Two Fort Wainwright soldiers were killed Sunday morning and seven others wounded by the detonation of an improvised explosive device in southern Afghanistan.
The Army identified the two soldiers as Master Sgt. Kenneth B. Elwell and Pfc. Tyler M. Springmann.
Elwell, 33, of Holland, Penn., had been in the Army since 1997, and previously deployed to Iraq twice, and Bosnia. He had previously been stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, Korea and Fort Benning, Georgia.
Springmann, 19, was from Hartland, Maine, and had been in the Army since June of 2010. He had completed basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and arrived at Fort Wainwright in October of 2010.
According to U.S. Army Alaska spokesperson Lt. Col. Bill Coppernoll, the incident occurred during a dismounted patrol at 11:35 a.m. Afghanistan time Sunday.
The soldiers were all assigned to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
Next of kin have been notified.
Editor's note: In a statement Tuesday, the Army corrected the spelling of Springmann's last name and announced Elwell's posthumous promotion to master sergeant.
