Sgt. James M. Treber, a U.S. Army Special Forces – Green Beret – soldier, died on June 23 as the result of a non-battle accident.

James Treber, 24, was the son of Gordon and Laurie Treber of Astoria. He leaves a wife, Tamila, and other family members, including an older brother, Gordon.

Treber, though he was a San Diego, Calif. native, was fond of Astoria and intended to move to Astoria once he retired from active duty, family members told The Daily Astorian Tuesday.

Treber, a weapons segeant, was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in May as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan, according to information released by Army Special Forces.

Two other soldiers from his unit, Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, based at Fort Bragg, were killed in this accident. They reportedly drowned 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.

At least 461 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to numbers released by the U.S. Defense Department on June 21.

Funeral details are unavailable at this time.

The hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan have touched several North Coast families during the last few years.

Pft. Ken W. Leisten, 20, died July 28, 2004, when an explosive struck the Humvee he was driving in Taji, Iraq. Although his hometown was Cornelius, near Hillsboro, Leisten served in the motor pool and later with post supply and range control at Rilea Armed Forces Training Center in Warrenton. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry, but volunteered to transfer to the 2nd Battalion to ensure duty in Iraq.

Sgt. David A. Mitts, 24, of Hammond, was killed Dec. 4, 2004, when his Stryker convoy came under sniper fire in Mosul, Iraq. The vehicles had just loaded up with supplies – so many, soldiers hadn’t been able to shut the hatches for safety during transit. Mitts was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Spc. Brian Browning, 20, died Feb. 6, 2007, when a guard tower came under enemy fire south of Baghdad. Browning attended Astoria High School and earned a GED at Tongue Point Job Corps Center before enlisting in the Army in 2005. He was stationed with the 10th Mountain Infantry Division at the time of his death.

A civilian contractor was also killed. Anthony M. Stramiello Jr., 61, was a carpenter-foreman helping to rebuild war-torn Iraq when he died in a mess-tent bombing at a Mosul, Iraq, base, Dec. 21, 2004. Stramiello was a well-known Astoria carpenter renovating a historic home with his wife, Roberta. He worked for Kellogg, Brown and Root, a subsidiary of Halliburton Co. Roberta Stramiello died of cancer in 2007.

The Associated Press contributed to this report