Army Staff Sgt. Eric D. Cottrell

Died August 13, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

---

39, of Pittsview, Ala.; assigned to 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas; died Aug. 13 in Qayyarah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Cpl. Juan M. Lopez Jr. and Cpl. Paulomarko U. Pacificador.

---

Alabama man killed in IED attack

The Associated Press

FORT BLISS, Texas — Three Fort Bliss soldiers, including an Alabama man, died this week in Iraq after their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, the Department of Defense said Thursday.

Killed were Staff Sgt. Eric D. Cottrell, 39, of Pittsview, Ala.; Cpl. Juan M. Lopez Jr., 23, of San Antonio; and Cpl. Paulomarko U. Pacificador, 24, of Shirley, N.Y.

The men died Monday in Qayyarah, according to a release from the DoD. They were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Bliss.

Cottrell, who joined the Army in October 2004, was a health care specialist. He is survived by his wife and four children, Fort Bliss said in a release.

Lopez and Pacificador were both field artillery automated tactical data system specialists. Lopez joined the Army in February 2006 while Pacificador joined in January 2006.

The three were posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.