Army Reserve Private First Class Nichole Marie Frye, 19, Lena, Wisconsin, [small town north of Green Bay in Oconto County] was killed on Monday, February 16, 2004, in Baqubah, Iraq. Insurgents attacked her convoy with an improvised explosive device. Private First Class Frye was assigned to Company A, 415th Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, out of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Four other soldiers from the Michigan-based unit were wounded in the attack. Frye had been deployed to Iraq just one month before her death. 

    According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nichole Frye had worked as a waitress in nearby Oconto, Wisconsin, in her civilian life. She was the second woman from Wisconsin and the third Reservist from the state to die in Iraq; at the time of her death she was the 10th Wisconsin military service person to have died while serving in Iraq since the beginning of the war in the spring of 2003. The Journal Sentinel also noted Frye joined the Army a couple months before she graduated from Lena High School in the spring of 2002. She was originally attached to a nearby Green Bay-based civil affairs battalion but was transferred to the Michigan unit prior to being deployed to Iraq. According to the Associated press via the Journal Sentinel she was delivering supplies such as water and food to various assignments, as well as books to children. The Journal Sentinel mentioned that Civil affairs Reserve units frequently are staffed with soldiers who have white-collar experience. Their jobs can involve anything from rebuilding sewer systems to helping with elections.

    As a member of a civil affairs battalion, technically Frye's duties were considered a non-combat role. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel went on to note Frye had hoped to attend college and become a firefighter or police officer on her return to civilian life after duty in Iraq. She had been a member of the band in her school days. Frye had worked at a local super market for a couple years. 

    The Web site iraq.pigstye.net quoting information from an Eagle Herald [out of Marinette, Wisconsin] article, noted Nichole had started working as a dishwasher and waitressing at 14 years old. Nichole Frye played flute in her high school band and participated as a majorette. She had been engaged to be married at the time of her death. 

    The Chicago Tribune published a feature story highlighting women on the front lines of war and noted that Nichole Frye became the 15th servicewoman to die in the Iraq war. Frye's northern Wisconsin hometown of Lena has a population of around 590 residents and has olny one stoplight. Coming from a family of humble means, her impetus for joining the Army was securing funds to pay for criminal justice courses at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, in Green Bay. The Tribune went on to note that Frye's unit left Kuwait for duty in Iraq on February 1st, 2004. 

    At the time of her death, Army Reserve Private First Class Nichole Marie Frye was survived by: Her parents James and Lisa Frye; sister Crystal; brother William; and, fiance Stumpf. 

    Information for this short biography about Army Reserve Private First Class Nichole Marie Frye was pieced together from the following sources: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Roadside bomb in Iraq claims another of Wisconsin's own," February 17, 2004; iraq.pigstye.net, eagleherald.com, "Nichole M. Frye," Posted February 19, 2004; articles.chicagotribune.com, "In war without front lines, women GIs caught in chaos" March 11, 2004; Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs "Fallen Heroes Page"; and, CNN.com "War Casualties Page."

Note: This "Wisconsin Military Casualties Afghanistan Iraq Compilation" Daily Dadio blog Category is under construction. Go to the Cooldadiomedia Web site and the Wisconsin War Casualties Page for a list of names noted by date of death.  ( If readers know of other military service persons with Wisconsin connections that are not on the Web site comprehensive list of fatal casualties, or notice errors, please email Bob Keith at keithrg13@cooldadiomedia.com ).