Alabama Loses a Hero

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sergeant Lee’s loved ones:

Army Sgt. Carlie M. Lee III, a 23-year-old native of Birmingham, was killed in Chak, Afghanistan on Friday, along with Staff Sgt. Esau I. Delapena Hernandez of La Puente, Calif.

Lee’s mother, Norma Lee, said her son had just recently undergone surgery on his appendix and had not been out of the hospital for more than two weeks. She questioned whether he should have been back into combat so soon.

The soldiers were members of the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment and deployed earlier this year with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lee, who joined the Army in 2006 and was on his second deployment to Afghanistan, had re-enlisted in December and was scheduled to return home in July.