Four From West Texas Air Force Base Killed in Afghanistan Crash

“The friendship and camaraderie in the Herk community, especially among our Dyess and Abilene friends is unlike any other”, Col. Hodge added. 

It confirms that six military personnel and five civilians were killed in the crash. Two of the airmen were pilots and the other two were loadmasters.

The plane was assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, part of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, the news release says.

First-responders were still conducting recovery operations, the Air Force said in a statement.

About 9,500 USA service members remain in Afghanistan after the administration’s decision earlier this year to keep a larger US force size on the ground to help the Afghan government solidify security gains. Gen. Dave Julazadeh, commander of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram, also said that there were no signs that the enemy brought down the C130.

The transport planes can carry either dozens of soldiers or military equipment, but it’s unclear what this one was being used for.

The Jalalabad airfield is about 80 miles from the capital, Kabul. Afghan officials had no immediate details on the crash or any casualty figures.

U.S. Airman Ryan Hammond, a 2007 graduate of John Marshall High School, was among the 11 people who died in the crash of the U.S. Air Force C-130 transport plane in Afghanistan on Thursday night. “We remain committed with our coalition partners to helping the people of Afghanistan build a secure and peaceful country”. Any additional information about the crash will be released, as it becomes available, either by the Pentagon or by the unit in Afghanistan responsible for that area of operations.