The Associated Press

HONOLULU — The Pentagon says a Hawaii-based soldier has died of non-combat injuries in Iraq.

Pfc. Juctin R. P. McDaniel of Andover, N.H., died Dec. 17 in Baghdad. He sustained the injuries in what the military is calling a non-combat related incident in Taji, Iraq.

The 19-year-old’s work specialty was repairing power generation equipment.

He deployed to Iraq last month.

The Pentagon says the circumstances of the incident are under investigation.

McDaniel was a member of the 524th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, at the 8th Theater Sustainment Command at Fort Shafter.

McDaniel joined the Army in November 2006 and was assigned to Schofield Barracks in April.

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Andover soldier dies in Iraq, military cites non-combat incident

The Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. — A 19-year-old soldier from Andover has died in Iraq of non-combat related injuries, the Department of Defense said.

Pfc. Juctin McDaniel died Dec. 17 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat incident in Taji, Iraq, the Pentagon announced in a news release last week. It said the incident was under investigation.

McDaniel was a graduate of Merrimack Valley High School, the Concord Monitor reported. He served in 524th Combat Service Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, based in Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

McDaniel was a generator mechanic and had deployed to Iraq last month, the Honolulu Advertiser reported. A neighbor told the newspaper that McDaniel joined the Army more than a year ago.

“I didn’t know him well, but I know that he was very, very proud of his military service, and I think that he found a lot of direction having joined the military,” the neighbor, Joy Langtry, said in a phone interview with the Advertiser.

Langtry remembers seeing McDaniel playing basketball with his siblings and helping his stepfather in the garden.

“He was a decent kid and I know that his family felt his going into the Army really, really helped him,” she said.