19 July 2011

27-year-old US Army Sergeant Jacob Molina was one of two soldiers killed in Kunar province on 19th July 2011 from the blast of a roadside bomb against their patrol vehicle.

Sgt. Molina, from Houston, Texas, served in the Hawaiian based 25th Infantry Division with 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment. He enlisted in the Army in February 2007. This was his second overseas combat tour. He had previously served in Iraq.

His mother, Janie Torre, told a local news channel that Jacob had wanted to be in the military ever since becoming a teenager. She knew it was his destiny, but never expected he wouldn’t come back alive.

"He’s tough," said Janie, choking back the tears. "And, I’ve always known Jacob to get out of everything, not this time."


29-year-old US Army Staff Sergeant James M. Christen was one of two soldiers killed in Kunar province on 19th July 2011 from the blast of a roadside bomb against their patrol vehicle.

Staff-Sgt. Christen, from Loomis, California, served in the Hawaiian based 25th Infantry Division with 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment.

This was Staff-Sgt. Christen’s third overseas combat deployment. He previously served two tours in Iraq. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.