The Iraq War A Decade Later: Remembering Those Who Lost Their Lives

The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began 10 years ago this week -- on March 19, 2003 -- and although officially "over," fighting continues with discouraging persistence.

By one count, the war is directly responsible for 189,000 deaths, not including those who died from hardship caused by the fighting.

CNN has a stunning map of all casualties in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In all, 4,802 Americans and allies have died in the war, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count.

Among them, two people are from the Norcross/Peachtree Corners area. From the CNN war casualties web site:

• Sgt. Lonnie James Parson, 39. Parson was killed when his M3A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept. 2, 2005.
• Sgt. Paul Anthony Saylor, 21. Saylor was one of three soldiers killed when their Humvee accidentally rolled over into a canal in Mahmudiya, Iraq, on Aug. 15, 2005.

Editor's note: My oldest son served a year of active duty in Iraq in 2007-08 and returned unharmed. I am forever grateful that he is home safe. But I will always think of the families who lost loved ones, their lives are forever changed. Do you have a family member or friend who lost his or her life serving our country?