Defense Department provides more details on Claremore soldier's death

The Department of Defense only today confirmed the death of a 19-year-old Claremore soldier killed in action in Afghanistan.

KRMG has obtained the release issued by the DoD Wednesday afternoon.

It reads:

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  

            They died Sept. 16 in Zabul province, Afghanistan of injuries suffered when their position was attacked with small arms fire.  

            Killed were: 

            Sgt. Sapuro B. Nena, 25, of Honolulu, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., 

            Spc. Joshua N. Nelson, 22, Greenville, N.C., assigned to 202nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 513th Military Intelligence Brigade, Fort Gordon, Ga., 

            Pfc. Genaro Bedoy, 20, of Amarillo, Texas, assigned to 52nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and

            Pfc. Jon R. Townsend, 19, Claremore, Okla., assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Reports from the front lines indicate the men died after they were ambushed by Afghans either disguised as American troops or possibly as Afghan army regulars.

KRMG has contacted the DoD in Washington, D.C. to request additional information.