Community Corner

Local Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

John C. Pratt, from Springfield, died from injuries sustained in a helicopter crash.

A soldier originally from Springfield was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan, according to a Pentagon release.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 John C. Pratt was 51 years old. He died over the weekend in Kabul from injuries he received during the crash. Pratt was in an AH-64 Apache helicopter made by Boeing. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but it does not appear enemy fire was a factor.

Another soldier, 26-year-old Capt. John R. Brainard from Maine, was also killed.

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More than 1,850 people have died in the conflict in Afghanistan since it began. According to the U.S. casualties database run by icasualties.org, 134 of those who have died are from Virginia. An additional 679 Virginia natives have been injured.


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