The Human Cost Of War: Remembering The Fallen Marines In Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan, which lasted for two decades, claimed the lives of many U.S. service members, including those from the Marine Corps. According to The Washington Post, 1,394 Marines have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. One of the deadliest days for American forces in the past decade of the war in Afghanistan was in August 2021 when a suicide bombing attack at the Kabul airport killed 13 U.S. service members, including 11 Marines.

Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee

Gee enlisted in the Marines in 2017 and was assigned to the Combat Logistics Battalion 24, providing ground electronics transmission systems maintenance. She was promoted to sergeant in August 2021 and was a maintenance technician with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. She had also been stationed in North Carolina with her husband, Jarod Gee, who is also a Marine.

Gee was passionate about her work and loved being a Marine. She was documenting her time in Afghanistan on her Instagram page, where she posted photos of herself in Kabul, including one of her holding an Afghan child with the caption, "I love my job." Another photo, posted just four days before her death, showed her standing next to a line of Afghan evacuees heading into a U.S. military aircraft, with the caption, "Escorting evacuees onto the bird."

Gee's friends and family described her as brave, strong, compassionate, smart, focused, humble, and beautiful. She was remembered as a “Marine's Marine” who was committed to her work and loved serving her country. Her sister, Misty Fuoco, said, "She gave the ultimate sacrifice. We will forever be changed and forever hurt with her absences but I know she wouldn’t have had it any other way, she absolutely loved the work she was doing in Afghanistan."

Gee was honoured by the city of Roseville, who called her "our hometown hero," and the U.S. House of Representatives, who posthumously awarded her and the other fallen service members the Congressional Gold Medal.

Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo

Sgt. Rosario Pichardo was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the Afghanistan evacuation efforts. Upon arriving in Kabul, she volunteered for a security assignment: screening women and children attempting to flee the country. On August 26, 2021, Sgt. Rosario Pichardo was killed in a suicide bombing at the Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. She died alongside 12 other U.S. service members and nearly 200 Afghan civilians. Sgt. Rosario Pichardo's final words to her commanding officer were, "They need me, sir."

Sgt. Rosario Pichardo's remains were transported to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where a Dignified Transfer ritual was performed. A public wake was held at Veterans Memorial Stadium next to her high school, and a private funeral mass was held at St. Mary's of the Assumption Church. She was laid to rest at Bellevue Cemetery in a section reserved for military veterans. Sgt. Rosario Pichardo was awarded the Purple Heart for her bravery and her remains were flown to Boston's Logan International Airport.

Sgt. Rosario Pichardo's bravery and dedication to serving others are evident in her actions during the Afghanistan evacuation efforts. Her selfless service represents the best of her country, and her sacrifice will forever be remembered.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza

Espinoza was born in Laredo, Texas, and raised in nearby Rio Bravo. He was the eldest of four children. He graduated from Lyndon B. Johnson High School in Laredo in 2019 and joined the Marines shortly after. He had a passion for the military, even as a child, and was known to play with toy soldiers, considering different military strategies. Espinoza's mother, Elizabeth Holguin, recalled that her son was a "great kid" who never got into trouble. She said he was helping innocent people, which was what he wanted to do. Espinoza's stepfather, Victor Manuel Dominguez, said he never saw him as his stepson, and that Espinoza was like his own son.

Espinoza was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. He had previously served in Jordan and had only been in Afghanistan for a week before he was killed. A memorial service was held for Espinoza at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Laredo, followed by a procession to his high school and then to the City of Laredo Cemetery. Texas flags on state property were lowered to half-staff to honour him and the other military members killed in the Kabul attack.

US Rep. Henry Cuellar, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott all released statements honouring Espinoza and mourning his loss. Cuellar described Espinoza as a hero who embodied "grit, dedication, service, and valor." Cruz honoured Espinoza's life and service on the Senate floor, calling him a "brave patriot who will never be forgotten." Abbott extended his prayers of comfort to those affected by the tragedy. Espinoza's community mourned the loss of one of their own, with the Laredo city council voting to name the road in front of his high school the 'Lance Corporal David Lee Espinoza Memorial Boulevard.'

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover

Hoover was born on July 24, 1990, and was the oldest of three siblings. His father, Darin Hoover Sr., recalled that his son had already decided he wanted to join the Marines at the age of 11, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Hoover graduated from Hillcrest High School in Midvale, just south of Salt Lake City, in 2008, and joined the Marine Corps at 19. He was described by his father as a "born leader".

Hoover was on his third deployment to Afghanistan when he was killed by an Islamic State suicide bomber at Kabul airport on August 26, 2021. He was leading his fellow Marines and helping with evacuation efforts when the bomb went off, killing him and 12 other U.S. service members, as well as at least 160 Afghans.

Hoover's family has struggled to come to terms with their loss. His father has expressed anger and frustration about the situation his son was put in, and the lack of accountability for mistakes made during the evacuation. Hoover's mother, Kelly Henson, recalled that saying goodbye to him before his last deployment felt different, and that she had a horrible feeling that it would be the last time.

Hoover's friends and family have shared memories of him as a leader, a "teddy bear", and a "hell of an American". His father said, "I pray that this wasn't in vain, and deep in my heart of hearts I know that it wasn't... He was standing out front, leading his men."

Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez

Lopez came from a family with a rich tradition of military and community service. His father, Herman Lopez, is a captain in the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and his mother, Alicia Lopez, is a deputy. Many other members of the family have served in the military and in foreign wars. Lopez himself participated in the department's career-oriented Explorer program from 2014 to 2017 while he was in high school.

Lopez enlisted in the Marines three months after graduating from La Quinta High School in 2017. He joined the Marine Corps Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team, an elite part of the Corps Security Forces Regiment that stands ready to respond to threats to the Navy and the Marine Corps, as well as other U.S. government interests. After three years in the service, Lopez was moved to Camp Pendleton to serve with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, and eventually found himself in Kabul working on the American evacuation effort.

Lopez was proud of the work he was doing in Afghanistan, which he saw as an opportunity to help people in need. He told his parents about how he and his fellow service members were helping people get back to the U.S. and providing them with food and water. He also took pride in being able to reunite families that had been separated in the chaos.

Lopez planned to follow in his parents' footsteps and join the Riverside County Sheriff's Department when his enlistment expired. He was remembered by his father as "a very average American kid, at least what we think American kids should be...He had a dream to serve. He demonstrated that throughout his early life just by helping his friends and neighbours." Lopez was also a fan of Star Wars and left an impression on everyone he met. He was always striving to improve and wanted to make sure that his Marine brothers came home.

Frequently asked questions