News Article

By: BILL JONES/Staff Writer
Source: The Greeneville Sun
06-10-2005

A Tennessee Army National Guardsman from Erwin has died, apparently of natural causes, while serving in Iraq.

"Unfortunately, I can confirm that Staff Sgt. Mark Oscar Edwards did die yesterday morning in his sleep," Lt. Col. Frank McCauley, commander of the 278th Regimental Combat Team's 2nd Squadron, wrote via electronic mail from Iraq in response to a Greeneville Sun inquiry this morning.

"He was a tank commander assigned to Company H, 2/278 Regimental Combat Team. He was 40 years old. Until I speak with his wife, it wouldn't be proper to release any further details."

"He was a fine soldier and friend to me and all his fellow soldiers, and we will miss him greatly."

Staff Sgt. Edwards is the fourth Tennessee Army National Guardsman assigned to the 278th Regimental Combat Team to die in Iraq this year.

The other three died in combat-related incidents, but Staff Sgt. Edwards' death apparently was not combat-related.

The Tennessee Army National Guard's 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, which includes units in Bristol, Erwin, Greeneville, Kingsport, Jefferson City, Pigeon Forge and Rogersville in Northeast Tennessee, was called to active duty in June 2004.

After several months of intensive training at Camp Shelby, Miss., and Fort Irwin, Calif., last year, the unit was augmented by other National Guard units from Texas, Wisconsin and other states and sent to Iraq designated as the 278th Regimental Combat Team.

Most of the 2nd Squadron of the 278th RCT has been assigned to an area of northeastern Iraq since late last year.

The first 278th soldier to die in Iraq was Sgt. Paul W. Thomason III, a member of Greeneville-based Troop G. A Sevier County native, Thomason lived in Jefferson City with his wife and five children prior to the 278th's call to active duty last year.

He was killed in March, when a roadside bomb detonated as the military truck in which he was a passenger traveled along an Iraqi roadway.

Two other 278th soldiers from the Knoxville area have since been killed in separate incidents in Iraq.

Story Copyright to The Greeneville Sun