Another soldier from Reno killed in action

RENO — Army Staff Sgt. Sean Gaul, 29, of Reno was among six soldiers who died Wednesday in Sinsil, Iraq, after an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations.

Gov. Jim Gibbons said flags at the Nevada Capitol will be flown at half-staff Monday in honor of Gaul.

Gaul, who is survived by his wife and a daughter, was serving his fifth tour in Iraq and Afghanistan when he was killed while on patrol in Diyala province. He first was deployed to Afghanistan shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.

Gaul completed the Army’s sniper school before deploying a final time. He attended Reed High School in Sparks, where he was a member of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and passed the GED exam in 1997.

“Staff Sgt. Gaul was an extraordinary and dedicated soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country while serving his fifth tour of duty in support of the global war on terror,” Gibbons said.

Gaul was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.

His wife, Jessica, said he loved his job and was well aware of the risks when he re-enlisted. She called him a “very good man and loving husband.”

News of his death follows that of the death of Army Specialist David Joseph Drakulich, 22, of Reno, who was killed Wednesday near Chagali, Afghanistan, when his vehicle was hit by a mine.

Drakulich, a forward observer and expert rifleman who was serving his third tour in Afghanistan, was in the 12th month of a 15-month tour when killed. He was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Funeral services are pending for both soldiers.