SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Three San Diego-based sailors were among seven U.S. military personnel killed in a helicopter that crashed in Afghanistan last week, Pentagon officials said.
Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Carson, 32, of Des Moines, Wash., was killed Aug. 16 northeast of Kandahar, according to a Defense Department statement. Carson was assigned to an explosives disposal unit in San Diego.
Also killed were two Coronado-based SEALs: Petty Officer 1st Class Patrick Feeks, 28, of Edgewater, Md., and Petty Officer 2nd Class David Warsen, 27, of Kentwood, Mich.
"Our hearts go out to the family, friends and teammates of Petty Officer Feeks and Petty Officer Warsen during this extremely difficult time. They were great warriors, teammates and friends to many of us in the Naval Special Warfare Community," said Capt. Collin P. Green, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group One. "Although they are no longer with us, they will not be forgotten."
Feeks enlisted in the Navy in March 2006, and had served with the Coronado-based SEAL unit since May 2008, according to the Navy. He is survived by his wife Emily and parents Thomas and Virginia.
Warsen enlisted in the Navy in March 2009 and had served with the SEAL unit since October 2010, Navy officials said.
Warsen is survived by his fiancee Karlyn Deveau and parents David Warsen and Patricia Frank.
"We are all truly blesses that men like Feeks and Warsen answer the call to serve their nation at the highest levels of professionalism and capability," Green said. "We are deeply saddened by their loss, and so I would ask for your thoughts, prayers and support for the NSW, our families, the special operations community and all of our Armed Forces."
The other four Americans killed were Army soldiers assigned to the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division: Chief Warrant Officer Brian Hornsby, 37, of Melbourne, Fla.; Chief Warrant Officer Suresh Krause, 29, of Cathedral City, Calif.; Sgt. Richard Essex, 23, of Kelseyville, Calif.; and Sgt. Luis Oliver Galbreath, 41, of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Three members of the Afghan National Security Forces and an Afghan civilian interpreter were killed in the crash of the UH-60 Black Hawk, according to published reports.
