Bodies of 3 slain SC Guardsmen return next week

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Three South Carolina Army National Guard soldiers killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan are expected to return home next week.

Maj. Gen. Robert Livingstone said Friday that funerals for 1st Lt. Ryan Rawl of Lexington, Sgt. First Class Matthew Thomas of Easley and Spc. John Meador of Columbia, would likely happen toward the end of next week.

Livingstone says some of the five Guardsmen wounded in the attack suffered broken bones, shrapnel wounds and have had amputations.

All eight were with the 133rd Military Police Company, based in Timmonsville. The unit was activated last year and was scheduled to return home in August.

Livingstone says the attack occurred Wednesday in the city of Khost. The attack claimed 21 lives in all.

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Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP