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Iowa native among 30 Americans killed in Afghanistan helicopter attack
The father of a northern Iowa man says his son is among the 30 Americans killed when a U.S. military helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan.
The Des Moines Register reports that George Tumilson of Rockford confirmed the death of his son, Jon Tumilson, on Saturday night. The newspaper says George Tumilson and other family members declined further comment.
The family also declined to comment to The Associated Press.
U.S. officials said Saturday that insurgents shot down the military helicopter during fighting in eastern Afghanistan.
The Register says Jon Tumilson was a U.S. Navy SEAL from Rockford and is the 19th Iowan to die in the war in Afghanistan. The newspaper says he was a 1995 graduate of Rockford High School.
A Chinook helicopter comes in for a landing during annual training for the Iowa National Guard at Camp Ripley in June 2010. A similar Chinook helicopter was shot down in Aftghanistan early Saturday, killing 30 Americans and 80 Afghan soldiers. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
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