U.S. Marine from Va. killed in Afghanistan, wife expecting baby in December

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Sgt. Charles C. Strong, 28, of Suffolk, Virginia, died Sept. 15, in Herat province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations. He leaves behind his wife Taylor who is expecting a little girl in December.

He was assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (see Officials: Apparent insider attack killed U.S. Marine):

A member of the U.S. Marine Corps’ elite special operations command was killed in Afghanistan this week in an apparent insider attack.

Sgt. Charles C. Strong, 28, of Suffolk, Va., was killed Sept. 15, in Herat province, a spokesman for Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command confirmed.

Strong was a critical skills operator attached to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., according to a news release, and had served in the Marines since 2003.

A former military police officer with two deployments to Iraq and a previous tour in Afghanistan, Strong joined the command in 2013, officials said.

A spokesman for International Security Assistance Force, Marine Maj. Paul Greenberg, confirmed in a previous news release that an ISAF service member had been killed in western Afghanistan Sept. 15 by an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform. That release did not identify the fallen service member.

USA Today also reports a fundraiser website has been set up for Baby Girl Strong who is due in December (go to website here). The fundraising message from Heather Chavez said:

Hey y’all, It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that Sgt. Charles Strong was KIA while deployed in Afghanistan. Details have yet to be released but he leaves behind his beautiful wife, Taylor, and their unborn child, a little girl. Please keep Taylor and their daughter in your prayers and thoughts. I cannot imagine what she is going through and I know these next days, months, and years will be extremely difficult. I am trying to raise money to buy Taylor the rocking chair she wanted. It would remind her of how loved her and her daughter are and give her a little peace. **If we reach the goal any extra money will go into Visa Gift cards or something in honor of Charles (whatever Taylor decides she wants to do once she has a moment to think). I appreciate all the support & I know Taylor does too. Things will be very crazy I am sure these next few weeks so please keep her in your prayers!

As of Friday morning nearly $30,000 had been raised for this wife whose husband paid the ultimate sacrifice. We as a nation are eternally grateful.

Cross-posted at SWAC Girl