UPDATE: The Pentagon confirmed in Monday evening statement that Spc. Henry J. Mayfield Jr. was indeed the soldier killed in the attack. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment, 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group, Fort Rucker, Alabama.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Specialist Henry ‘Mitch’ Mayfield’s family, friends and loved ones,” said Col. William Garber, Commander of the Air Traffic Services Command and 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group. “Specialist Mayfield was a dynamic soldier who inspired those he served with to excel both on and off duty. The 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group will miss his leadership and camaraderie.”
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A Chicago mother has identified her son, 23, as the American soldier killed in Kenya on Sunday.
In a social media post, Carmoneta Horton-Mayfield said that Henry Mayfield Jr., was one of three Americans killed in a terrorist attack. The other two were contractors.
Mayfield Jr. lived in the Chicago suburb of Hazel Crest. He was killed in an attack on Manda Bay Airfield, a base used by both U.S. and Kenyan troops.
Loved ones confirm @USArmy Specialist Henry Mayfield Jr. was 1 of 3 Americans killed during a pre-dawn terror attack on a U.S. airfield base in Kenya.
He was just 23-years-old.
Mayfield Jr. is from Chicago suburb Hazel Crest.@cbschicago pic.twitter.com/l9ikuBhn4h
— Eric Cox (@EricCoxTV) January 6, 2020
Before joining the Army in 2018, Mayfield Jr. studied at Northwestern University. In a Facebook post, Horton-Mayfield confirmed the death of her son and asked: “Please keep our family in prayer.”
The al Qaeda-tied al Shabab terrorist group carried out the attack on Manda Bay Airfield before dawn on Sunday. Fighting during the attack lasted for hours as Kenyan and U.S. forces worked to stop the terrorists, eventually killing five of the assailants. In total, three Americans were killed and two were wounded.
Following the attack, U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of U.S. Africa Command, vowed to continue fighting al Shabab, saying: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of our teammates who lost their lives today. As we honor their sacrifice, let’s also harden our resolve. Alongside our African and international partners, we will pursue those responsible for this attack and al-Shabaab who seeks to harm Americans and U.S. interests.”
