No. 3799

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 1156-07
September 26, 2007

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Zachary B. Tomczak, 24, of Huron, S.D., died Sept. 25, in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661.

Fayetteville Observer
Thursday, September 27, 2007

2 paratroopers killed in Iraq

Two 82nd Airborne Troopers Killed in Iraq

Two Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division have been killed in separate skirmishes in Iraq this week.

...

Staff Sgt. Zachary B. Tomczak, 24, of Huron, S.D., a Squad leader and Ranger assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 325th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was killed yesterday in Baghdad, Iraq, also by enemy small arms fire.

Cpl. Anthony Tomczak, 24, of Huron, S.D., was a squad leader. He joined the Army in June 2002.

He arrived at Fort Bragg in November 2002 and was assigned as a machine gunner. He completed Ranger school at Fort Benning, Ga., this year.

This was his fourth deployment to Iraq.

His father, Blaise Tomczak of Huron, said his son took his job as a paratrooper seriously.

“He was just a phenomenal person,” Tomczak told The Argus Leader of Sioux Falls. “He didn’t talk too much about things, but you could tell he was pretty serious about it.”

Tomczak’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

In addition to his father, he is survived by his wife, Beth, of Fayetteville; his stepmother, Jackie Tomczak of Huron; and his mother Mary Flowers of Sioux Falls.

No published words were found from his mother concerning the death of her son, the 3799th US soldier killed in the Iraq War.