Poway HS Grad Killed in Afghanistan

The military has named six American soldiers killed in a suicide attack in Afghanistan that was the deadliest attack on coalition troops there this month.

Among them was Poway High School graduate and U.S. Army Spc. Kenneth E. Necochea Jr.

Necochea was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. His family learned of his death Sunday.

His aunt told our media partners at the North County Times the 21-year old joined the U.S. Army "because he wanted to serve his country."

"In our eyes, he was a hero who lost his life fighting for us," said Cara Brown.

The soldiers died Sunday when an explosives-packed minibus blew up at the entrance of a joint NATO-Afghan base in Kandahar province.

Necochea died alongside Cpl. Sean M. Collins, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Cpl. Willie A. McLawhorn Jr., 23, of Conway, N.C.; Spc. Patrick D. Deans, 22, of Orlando, Fla.; Spc. Derek T. Simonetta, 21, of Redwood City, Calif.; and Spc. Jorge E. Villacis, 24, of Sunrise, Fla.

The Department of Defense said Tuesday all six men were members of the 101st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee line.

Read more about Necochea in the full article in the North County Times.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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