Last Thursday's terrorist attack outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, killed 13 United States service members supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

            Eleven Marines, one Navy corpsman and one soldier made the ultimate sacrifice while supporting non-combatant evacuation operations in unsettling and dangerous conditions.

            If you decide to take a knee, burn the U.S. flag, or disrespect our veterans in the future, at least have the courtesy to know their names.

 

United States Marines

Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts

Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California.

Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah

Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California

Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska

Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana

Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas

Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri

Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming

Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California

Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California

 

United States Navy

Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio

 

United States Army

Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee

 

            Politicians and pundits; Democrats and Republicans; and everyone else can point fingers and try to place the blame for this disaster from now till the next election.  But, none of it will bring these veterans back home alive.

            Lest we forget.