Pentagon: IED killed 3 airmen in Afghanistan - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

Pentagon: IED killed 3 airmen in Afghanistan

The Defense Department on Saturday formally announced the deaths earlier this week of three airmen in Afghanistan, saying they were killed in an improvised explosive device explosion.

The airmen died Thursday in Shir ghazi district, Helmand province, when their vehicle was struck by an IED, the Defense Department said.

The fallen airmen are:

• Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, 23, of Erie, Pa. Bell was assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La. Previous reports state Bell enlisted in 2006 and had been in Afghanistan for two months.

• Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz, 34, of Traverse City, Mich. Schwartz was assigned to the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.

• Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler, 24, of Westminster, Md. Seidler was assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.