The identities of the U.S. military members who were killed in Kabul in a terrorist attack on Thursday are starting to be revealed as the Department of Defense has notified their next of kin.
The Marine Corps confirmed on Friday 11 Marines are among the 13 service members who were killed in the attack that is suspected to have been carried out by ISIS-K.
We mourn the loss of these Marines, and pray for their families. Our focus now is taking care of the families of those who were killed, and caring for the injured. The identities of those killed will be withheld until 24 hours after all next-of-kin notifications are complete.
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) August 27, 2021
Here are the known U.S. deaths as of Friday:
Rylee McCollum, a Marine from Wyoming on his first deployment.
Roice McCollum, Rylee's older sister, said he was expecting a baby in three weeks, according to the Casper Star-Tribune. "He wanted to be a Marine his whole life and carried around his rifle in his diapers and cowboy boots," McCollum's sister said. "He was determined to be in infantry... Rylee wanted to be a history teacher and a wrestling coach when he finished serving his country. He's a tough, kind, loving kid who made an impact on everyone he met. His joke and wit brought so much joy."
Rylee McCollum was identified as one of the 13 U.S. Marines and service members who were killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, in an airport attack on August 26, 2021. McCollum, whose was expected to become a father in three weeks, was remembered as “the definition of courage.” pic.twitter.com/ik8NxGYjPW
— ??BossHoggUSMC?? (@BossHoggUSMC) August 27, 2021
David Lee Espinoza, 20, a Marine from Rio Bravo, Texas.
Kareem Nikoui, a Marine from California.
Steve, his father, told the Daily Beast when the Marines came to his home to inform him of his son's death, they were "more choked up than me. I was actually trying to console them. But at the same time, I just wanted them to get out as soon as possible so that no one from my family came back and saw them. I thought it appropriate that I be able to tell them." Of his son, Steve said Kareem “loved what he was doing, he always wanted to be a Marine."
The City of Norco mourns the loss of Norco resident and @NorcoHighSchool graduate @USMC Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, who was killed in action while stationed at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in #Kabul, Afghanistan.
— City of Norco | Horsetown USA (@CityofNorco) August 27, 2021
More Info: https://t.co/83GZc8KZAR pic.twitter.com/tINNFhtpne
Jared Schmitz, a Marine from Wentzville, Missouri.
Schmitz's father, Mark, told KMOX his son was on his first deployment in Jordan when his unit was sent to Kabul to secure the airport. "His life meant so much more. I’m so incredibly devastated that I won’t be able to see the man that he was very quickly growing into becoming."
Max Soviak, a Navy Corpsman from Ohio.
The Sandusky Register reported Navy Corpsman Max Soviak was the one Navy death. Soviak was a Class of 2017 graduate of Edison High School, where he was on the honor roll and played football.
An Ohio Navy medic from Milan died Thursday in the Kabul terrorist attack that killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghans. Max Soviak was a 2017 graduate of Edison High School. pic.twitter.com/XzXgtzWL3C
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) August 27, 2021