WASHINGTON ― The Pentagon on Saturday released the name of the fourth soldier killed this week on a joint U.S. and Nigerien patrol.
Sgt. La David Johnson, 25, died in the Oct. 4 attack on the patrol. His body was recovered on Oct. 6.
He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) on Fort Bragg, N.C.
Johnson, a native of Miami Gardens, Florida, enlisted in the Army in January 2014 as a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic.
His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Parachutist Badge, the Army Air Assault Badge, the Driver and Mechanic Badge, and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge - Sharpshooter with Rifle.
Also killed in the attack were Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright.
In addition to the four U.S. deaths, local Nigerien news outlets have been reporting that four Nigerien soldiers also were killed in the Wednesday attack, bringing the possible death toll to eight.
RELATED
U.S. officials believe they know who carried out the attack but are not prepared to release that assessment in an effort to deny the enemy force any notion of success from the attack, AFRICOM spokesman Col. Mark Cheadle told reporters Friday.
