Two Soldiers and One Marine Killed Fighting in Afghanistan

Under an increasing tempo of war in Afghanistan, three U.S. combat casualties are announced.

One of the two soldiers killed in Afghanistan hails from Washington state. Aaron Fairbairn lived in Aberdeen, Washington when he joined the Army.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Two soldiers were killed in Afghanistan on Independence Day while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They are identified as Private first-class Justin A. Casillas, 19, of Dunnigan, California and Private first-class Aaron E. Fairbairn, 20, of Aberdeen, Washington.

The soldiers died on the 4th of July according to government reports, at Combat Outpost Zerok, in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked the outpost using small arms and indirect fire.

They were both assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

A Marine was killed fighting in Afghanistan two days prior to the death of the two soldiers.

Lance Corporal Charles S. Sharp, 20, of Adairsville, Georgia, died July 2nd while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.