A SENIOR IRAQI MILITARY OFFICIAL SAID TUESDAY THAT THE BODIES OF TWO MISSING U.S. SOLDIERS WERE DISCOVERED ON A STREET NEAR THE TOWN WHERE THEY WENTMISSING, AND A U.S. MILITARY OFFICER SAID TWO BODIES HAD BEEN FOUND BUT HAD NOT YET BEEN IDENTIFIED. MAJ. FRANK GARCIA, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER OF THE 2ND BRIGADE, 101 AIRBORNE DIVISION, SAID TWO BODIES HAD BEEN FOUND. «THERE WERE TWO BODIES FOUND, BUT THEY ARE STILL GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHETHER THEY ARE THE MISSING SOLDIERS OR NOT,» HE SAID. «THERE WAS SOME HUMAN REMAINS THAT WERE FOUND. TWO BODIES.» PFC. KRISTIAN MENCHACA, 23, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND PFC. THOMAS L. TUCKER, 25, OF MADRAS, OREGON, WENT MISSING FRIDAY AT A TRAFFIC CHECKPOINT NEAR THE TOWN OF YOUSSIFIYAH, 20 KILOMETERS (12 MILES) SOUTH OF BAGHDAD.SPC. DAVID J. BABINEAU, 25, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, WAS KILLED IN THE ATTACK NEAR A EUPHRATES RIVER CANAL NOT FAR FROM THE TOWN, 20 KILOMETERS (12 MILES) SOUTH OF BAGHDAD. ALL WERE ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST BATTALION, 502ND INFANTRY REGIMENT, 2ND BRIGADE, 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION FROM FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY. MAJ. GEN. ABDUL-AZIZ MOHAMMED, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEFENSE MINISTRY'S OPERATION ROOM, SAID THEY WERE FOUND ON A STREET NEAR YOUSSIFIYAH. U.S. MAJ. DOUG POWELL SAID HE COULD NOT CONFIRM THE REPORT, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED.
