By Kimberly Hefling
The Associated Press

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Cherrieann Diaz anxiously waited for updates from Iraq, hopeful that no uniformed chaplain would visit her home.

Like many in this military town, Diaz was desperate for information after Saturday's crash in Mosul of two Black Hawk helicopters belonging to the 101st Airborne Division. Seventeen soldiers aboard the helicopters were killed and five were injured; one person was unaccounted for.

"If you see someone in a dress uniform, it's a really scary thing," said Diaz, whose husband is a brigade command sergeant major in the 101st. "Everybody's just waiting to find anything out."

Fort Campbell has lost 53 soldiers in the Iraq war, all but two from the 101st. In addition, 16 soldiers from two special forces units also based at the post have been killed since Sept. 11, 2001, in Afghanistan and the Philippines.

The 20,000-plus strong 101st, an air-assault division, is not scheduled to begin returning until February - one year after it left.

Soto said she was frustrated by the long deployment and the rising number of deaths.

"It's not so much anger as being sick of it," Soto said.

Caine said every time she hears of a death, "you're thankful it's not yours, but at the same time it could be yours one day."

The deaths Saturday marked the largest single loss of life for the 101st Airborne Division since 1988, when 17 soldiers died in the collision of two Black Hawk helicopters during training.

"There are too many of them dying right now," said Robert Lambert, 50, a local truck driver whose son is in Iraq.

Lambert said the news is difficult to bear.

"A lot of times, I just don't want to listen to it any more," he said.

The Department of Defense identified five of the 17 killed on Saturday as Spc. William D. Dusenbery, 30, of Fairview Heights, Ill.; Sgt. Michael D. Acklin II, 25, of Louisville, Ky.; Spc. Ryan T. Baker, 24, of Brown Mills, N.J.; Sgt. Warren S. Hansen, 36, of Clintonville, Wis.; and Spc. Eugene A. Uhl III, 21, of Amherst, Wis.

The names of the remaining victims will be released after family members have been notified, officials said.