Professional Soldiers ® - Two Rangers (A/1/75) KIA in Afghanistan

RIP Rangers -
--------
http://news.soc.mil/releases/News%20...090831-01.html

U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Aug. 31, 2009)—Two Army Rangers died earlier this week during combat operations in Paktika Province, Afghanistan while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

Staff Sgt. Jason Sean Dahlke, 29, a native of Orlando, Fla., died during an attack by a Ranger task force on an enemy position, Aug. 29. He served in the Regiment for more than four years. He is survived by his wife Nikole M. Norvell Dahlke of Richmond Hill, Ga., father Roger Dahlke of Jacksonville, Fla., and mother Debra Evans.

Pfc. Eric William Hario, 19, was seriously wounded by small arms fire during the attack and was medically evacuated to a combat support hospital near the Paktika Province where he died Aug. 29. He was a native of Monroe, Mich., and served in the Regiment for less than a year. He is survived by his parents Rebecca and James Hario and a brother Mark of Monroe, Mich., and brother U.S. Army Spc. Robert Hario.

The Ranger task force attacked a vigorously defended enemy command and control node and logistics base in a rugged, remote, contested mountainous area, according to official reports. After fighting for nearly 20 hours, the Ranger task force killed more than 30 enemy fighters, several enemy leaders, destroyed the command and control node and logistics base while capturing numerous heavy weapons.

“Staff Sgt. Dahlke and Pfc. Hario are heroes to their nation, the U.S. Army and their Families,” said Col. Michael E. Kurilla, 75th Ranger Regiment commander. “They embodied the Ranger Creed and all that is good, noble and honored in our Rangers.”

Dahlke was on his sixth deployment in support of the War on Terror with three previous deployments to Iraq and two deployments to Afghanistan. This was Hario’s first deployment.