Two Iowan soldiers killed in Iraq and Texas

A National Guard soldier from northwest Iowa was killed this week in a motor vehicle accident overseas — the 17th Iowa soldier to die in Iraq. The Guard says 20-year-old Specialist Daryl Davis of Spencer was killed Monday when his Humvee crashed Monday afternoon in Iraq. He was the gunner in the vehicle. Davis was a 2002 graduate of Spencer High School. He had been with the Iowa National Guard but transferred to the Florida National Guard while attending a motorcycle mechanics’ school in Florida. A former Mason City man is among the victims of the Army helicopter crash Monday in Texas. 32-year-old Chief Warrant Officer Two David Gardner was co-piloting the Black Hawk helicopter earlier this week that struck a television tower’s support cables in heavy fog, killing all seven on board. Lights on the tower were not working after strong storms hit the area last week. Gardner was a 1991 graduate of Mason City High School and had served with the Iowa National Guard’s 11-33rd Transportation Company from 1990-to-1993 before going on active duty. Gardner served as a helicopter pilot assigned to the 4th Infantry Division’s 4th Aviation Regiment and served in Iraq from October 2003 to April 2004.