Florida was among the areas hardest hit by grief after the fiercest fighting so far of the war in Afghanistan, as two soldiers from the state were killed and another was seriously wounded.
The Department of Defense confirmed that Sgt. Bradley S. Crose, 22, of Orange Park, and Spec. Marc A. Anderson, 30, of the Tampa suburb of Brandon, were among the eight soldiers killed in eastern Afghanistan since Operation Anaconda began Friday night.
Chief Warrant Officer Donald Tabron, a seasoned Army helicopter pilot and career military man, was wounded but was expected to survive.
Family members grieved but expressed pride.
“He was a fine Christian and he was a warrior,” said Crose’s father, Ricky Crose. “He was a shining light. I couldn’t be more proud. I am hurting, but I’m ever so proud of him.”
Bradley Crose was an Army Ranger stationed at Hunter Army Air Field in Savannah, Ga. He had been a Ranger for three years and was scheduled to be discharged in October.
His father, who lives in Orange Park, a Jacksonville suburb, said he had not learned the circumstances of his son’s death. He is asking that his son be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Anderson, also an Army Ranger at Hunter, died in Monday’s fighting as well.
“I’m proud of him,” said his mother, Judith Anderson, who lives in Jacksonville. “He is a hero.”
Anderson was a graduate of Florida State University and worked as a teacher in Ft. Myers schools for several years before joining the Army about four years ago, his mother said. He planned to go back to teaching after leaving the Army in November.
While the families of Crose, Anderson and the other men killed in combat grieved Tuesday, Alfred and Maggie Tabron of Apopka were relieved to learn their son had survived Monday’s fighting.
“He’s pretty fortunate. I feel quite relieved knowing that he’s just injured,” said Alfred Tabron, who was told five members of his son’s crew were killed in Monday’s action.
Army officials told the Tabrons that their son’s injuries are not life-threatening but gave few other details. The Tabrons knew only that their 45-year-old son took shrapnel in the arms and a leg during a firefight. They also were told that he was shot in a finger.
The Tabrons spent a frantic, frustrating day Monday watching television and trying to find out whether their son was among the soldiers killed in combat.
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They had heard that two Chinook helicopters had been attacked in Afghanistan. And they knew their son was there flying that type of aircraft.
“When they said those big Chinooks were down, I knew he had to be involved,” Alfred Tabron said.
Pentagon officials identified the other Americans killed Monday as: Sgt. Philip Svitak, 31, of Joplin, Mo.; and Pfc. Matthew Commons, 21, Boulder City, Nev., both of the Army; Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts, 32, of Woodland, Calif.; and Tech. Sgt. John Chapman, 36, of Waco, Texas, and Senior Airman Jason Cunningham, 26, of Camarillo, Calif., both of the Air Force.