Insurgent attack kills Colville soldier, 28
Afghanistan mission was third deployment
A soldier from Colville died following an attack in Afghanistan by insurgents firing rocket-propelled grenades, the U.S Department of Defense announced Sunday.
Army Staff Sgt. Wyatt A. Goldsmith, 28, died Friday at Camp Bastion Hospital from injuries suffered in the attack.
Goldsmith, who was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, came under attack by insurgents Friday in the Helmand province, according to the Defense Department.
He was on his third deployment.
Born in Redmond, Wash., on Sept. 21, 1982, Goldsmith entered the U.S. Army in June 2004 as a Special Forces recruit.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Medal, according to the Defense Department.
He is survived by his parents, John and Lorie Goldsmith, of Colville, and his sister, Nicole.
Sgt. John Howelo spent Sunday consoling the family and said they were not prepared to make a statement.
Lt. Col. April Olsen, a spokeswoman for Special Forces Command, said Goldsmith’s body is expected to arrive in Dover, Del., on Tuesday.
“The unit is sending a soldier to escort the body back to Lewis-McChord,” she said.
Olsen had no further details about the battle in which Goldsmith was killed.