10 Years of Iraq War Casualties: Doylestown Remembers

This week marks 10 years since the beginning of the Iraq war, a good time honor those from Doylestown who sacrificed their lives in the fight.

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, including 197 Pennsylvanians.

Among them, are two people from Doylestown. From the CNN war casualties website:

Travis Lemma Manion, 26. Killed while conducting combat operations in Falluja, Anbar province on April 29, 2007.

Inspired by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Manion joined the U.S. Marines in 2004 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. It was on his second tour to Iraq that he was killed by enemy sniper fire.

His family started the Travis Manion Foundation in his name to raise money for programs to help wounded veterans of the War on Terror.

Based in Doylestown and run by Travis' sister, Ryan Manion Borek, the foundation works nationwide. But it has a special meaning for those here at home who know the Manions.

Colby James Umbrell, 26. Died of wounds suffered when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Musayyib, Iraq, on May 3, 2007.

Colby’s was serving in Iraq as a member of the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. He was a graduate of CB East. There's an annual Colby Umbrell Memorial Walk and 5K in his honor. More information about Colby and the 5K can be found at ColbyUmbrell.com.

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