A Thursday attack outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, killed 13 U.S. service members supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
Eleven Marines, one Navy corpsman and one soldier were “killed as the result of an enemy attack while supporting non-combatant evacuation operations,” according to a Saturday press release from the Department of Defense, which released the names of the U.S. troops.
For the Marine Corps, the deceased are:
- Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, assigned to 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
- Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California, assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
The other Marines were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.
- Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah. His military occupational specialty was 0369, infantry unit leader.
- Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California, a rifleman.
- Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, a rifleman.
- Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana, a rifleman.
- Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas, a rifleman.
- Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri, a rifleman.
- Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming, a rifleman.
- Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, a rifleman.
- Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California.
For the Navy, the deceased is:
Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, assigned to 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California.
For the Army, the deceased is:
- Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee. Knauss was assigned to 9th PSYOP Battalion, 8th PSYOP Group, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin released these comments: “These men and women made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could live. They were and will be forever remembered as heroes. ”
“My heart and my thoughts are with their families, especially today. They, too, have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
