Nine local Marines and one local Navy Corpsman were among the 13 U.S. service members killed in the bomb blast on Thursday near the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, officials confirmed Saturday.
Ten of the 13 service members were stationed right here at Camp Pendleton.
Military families and people in the San Diego are saying their feelings are still raw after the brutal attack.
Daniel Samuelson who has friends in the military says this attack hits hard.
“When something like what happened the other day it’s just, it just hits hard,” said Samuelson. “It’s very live right now and it’s very scary, it’s just a tough position and obviously worried about it.”
NBC 7 met Samuelson after he left flowers at the memorial at Camp Pendleton in solidarity with the military community.
One by one, carefully placed along the sand, a total of 13 flags were planted near lifeguard tower 22 in Pacific Beach Friday. NBC 7’s Amber Frias has more.
Some of the troops killed were as young as 20-years-old. Military mom Sheri Kelley says the attack hits close to home.
“It’s very emotional being a mom knowing that it could’ve been and that a Corpsman was killed alongside 12 marines. I have other family that’s also in the military so even though those young men and women were not my children it hits home,” said Kelley.
Kelley says this attack impacts everyone.
“Two of the Marines are from Norco, California and another from Riverside or two I believe, and that’s our hometown, so even people that’s from Ohio it doesn’t matter the Patriotism doesn’t go by area or State it impacts all of us,” said Kelley. “I think any parent can sympathize and anybody that is voting for the American People.”
As the military drawdown continues until the Aug. 31 exit, Samuelson says he is still keeping those in Afghanistan in his thoughts and prayers.
“For this problem it’s still real it still exists and it’s still war out there,” said Samuelson.