Remains of 5 soldiers killed in Iraq heading to Dover AFB

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- The remains of five Army soldiers killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq were expected to arrive Sunday night at Dover Air Force Base.

The bomber driving a truck detonated a ton of explosives near a police headquarters in the northern city of Mosul on Friday, killing the men in the deadliest attack against U.S. troops in more than a year. The U.S. military said Iraqi police were the bomber's target and that the Americans were caught up as bystanders.

Two Iraqi policemen also were killed in the midmorning blast near the Iraqi National Police headquarters. At least 62 people, including one American soldier and 27 civilians, were wounded, officials said.

It marks the fourth time the media has been allowed to cover the arrival under a new Pentagon policy that requires getting family permission. An 18-year ban on press coverage of fallen U.S. service members ended a week ago.

The Army identified the soldiers as Staff Sgt. Gary L. Woods Jr., 24, of Lebanon Junction, Ky.; Staff Sgt. Bryan E. Hall, 25, of Elk Grove, Calif.; Sgt. Edward W. Forrest Jr., 25, of St. Louis; Cpl. Jason G. Pautsch, 20, of Davenport, Iowa; and Private Second Class Bryce E. Gautier, 22, of Cypress, Calif.

The five were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. Fort Carson spokesman Doug Rule confirmed the men were killed in the bombing.