Missouri Marine from St. Louis area among those killed in Kabul terror attack

One of the 13 U.S. soldiers killed during a suicide bombing in Afghanistan was a Missouri Marine from the St. Louis area, according to his father and two of Missouri’s elected officials.

Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, of Wentzville, was killed Thursday during the terrorist attack near Kabul’s airport. Along with the American service members killed, an estimated 169 Afghans have died in a bloody end to the war as evacuations press on and threats of more violence continue.

The Pentagon has yet to disclose the names of the soldiers killed in the attack. But Mark Schmitz told St. Louis radio station KMOX on Friday morning that his son was among the casualties.

The elder Schmitz said the family was notified shortly before 3 a.m. Friday. He said his son was sent overseas as the situation in Afghanistan grew tense about two weeks ago. Jared had been stationed in Jordan during his first deployment, his father told the station.

His father said serving as a Marine was something his son “always wanted to do.”

“I’ve never seen a young man train as hard as he did to be the best soldier he could be,” Mark Schmitz said. “And that’s a big part of why obviously we’re all devastated and sad, but there’s so much anger right now. Because he wasn’t even given that opportunity to demonstrate all the skills he has perfected and learned while in the Corps.”

Of the service members killed, 11 were Marines, one was a Navy sailor and another was an Army soldier.

Missouri elected officials also shared the news of Schmitz’s death over social media on Friday.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley said on Twitter that he spoke with the Schmitz family on Friday and promised them Schmitz’s “service and his legacy will not be forgotten.”

Rep. Sam Graves, of Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, called for everyone to keep Schmitz’s family and friends in their prayers.

“May we never forget his sacrifice,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.