Army Sgt. James M. Treber

Died June 29, 2008 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

24, of Imperial Beach, Calif.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 29 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when his vehicle rolled into a canal. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey M. Rada Morales and Master Sgt. Shawn E. Simmons.

3 Special Forces soldiers killed in vehicle rollover

The Associated Press

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The Army said Tuesday it is investigating the deaths of three North Carolina-based Special Forces soldiers who drowned in Afghanistan after their vehicle rolled into a river.

The Army Special Operations Command said the non-battle accident occurred Saturday in Kandahar province. The Green Berets were traveling in an RG-31 Mine Protected Vehicle.

The victims were identified as 39-year-old Master Sgt. Shawn E. Simmons of Ashland, Mass.; 32-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey M. Rada Morales of Naranjito, Puerto Rico, and 24-year-old Sgt. James M. Treber of San Diego, Calif.

All the soldiers were members of the same team in Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, based at Fort Bragg.

Simmons was a team sergeant. He is survived by his wife, Tricia Simmons; a daughter, Erin, and a son, Justin, all of Hope Mills; and his mother Alberta Simmons, of Tallahassee, Fla.

Rada Morales was a medical sergeant. He is survived by his wife, Amanda Rada Morales; a stepson, Andrew, and a daughter, Jessica, all of Fayetteville; and his mother, Virginia Morales, of Dorado, Puerto Rico.

Treber was a weapons sergeant. He is survived by his wife, Tamila Treber of Aberdeen; his father, Gordon Treber, of Astoria, Ore.; his mother, Laurie Treber, of Mohave, Ariz., and a brother, Gordon Treber Jr., of National City, Calif.