The Iraq War, 10 Years of Casualties: Spanaway Feels its Touch

The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began 10 years ago this week -- on March 19, 2003 -- and although officially "over," fighting continues with discouraging persistence.

By one count, the war is directly responsible for 189,000 deaths, not including those who died from hardship caused by the fighting.

CNN has a stunning map of all casualties in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In all, 4,802 Americans and allies have died in the war, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count.

Among them, three soldiers from Spanaway. From the CNN war casualties web site:

• Spc. Durrell Lavoy Bennett, 22. One of two soldiers killed when they encountered a homemade bomb and small-arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 29, 2008.

• Staff Sgt. Casey J. Crate, 26. Crate was one of four U.S. airmen killed along with Iraqi Air Force Capt. Ali Hussam Alrubaeye when an Iraqi Air Force Comp Air 7SL aircraft crashed near Jalula, Diyala province, Iraq, during a training mission on May 30, 2005. All five are buried together in Arlington National Cemetery.

• Spc. Curtis Lorenza Wooten III, 20. Killed when a roadside bomb detonated near his military vehicle in Balad, Iraq, on Jan. 4, 2005.