DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RELEASES NAMES OF THOSE KILLED IN AFGHAN BOMBINGS; 10 WERE CAMP PENDLETON MARINES

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via Bing

August 28, 2021 (Washington D.C. ) -- The U.S. Department of Defense announced today the deaths of 13 service members in the Marines, Navy and Army who died Aug. 26, 2021, as the result of an attack by an ISIS splinter group, ISIS-K, while supporting evacuation operations at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. 

Those killed include ten who served at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County:

• Staff Sergeant Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, Ca.
• Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Neb.
• Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Ind.
• Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Mo.
• Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas.
• Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyo.
• Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, Ca.
• Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Ca.
• Hospitalman Maxton Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio.

“I extend my deepest, heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the 1st Marine Division servicemen who lost their lives while heroically safeguarding the evacuation of thousands of U.S citizens and faithful allies from Hamid Karzai International Airport,” said Major General Roger Turner Jr., comamnder of the 1st Marine division, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. “Nine Marines and one Sailor paid the ultimate price to defend our nation and extend the reach of freedom beyond our shores."

President Biden has ordered flags flown at half-mast to honor the troops killed and pledge to swiftly hold accountable those responsible. One day later, a U.S.-led airstriked killed at least two ISIS-K leaders, the White House announced.

Below is the full list of fatalities suffered in all three branches of the armed services.

For the Marine Corps, the deceased are: 

 

• Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah. 
• Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
• Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California.
• Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California.
• Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska.
• Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana. 
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas.
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri. 
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming.
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California.
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California. 

For the Navy, the deceased is: 

 

• Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio. 

For the Army, the deceased is: 

• Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee. 

The list above does not include over a dozen more U.S. troops who were injured or the more than 170 others, mostly Afghan refugees including children, who were killed.