U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt John T. Self, 29, of Pontotoc, Miss., is shown in this December, 1998 photograph taken at the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Tex., and released by the Self family. Self was killed Monday, May 14, 2007 by a roadside bomb in Baghdad [A U.S. airman was killed by a roadside bomb in southern Baghdad, the U.S. military said], according to his mother, Jill Self. The Department of Defense confirmed the soldier's death Tuesday. (AP Photo/Self Family)

SSgt Selft was assigned to the 314th Security Forces Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.

Security forces airman killed by IED in Iraq

An Air Force security airman killed May 14 had volunteered for his fourth tour because he wanted to serve his country, his mother said.

Staff Sgt John T. Self, 29, of Pontotoc, Miss., was killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad, according to his mother, Jill Self.

The Defense Department confirmed the soldier’s death May 15. A brief statement May 14 by U.S. Central Command said Self was killed and three other airmen wounded by an improvised bomb at 3:55 p.m. Monday in southern Baghdad.

Self was part of team that had been training Iraqi police but it is unclear if he was working with Iraqi police at the time of the blast.

Self was a member of the 314th Security Forces Squadron out of Little Rock Air Force Base, according base officials. He had been in Iraq since September.

“He had volunteered for this mission. He wanted to serve his country,” Jill Self told The Associated Press. “His commanding officer called this morning and said he was good airman and his unit from Arkansas called and said he had done his job.”

Self was a 1996 graduate of South Pontotoc High School, according to a school official, where he played trumpet in the marching band. He later attended Itawamba Community College and joined the Air Force in 1999.

“He loved to deer hunt and fish and play computer games. He was a loving child. He was there for his family and friends,” Jill Self said. “I loved him very much and he’s going to be missed.”

Self is the second Mississippian killed in Iraq in a matter of days.

Army Sgt Jason W. Vaughn, 29, of Iuka, died last Thursday. Vaughn was also killed by a roadside bomb. The makeshift bombs, also known as improvised explosive devices, have taken a heavy toll on American forces in Iraq.

Vaughn was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq with the Stryker Brigade based in Fort Lewis, Wash., when he was killed. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

The latest deaths bring to 55 the number of people from Mississippi or with strong ties to the state to die in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an unofficial Associated Press count.

Air Force Times staff contributed to this story

3 soldiers, Marine, Airman killed in Iraq

Two soldiers on a foot patrol southeast of Baghdad were killed when they came under attack from gunfire, the military said.

A third soldier, from the Multi-National Division-Baghdad, was killed when his patrol in northern Baghdad was hit by a bomb, the military said. Four others were wounded in that attack, the military said.

In a third attack, an airman was killed and three others wounded when a bomb went off at 3:55 p.m. in southern Baghdad, the military said.

A Marine assigned to Multi National Force-West also was killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, an insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad, according to a separate statement.

Another soldier died of non-battle-related causes about 5 a.m. Monday, the military said, providing no other details.

The identities of the troops were not released pending notification of relatives.

The deaths raised to at least 3,399 the members of the U.S. military who have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

May 15, 6:25 PM EDT Airman from LR base dies in Iraq during 4th tour, his mother says By HOLBROOK MOHR Associated Press Writer

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- An Air Force security officer, who was killed Monday and became the second Mississippi soldier to die in Iraq in less than a week, had volunteered for his fourth tour because he wanted to serve his country, his mother said Tuesday. Staff Sgt John T. Self, 29, of Pontotoc, was killed Monday by a roadside bomb in Baghdad, according to his mother, Jill Self. The Department of Defense confirmed the soldier's death Tuesday. However, the DOD did not specify a cause of death other than to say Self died as a result of enemy action. Self was a member of the 314th Security Forces Squadron out of Little Rock Air Force Base, according base officials. He had been in Iraq since September. "He had volunteered for this mission. He wanted to serve his country," Jill Self told The Associated Press Tuesday in a telephone interview. "His commanding officer called this morning and said he was good airman and his unit from Arkansas called and said he had done his job." Self was a 1998 graduate of South Pontotoc High School where he played trumpet in the marching band. He later attended Itawamba Community College and joined the Air Force in 1999. "He loved to deer hunt and fish and play computer games. He was a loving child. He was there for his family and friends," Jill Self said. "I loved him very much and he's going to be missed." Self is the second Mississippian killed in Iraq in a matter of days. Army Sgt Jason W. Vaughn, 29, of Iuka, died last Thursday. Vaughn was also killed by a roadside bomb. The makeshift bombs, also known as improvised explosive devices, have taken a heavy toll on American forces in Iraq. Vaughn was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq with the Stryker Brigade based in Fort Lewis, Wash., when he was killed. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The latest deaths bring to 55 the number of people from Mississippi or with strong ties to the state to die in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an unofficial Associated Press count. © 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our

By HAMID AHMED, Associated Press Writer Thu May 17, 10:00 AM ET BAGHDAD - Mortar rounds hit a U.S. Air Force base north of Baghdad on Thursday, destroying one helicopter and damaging nine others, police said. The attack at Taji, a major Air Force on the northern outskirts of Baghdad, occurred about 2 a.m., the police said. "There was an indirect fire attack on the base at Taji which resulted in damage to some aircraft," the military said. Indirect fire is a term the military generally uses to describe rocket or mortar attacks. The attack destroyed one helicopter and damaged nine others, the police said. An Iraqi civilian who works at the base said he saw about 16 damaged helicopters, some of them set on fire by the attack. The worker spoke on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Many U.S. Black Hawk helicopters are based at Taji, including some equipped with medical equipment and manned by medics to rescue wounded U.S. and Iraqi soldiers in the Baghdad area. Sunni insurgents have long been active in the area around Taji.

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