FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 12, 2017) – Gov. Matt Bevin today recognized the sacrifice of three Fort Campbell soldiers—Sgt. Eric M. Houck, 25, of Baltimore, Maryland; Sgt. William M. Bays, 29 of Barstow, California; and Corporal Dillon C. Baldridge, 22 of Youngsville, North Carolina—who died while supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
According to the Department of Defense, the Fort Campbell soldiers died on June 10 in Peka Valley, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, of gunshot wounds sustained there. The incident is under investigation.
The soldiers were assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Company D, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Service arrangements for the soldiers are not yet complete. Gov. Bevin will order flags lowered to half-staff in honor of Sgt. Houck, Sgt. Bays and Corporal Baldridge on the date of interment, and encourages individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies to join in this tribute.
For more information, media may contact the Fort Campbell Public Affairs office at 270-798-9963.
Flag status information is available at http://governor.ky.gov/flag-status.
