One Virginia soldier dies in Iraq, another in Danville

Two Virginia soldiers died in recent days, one in a training accident in Baghdad, the other in a hospital after he was found unresponsive at a National Guard armory in Danville.

Sgt. Mason L. Lewis, 26, of Gloucester died in Baghdad on Friday as a result of a noncombat-related training accident, the Department of Defense said yesterday.

Lewis, a small-artillery repairman, was assigned to the 26th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

He joined the Army in 2002 and went to Fort Stewart a year later, a spokeswoman for the base said. The 2nd Brigade was deployed to South Baghdad between January and March to support a multinational division's mission to stem the flow of weapons and terrorists into Baghdad.

Lewis' death is under investigation, military officials said.

The other soldier, Pfc. Timothy Arnold, 21, of Blairs in Pittsylvania County, died yesterday at Danville Regional Medical Center.

Fellow soldiers found Arnold unresponsive at the Army National Guard armory in Danville.

He was serving as a mechanic with Detachment 1, 229th Chemical Co., 329th Regional Support Group. His death also is under investigation.

Times-Dispatch staff writer Juan Antonio Lizama contributed to this report.