HELENA — Headwaters Crafthouse in Helena hosted an event called "Lift a Beer to the Fallen 13" on Saturday to honor the 13 U.S. military members who were killed in a suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport on Thursday.
The brewery reserved a table with thirteen pints of beer to honor the U.S. military members who were killed, and donated a dollar for every pint sold to the Semper Fi Fund for wounded veterans.
The event was organized by Karen Goldsberry, who said this is a way to thank those who have served and are serving.
She explained, "My son is a Marine and a Gold Star family is something that no family wants to be a part of, and when I saw the faces of the Marines, the Army, the Navy, they needed to be remembered, and that's what we're doing here, is don't forget who's there, who's there for us. and thank a Marine, thank a Navy, and thank our soldiers, they're important,” said Goldsberry.
The Department of Defense said Saturday that 11 Marines, a Navy sailor, and an Army Special Forces soldier died in the attack that took place amid the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan. Below are the names of the Marines killed in the attack:
- Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah
- Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts
- Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California
- Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California
- Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska
- Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana
- Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas
- Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri
- Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming
- Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California
- Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California
Hoover, Lopez, Page, Sanchez, Schmitz, Espinoza, McCollum, Merola, and Nikoui were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.
Gee was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. And Rosariopichardo was assigned to 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
“These fallen heroes answered the call to go into harm’s way to do the honorable work of helping others. We are proud of their service and deeply saddened by their loss,” wrote Gen. David H. Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps, in a statement.
The deceased sailor has been identified as Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio. He was assigned to 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California.
The soldier killed in the attack has been identified as Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee. Knauss was assigned to 9th PSYOP Battalion, 8th PSYOP Group, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
