3 Pa. National Guardsmen killed in Afghanistan
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Three members of the Pennsylvania National Guard have been killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
Guard officials identified the slain soldiers as Sgt. Edward Koehler of Lebanon; Sgt. Brian Mowery of Halifax; and Staff Sgt. Kenneth VanGiesen of Kane.
All three were members of the 131st Transportation Company based in Williamstown and Philadelphia. Five other soldiers in the unit were wounded in the blast Monday outside Bagram.
Koehler, Mowery and VanGiesen were all riding in the same vehicle when the device exploded, striking their convoy.
Gov. Tom Corbett said his thoughts and prayers are with the soldiers’ families.
A total of 39 members of the Pennsylvania National Guard have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since the start of military operations in those countries.