CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Three North Carolina soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan on Monday.
Sgt. Jeremy F. Hardison of Maysville, Sgt. Donna R. Johnson of Raeford and Sgt. Thomas J. Butler of Wilmington were all killed while serving with U.S. Army in Afghanistan.
Their remains will arrive at the Dover Air Force Base Tuesday night around 7 p.m.
A Taliban suicide bomber rammed a motorcycle packed with explosives into a joint U.S.-Afghan patrol, killing 14 people including the three Americans.
Among those killed was Butler, who had only been in Afghanistan for a little more than two weeks.
Butler leaves behind a wife and their 6-month-old baby, who was named after Butler.
Family members said this November would have marked his fourth wedding anniversary.
More than 60 Afghan civilians were also wounded in the bombing, the governor's office said in a statement. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in text messages to media that the insurgent group was behind the attack.
