Five Fort Lewis soldiers die in Iraq, Afghanistan

Five Fort Lewis soldiers deployed on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan have been killed this week, Fort Lewis public affairs announced Wednesday.

Four of the soldiers were the air crew of a Black Hawk helicopter that crashed in northern Iraq Wednesday, killing all 14 soldiers aboard. The pilot, co-pilot and two crew members were part of the 4th Squadron, 5th U.S. Air Calvary Regiment based out of Fort Lewis.

The fifth soldier, Spc. George V. Libby, 23, of Aberdeen, N.C., died Monday near Khowst, Afghanistan. His death was from a non-combat-related incident, according to a Department of Defense news release.

Libby was part of U.S. Army Special Operations and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

It was Libby's second deployment, according to U.S. Army Special Operations Command. He had previously deployed to Iraq.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal.

In a statement, Libby's wife said her husband believed in his mission. "What you need to know about my husband is that he was a good and loving person. He died for your freedom, for all of our freedom. Freedom is not free and it comes at a high price," said Valorie Libby. "George joined the Army because of Sept. 11. He believed in this mission and I believed in him."

He is the first Fort Lewis soldier to die in Afghanistan in more than two years. As of Wednesday, at least 361 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department.

Two Canadian soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb Wednesday in Afghanistan.

Brian Alexander: 206-464-2026 or balexander@seattletimes.com. Additional information from The Associated Press