November 08, 2004

Associated Press

NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq — Two Marines were killed early Monday in Fallujah, the U.S. military said, making them the first casualties in the American-led offensive to retake the insurgent-held city.
The two Marines drowned when their bulldozer flipped over into the Euphrates River, the military said.

Their bodies were discovered at 8 a.m. in the river, the U.S. military said.

Their names were being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

U.S. forces stormed into the western outskirts of Fallujah early Monday, seizing the main city hospital and securing two key bridges over the Euphrates river in what appeared to be the first stage of the long-expected assault on the insurgent stronghold, 40 miles west of Baghdad.

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