The soldiers were among 3,600 in the infantry brigade’s six battalions deployed to Afghanistan. Four of the battalions are based in Ohio, and two are based in Michigan. Those killed were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, from Walbridge, Ohio.
“I personally have taken it harder than I ever imagined,” Perry told the Dayton Daily News by phone Monday morning from Afghanistan. “I haven’t faced this before, and it has hit home.”
Perry provided updated information on the attack, which occurred Wednesday. The Taliban has claimed responsibility.
The men were assigned to visit several offices in Maimanah, the capital of Faryab province, and deliver radios as part of the Security Force Assistance Team.
The men were traveling between stops when the attack occurred at a city park. The intended target is unclear.
“Their pattern and work schedule (weren’t) predictable to the place they would be,” Perry said. “Whatever the insurgency intent was that day, which we don’t know whether (the attack was) targeting us or Afghan police or park civilians for all I know. They got into the vicinity of the patrol, which was moving from government center to government center, and what we believe to be a suicide bomber got close enough and detonated himself.”
Perry said previous reports that the soldiers were “joy-walking through the park” are not correct.
“I’m looking at the approved mission for that day,” he said. “They were absolutely where they were supposed to be.”
The attack immediately killed Hannon and Rieck, a Sidney native and 1994 graduate of Sinclair Community College. Rozanski died later in the day from his injuries.
In all, the attack killed the three soldiers, 10 civilians, two members of the Afghan police and one translator. It also injured five soldiers — including Pvt. 1st Class Jacob Williams, a Hamilton native, according to his family — as well as up to 25 civilians, two members of the Afghan police and one translator.
A second National Guard group that was nearby quickly traveled to the site of the bombing to help the wounded, Perry said.
“It was enough to do some serious damage in that park,” he said.
The unit held a memorial service for the soldiers shortly after the attack that drew mourners from several other bases who traveled to attend, Perry said. Some shared personal information about the soldiers, including nicknames, anecdotes and jokes from their past.
Perry said several had “begged” to be placed on aircraft or convoys to attend the ceremonies.
“When we stood up at the end and kind of hugged — grown men hugging, grown men in a combat zone, is not something you see every day,” Perry said. “It was good to see the organization had that much class.”
Following the mourning period, the unit must return to its mission, Perry said. Monday was the group’s 75th day on this particular mission, which lasts until October.
Perry called their progress in aiding and training the Afghan forces in the area “remarkable.”
“I hope the entire country gets to experience what we have before this war comes to an end,” he said. “Just a little encouragement and teaching them how to properly account for people, how to discipline somebody, how to balance their books if you will, requisition logistics, how to do maintenance on your vehicle.”
Perry said last week’s incident was the first time he lost men under his command to an insurgent attack. He said that in Afghanistan, even shots fired at an armored vehicle that don’t cause injury are emotional experiences, which is why the bombing has caused such heartache for the brigade.
He mentioned specifically the memorial service and the number of memories shared there.
“I don’t say this lightly, and I’m not an overly emotional person, but I was very ... it brought out my emotions (that) day,” Perry said.
Perry said the attack has not changed the unit’s mission or tactics but raised awareness as it returned to duty.
“We’ll do the things we were doing before the incident,” he said. “We’ll just do it with a little more vigilance.”
The Ohio National Guard confirmed that the soldiers’ remains were brought back to Delaware’s Dover Air Force Base on Saturday. Public Information Specialist Bill Pierce said he could not give details about when their remains would be returned to Ohio.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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