Humvee deaths on the rise despite armor upgrades

0 Comments | USA TODAY, May, 2006 | by Matt Kelley

WASHINGTON -- Although the Pentagon has strengthened the armor on more than 50,000 Humvees and other military vehicles throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, roadside bombs have killed more U.S. troops this year, Pentagon records show.

Most are dying in their Humvees, the workhorse vehicles the military scrambled to armor as the use of improvised explosive devices grew over the past three years.

Pentagon casualty reports say 67 U.S. troops have died this year in attacks on their Humvees involving the so-called IEDs. An additional 22 troops were killed when IEDs hit other military vehicles, including more heavily armored tanks and troop carriers.

That's up from 27 in Humvees -- and an additional 38 deaths involving IED attacks on other vehicles -- during the first...