Army Spc. Edward W. Brabazon

Died March 9, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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20, of Philadelphia; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died March 9 of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad.

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Pennsylvania soldier dies in Iraq

The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — An Army specialist from Pennsylvania has died in Iraq, Defense Department officials and his father said.

Spc. Edward W. Brabazon, 20, from the Philadelphia suburb of Bensalem, died March 9 in Baghdad.

Army officials said Brabazon died of a non-hostile gunshot wound, but gave no other information. The soldier’s father, Edward F. Brabazon, said that military officials were still investigating his son’s death.

The younger Brabazon had been assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, in Fort Bragg, N.C.

“He was talking about staying in the Army as a career,” Edward F. Brabazon said. “He was all about the military from the time he was real little.”

The father said his son joined the military immediately after graduating in 2001 from Bucks County Alternative School, which is attended by students in need of academic or behavioral guidance. The young man had already served one tour in Iraq and, after spending the holidays with his family, returned in January to begin his second tour, his father said.

Brabazon said his son never discussed what kind of work he was doing in Iraq.

“Everything was hush-hush,” the father said, “although he did say it wasn’t very pleasant over there.”

Edward W. Brabazon is survived by his parents and by several brothers and sisters, his father said. He declined to elaborate.