The Pentagon released the names Thursday of the six American soldiers killed in a helicopter crash in Southern Afghanistan earlier this week while serving with NATO forces.
Chief Warrant Officers Randy L. Billings, 34, of Heavener, Okla. and Joshua B. Silverman, 35, of Scottsdale, Ariz. were killed in the Tuesday crash, along with Sgt. Peter C. Bohler, 29, of Willow Spring, N.C., Sgt. 1st Class Omar W. Forde, 28, of Marietta, Ga., Spc. Terry K.D. Gordon, 22, of Shubuta, Miss., and Staff Sgt. Jesse L. Williams, 30, of Elkhart, Ind., NBC news reports. Five of the six killed were assigned to the same Kansas base.
“Americans will be forever indebted to these brave soldiers who laid down their lives for our country,” Sen Jerry Moran, R-Kan, said in a statement.
Officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash, but authorities are investigating the possibility that enemy mortar may have been involved. The crash was the deadliest event for American military in Afghanistan since the summer of 2012.
[NBC]