American veteran dies while fighting in Ukraine, family says
A U.S. Army veteran who traveled to Ukraine from Idaho died from injuries he sustained while fighting Russian forces in the Donbas region, his family says.
Dane Partridge, 34, from Rexburg, Idaho, was wounded in a tank attack in Severodonetsk in the Luhansk region on Oct. 3, his sister, Jenny Partridge Corry, wrote in a Facebook post.
Partridge, a father of five, was taken to a military hospital in Kyiv and placed on life support. According to Corry, a doctor at the hospital informed the family that Partridge suffered critical injuries to his neck and brain stem. He died on Tuesday.
“We have just been informed that Dane aka Bird has passed away while still being on life support,” Corry wrote on Facebook. “I know his soul has found peace.”
“He was always good for a joke, witty banter and the occasional serious conversation,” she continued. “He stayed true to his faith and spiritual convictions till his dying days.”
The State Department confirmed to Yahoo News that a U.S. citizen died in the Donbas region, but did not say who.
“We are in touch with the family and are providing all appropriate assistance,” a spokesperson said.
There are no official public numbers of U.S. volunteer fighters in Ukraine. The Washington Post reported in March that about 4,000 Americans “had expressed interest” in joining the newly formed International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine.
According to the Post, Partridge is the fifth known American citizen to die in the conflict.
Partridge — who served in Baghdad from 2007 to 2009 during the Iraq War — joined the fight in Ukraine in April after raising money for a one-way ticket to Poland.
“I've felt a need to go to Ukraine,” he wrote in a Facebook post on April 2. “This has been discussed with several people and I am confident in my decision to go. I am reaching out to see if I can get some support in getting over there. I'm trying to come up with a couple of grand to get a plane ticket. I have equipment and uniforms, I just need airfare.”
Partridge left Idaho on April 25. His last Facebook post was dated April 27.
“Made it to the embassy, getting on a bus for the border,” he wrote. “From this point on I will not likely be giving locations or actions for opsec reasons. I will let you all know I'm alive.”
In her Facebook post announcing his death, Corry said her brother had messaged her from Ukraine to “let me know he missed his children and wife something fierce.”
“He was a fine soldier who fought with valor and bravery on the battlefield,” Corry wrote. “We have been told that he was known to be at the front of his team leading his men as he would never ask his men to do anything that he wasn’t willing to do.
“Our lives have forever been changed by this stalwart man,” she added. “We love you and will miss you so much brother!”
