Havana American Legion honors the fallen 13 soldiers of the Kabul airport bombing

All the way across the world, an act of violence in Kabul that killed 13 American service members, has made an impact on the small town of Havana, in Gadsden County.

On August 26, a reported suicide bombing took place at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afganistan; the bombing killed 13 members of the American military who were still in the airport, waiting to return home.

That same day, the American Legion John W. Shaw Post 84, in Havana, got to work.

Starting the same day of the attack, and continuing for 13 days - a day for each of the fallen men and women - Post 84 Adjutant James Brennan stood outside his home and played Taps.

“We decided to do this for 13 days - starting Thursday [August 26],” said Brennan, and on the clock, every night at 7 p.m.

The red-white-and-blue wreath, 13 flags, and 13 memorial blocks bearing the names of the fallen soldiers, was part of the 13-day memorial that James Brennan, and other Havana legion members, put up as a way to honor the soldiers whose lives were taken on the August 26 attack in Kabul, Afghanistan.

On the clock, at 7 p.m. for each of those 13 days, Brennan stood outside his home, at the memorial that he had placed there for the fallen 13, and played the traditional, and lonesome-sound military Taps.

The temporary memorial also had 13 flags placed near wooden blocks (made by Brennan) carrying the name of each fallen soldier; a blue and red wreath completed the memorial.

While Brennan put most of the work into the temporary memorial for the fallen service members, he said the rest of the legion post supported it.

“The post, itself, and the members, are very much patriotic. We are very much in support of the military - and we are fed up with how this was handled. I hope we are not alone in that,” said Brennan.

After the temporary memorial had run its course in Havana, the local American Legion planned to mail the memorial blocks to the families of the fallen 13 - Corpsman Maxton “Max” W. Soviak, Sergeant Ryan C. Knauss, Sergeant Darin Hoover Jr., Sergeant Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Marine Corps Sergeant Nicole L. Gee, Corporal Hunter Lopez, Corporal Daegan Page, Corporal Humberto Sanchez, Lance Corporal David Espinoza, Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, Lance Corporal Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Corporal Dylan R. Merola, and Lance Corporal Kareem M. Nikoui.

Brennan said the idea came to mind after he saw the initial reports of the airport attack, and he wanted to do something to let the families of the fallen soldiers know that people in Havana cared.

“I had to do something. I needed to do something to show my respect,” said Brennan. “I get choked up about it. This is our way of letting people know that we care.”

While the memorial was up, and every night during his Taps playing, Brennan invited members of the community to come forward and pay respects to the fallen soldiers - he only asked that visitors don’t honk their horns at night, out of respect to the other people in his neighborhood.

While the final day for the memorial was planned for Tuesday of this week, Brennan has plans to emblazon the memorial blocks, bearing the soldiers’ names, with golden stars.

American Legion John W. Shaw Post 84’s Adjutant James Brennan (pictured center) played the military Taps on his bugle for 13 days following the suicide bombing at the Kabul international airport that took the lives of 13 American soldiers.

Afterwards, he and the other members of the post will ship the blocks off, with full condolences, to the families of Corpsman Maxton "Max" W. Soviak, Sergeant Ryan C. Knauss, Sergeant Darin Hoover Jr., Sergeant Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Marine Corps Sergeant Nicole L. Gee, Corporal Hunter Lopez, Corporal Daegan Page, Corporal Humberto Sanchez, Lance Corporal David Espinoza, Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, Lance Corporal Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Corporal Dylan R. Merola, and Lance Corporal Kareem M. Nikoui - the fallen 13.

Ashley Hunter - editor@gadsdencountytimes.com

Havana American Legion honors the fallen 13 soldiers of the Kabul airport bombing

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Havana American Legion honors the fallen 13 soldiers of the Kabul airport bombing

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DESTINATION: Seacrest Wolf Preserve gives hands-on experience and a ‘Howling-Good’ time

Quincy commissioners consider budget that would more than double elected officials pay

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