The U.S. military has identified the three soldiers killed by an Afghan soldier in an insider attack for which the Taliban claimed responsibility.
Sgt. Eric M. Houck, 25, of Baltimore; Sgt. William M. Bays, 29, of Barstow, California; and Cpl. Dillon C. Baldridge, 22, of Youngsville, North Carolina, were all from the Army's 101st Airborne Division, headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The three plus a fourth U.S. soldier who was wounded came under fire in Peka Valley in Nangarhar province on Saturday.
The Afghan soldier who conducted the attack was killed in return fire, according to Attaullah Khogyani, spokesperson for the governor of Nangarhar.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of our soldiers who were killed and wounded," said Gen. John W. Nicholson, the commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, in a statement on Monday. "We will always remember our fallen comrades and remain committed to the mission they carried out and for which they ultimately gave their lives."
Insider or so-called green-on-blue attacks have been an ongoing threat to U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan, but the number has declined since 2012 because of new security procedures and better vetting of Afghan security forces.
The motivations for such attacks are sometimes unclear, with some resulting from personal conflicts while others may be due to the Taliban's infiltrating the Afghan military.
The Trump administration is currently reviewing the overall U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. The U.S. currently has 8,400 American troops in the country, but U.S. officials say the military has proposed sending an additional 2,000 to 4,000 troops. That number may ultimately depend on how many additional troops are committed by NATO partners.
ABC News' Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
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SGT. Eric Michael Houck, age 25 of the United States Army, lost his life in defense of Liberty on June 10, 2017 in Nangarhar Province Afghanistan.
There will be a visitation for SGT Houck on Monday, June the 19h, from 4 pm until 7 pm at the chapel of McReynolds Nave and Larson Funeral Home, in Clarksville Tn. There will be a second visitation from 10am until 11am at Community Chapel in Ft Cambell, with the funeral following at 11am..
Burial will follow at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery with full military honors.
He leaves behind his loving wife Samantha J. Houck, son Michael Houck Jr (EJ), and daughter Violet Houck. He was the loving son of Michael and Lisa M. Houck; dear brother of Jessica M. Houck; cherished grandson of Margaret Szpara and the late Walter Szpara, Robert and Joanne Houck, and Benita and James Wiota. He was the nephew of Donna Toebbe, Debbie Baker, Andrew Houck, Judy and Brian Wilbur, and the late Kristin Santon. He also leaves behind his loving cousins Angela Toebbe, Katie Dulac, Larry Toebbe, III, Hillary Moser, Chelsea Baker, Alexandra Ronning, Gary Moyer, Beth Moyer, Dana Villa, and Theron Lummus.
SGT Houck is in the care of
McReynolds-Nave-Larson Funeral Home
1209 Madison Street
Clarksville, TN 37040
(931) 647-3371
Published in The Leaf Chronicle on June 18, 2017
Sgt. Eric M. Houck, 25, of Baltimore; Sgt. William M. Bays, 29, of Barstow, California; and Cpl. Dillon C. Baldridge, 22, of Youngsville, North Carolina, were all from the Army's 101st Airborne Division, headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The three plus a fourth U.S. soldier who was wounded came under fire in Peka Valley in Nangarhar province on Saturday.
The Afghan soldier who conducted the attack was killed in return fire, according to Attaullah Khogyani, spokesperson for the governor of Nangarhar.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of our soldiers who were killed and wounded," said Gen. John W. Nicholson, the commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, in a statement on Monday. "We will always remember our fallen comrades and remain committed to the mission they carried out and for which they ultimately gave their lives."
Insider or so-called green-on-blue attacks have been an ongoing threat to U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan, but the number has declined since 2012 because of new security procedures and better vetting of Afghan security forces.
The motivations for such attacks are sometimes unclear, with some resulting from personal conflicts while others may be due to the Taliban's infiltrating the Afghan military.
The Trump administration is currently reviewing the overall U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. The U.S. currently has 8,400 American troops in the country, but U.S. officials say the military has proposed sending an additional 2,000 to 4,000 troops. That number may ultimately depend on how many additional troops are committed by NATO partners.
ABC News' Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
*******
SGT. Eric Michael Houck, age 25 of the United States Army, lost his life in defense of Liberty on June 10, 2017 in Nangarhar Province Afghanistan.
There will be a visitation for SGT Houck on Monday, June the 19h, from 4 pm until 7 pm at the chapel of McReynolds Nave and Larson Funeral Home, in Clarksville Tn. There will be a second visitation from 10am until 11am at Community Chapel in Ft Cambell, with the funeral following at 11am..
Burial will follow at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery with full military honors.
He leaves behind his loving wife Samantha J. Houck, son Michael Houck Jr (EJ), and daughter Violet Houck. He was the loving son of Michael and Lisa M. Houck; dear brother of Jessica M. Houck; cherished grandson of Margaret Szpara and the late Walter Szpara, Robert and Joanne Houck, and Benita and James Wiota. He was the nephew of Donna Toebbe, Debbie Baker, Andrew Houck, Judy and Brian Wilbur, and the late Kristin Santon. He also leaves behind his loving cousins Angela Toebbe, Katie Dulac, Larry Toebbe, III, Hillary Moser, Chelsea Baker, Alexandra Ronning, Gary Moyer, Beth Moyer, Dana Villa, and Theron Lummus.
SGT Houck is in the care of
McReynolds-Nave-Larson Funeral Home
1209 Madison Street
Clarksville, TN 37040
(931) 647-3371
Published in The Leaf Chronicle on June 18, 2017
The U.S. military has identified the three soldiers killed by an Afghan soldier in an insider attack for which the Taliban claimed responsibility.
Sgt. Eric M. Houck, 25, of Baltimore; Sgt. William M. Bays, 29, of Barstow, California; and Cpl. Dillon C. Baldridge, 22, of Youngsville, North Carolina, were all from the Army's 101st Airborne Division, headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The three plus a fourth U.S. soldier who was wounded came under fire in Peka Valley in Nangarhar province on Saturday.
The Afghan soldier who conducted the attack was killed in return fire, according to Attaullah Khogyani, spokesperson for the governor of Nangarhar.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of our soldiers who were killed and wounded," said Gen. John W. Nicholson, the commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, in a statement on Monday. "We will always remember our fallen comrades and remain committed to the mission they carried out and for which they ultimately gave their lives."
Insider or so-called green-on-blue attacks have been an ongoing threat to U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan, but the number has declined since 2012 because of new security procedures and better vetting of Afghan security forces.
The motivations for such attacks are sometimes unclear, with some resulting from personal conflicts while others may be due to the Taliban's infiltrating the Afghan military.
The Trump administration is currently reviewing the overall U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. The U.S. currently has 8,400 American troops in the country, but U.S. officials say the military has proposed sending an additional 2,000 to 4,000 troops. That number may ultimately depend on how many additional troops are committed by NATO partners.
ABC News' Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
*******
SGT. Eric Michael Houck, age 25 of the United States Army, lost his life in defense of Liberty on June 10, 2017 in Nangarhar Province Afghanistan.
There will be a visitation for SGT Houck on Monday, June the 19h, from 4 pm until 7 pm at the chapel of McReynolds Nave and Larson Funeral Home, in Clarksville Tn. There will be a second visitation from 10am until 11am at Community Chapel in Ft Cambell, with the funeral following at 11am..
Burial will follow at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery with full military honors.
He leaves behind his loving wife Samantha J. Houck, son Michael Houck Jr (EJ), and daughter Violet Houck. He was the loving son of Michael and Lisa M. Houck; dear brother of Jessica M. Houck; cherished grandson of Margaret Szpara and the late Walter Szpara, Robert and Joanne Houck, and Benita and James Wiota. He was the nephew of Donna Toebbe, Debbie Baker, Andrew Houck, Judy and Brian Wilbur, and the late Kristin Santon. He also leaves behind his loving cousins Angela Toebbe, Katie Dulac, Larry Toebbe, III, Hillary Moser, Chelsea Baker, Alexandra Ronning, Gary Moyer, Beth Moyer, Dana Villa, and Theron Lummus.
SGT Houck is in the care of
McReynolds-Nave-Larson Funeral Home
1209 Madison Street
Clarksville, TN 37040
(931) 647-3371
Published in The Leaf Chronicle on June 18, 2017
Sgt. Eric M. Houck, 25, of Baltimore; Sgt. William M. Bays, 29, of Barstow, California; and Cpl. Dillon C. Baldridge, 22, of Youngsville, North Carolina, were all from the Army's 101st Airborne Division, headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The three plus a fourth U.S. soldier who was wounded came under fire in Peka Valley in Nangarhar province on Saturday.
The Afghan soldier who conducted the attack was killed in return fire, according to Attaullah Khogyani, spokesperson for the governor of Nangarhar.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of our soldiers who were killed and wounded," said Gen. John W. Nicholson, the commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, in a statement on Monday. "We will always remember our fallen comrades and remain committed to the mission they carried out and for which they ultimately gave their lives."
Insider or so-called green-on-blue attacks have been an ongoing threat to U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan, but the number has declined since 2012 because of new security procedures and better vetting of Afghan security forces.
The motivations for such attacks are sometimes unclear, with some resulting from personal conflicts while others may be due to the Taliban's infiltrating the Afghan military.
The Trump administration is currently reviewing the overall U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. The U.S. currently has 8,400 American troops in the country, but U.S. officials say the military has proposed sending an additional 2,000 to 4,000 troops. That number may ultimately depend on how many additional troops are committed by NATO partners.
ABC News' Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
*******
SGT. Eric Michael Houck, age 25 of the United States Army, lost his life in defense of Liberty on June 10, 2017 in Nangarhar Province Afghanistan.
There will be a visitation for SGT Houck on Monday, June the 19h, from 4 pm until 7 pm at the chapel of McReynolds Nave and Larson Funeral Home, in Clarksville Tn. There will be a second visitation from 10am until 11am at Community Chapel in Ft Cambell, with the funeral following at 11am..
Burial will follow at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery with full military honors.
He leaves behind his loving wife Samantha J. Houck, son Michael Houck Jr (EJ), and daughter Violet Houck. He was the loving son of Michael and Lisa M. Houck; dear brother of Jessica M. Houck; cherished grandson of Margaret Szpara and the late Walter Szpara, Robert and Joanne Houck, and Benita and James Wiota. He was the nephew of Donna Toebbe, Debbie Baker, Andrew Houck, Judy and Brian Wilbur, and the late Kristin Santon. He also leaves behind his loving cousins Angela Toebbe, Katie Dulac, Larry Toebbe, III, Hillary Moser, Chelsea Baker, Alexandra Ronning, Gary Moyer, Beth Moyer, Dana Villa, and Theron Lummus.
SGT Houck is in the care of
McReynolds-Nave-Larson Funeral Home
1209 Madison Street
Clarksville, TN 37040
(931) 647-3371
Published in The Leaf Chronicle on June 18, 2017
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