Air Force Honors National Guard Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

Two Guardsmen killed in Afghanistan suicide bombing to be named honorary OSI agents
Air Force Times
By Phillip Swarts, Staff writer
December 30, 2015

The six airmen who were killed in a Dec. 21 suicide bomb attack are, clockwise from top left: Maj. Adrianna M. Vorderbruggen, Staff Sgt. Michael A. Cinco, Staff Sgt. Chester J. McBride, Tech Sgt. Joseph G. Lemm, Staff Sgt. Peter W. Taub, and Staff Sgt. Louis M. Bonacasa. (Photo: Air Force photos)

The two New York Air National Guardsmen who died Dec. 21 in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan have been named honorary special agents for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the agency announced Monday.

Tech Sgt. Joseph Lemm, 45, and Staff Sgt. Louis Bonacasa, 31, died after their patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber riding a motorcycle near Bagram Air Base. Both were assigned to the 105th Security Forces Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York.

Four OSI Special Agents were also killed in the blast: Maj. Adrianna Vorderbruggen, 36, and Staff Sergeants Michael Cinco, 28, Peter Taub, 30, and Chester McBride, 30.

On Monday, Brig. Gen. Keith Givens, the commander of OSI, announced that the two Guardsmen would be made honorary agents.

“In our command's 67 year history, we have selected less than 60 Honorary OSI Special Agents. None of those have been active-duty Security Forces or Air National Guard members,” Givens said. “That has changed today. After consulting with all of OSI's senior leaders, the following ‘Brothers-in-Arms’ members have been made Honorary AFOSI Special Agents.”
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