Army Spc. James L. Beckstrand
Death: Apr 29, 2004
of Escondido Calif.; assigned to 4th Battalion 27th Field Artillery Regiment 1st Armored Division Baumholder Germany; one of eight soldiers killed April 29 by a car bomb as his unit was doing a dismounted improvised-explosive device-sweep in Baghdad. Beckstrand was born in Reno Nev. and grew up in Escondido Calif. He served in the Marine Corps from September 1995 to September 1999 then joined the Army in December 2000. He is survived by his wife Marilena and his parents J.L. Beckstrand and Kathleen Genoway.