Alaska Star - Fort Rich paratroopers die in Afghanistan 07/09/09

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Story Last modified at 12:09 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, 2009

Fort Rich paratroopers die in Afghanistan

Alaska Star Staff

Two Fort Richardson paratroopers were killed in Afghanistan Saturday.

Pfc. Justin A. Casillas and Pfc. Aaron E. Fairbairn were killed when Combat Outpost Zerok in the Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan came under attack by enemy fire, the Army said in a release.

Pfc. Justin A. Casillas

The attack included semi-automatic and indirect fire, and a possible suicide vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Thirteen other soldiers were injured in the attack; two have returned to duty.

Both Casillas and Fairbairn were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th infantry Division and were deployed to Afghanistan February 2009.

Casillas, 19, was an infantryman from Dunnigan, Calif. He joined the Army in July 2008 and completed basic, advanced individual and airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga. He arrived at Fort Richardson in November 2008.

Pfc. Aaron E. Fairbairn

Fairbairn, 20, from Aberdeen, Wash., was an indirect fire infantryman who joined the Army in January 2008. He completed the same training as Casillas at Fort Benning. He arrived at Fort Richardson in June 2008.

The men’s next of kin have been notified.

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, July 9, 2009.