© CBS 5YUMA, AZ (CBS5/AP) -
Two Marines assigned to the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma were killed during an insurgent attack on an air base in Afghanistan, the Defense Department said.
The well-armed group of 15 insurgents penetrated the perimeter of Camp Bastion and made it onto the flight line on Friday. They destroyed six Harrier jump jets assigned to Yuma's Marine Attack Squadron 211 and heavily damaged two others.
The dead Marines were identified Sunday as 40-year-old Lt. Col Christopher K. Raible of Huntingdon, PA, and 27-year-old Sgt. Bradley W. Atwell of Kokomo, IN.
"I am deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of Lt. Col. Christopher K. Raible and Sgt. Bradley W. Atwell in Afghanistan on Saturday," said U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-AZ. "These men represent the very best that our nation has to offer, and their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones."
Raible joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1995, when he served as an AV-8B Harrier pilot. He previously served in support of both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to Gov. Jan Brewer's office.
Atwell joined the Marine Corps in 2005 and served as an electrical systems technician.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Fourteen of the attackers were killed, and one was captured.
Brewer said she is ordering that flags at all state buildings be lowered from sunrise until sunset on Tuesday in honor of the two Marines.
Copyright 2012 CBS 5 (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
