HOOKSTOWN, Pa. — The Hookstown Post Office on Mill Street in Hookstown was dedicated Monday in honor of Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin.
Elchin sacrificed his life while deployed in Afghanistan. He was assigned to the Army Special Operations Force, and two weeks after his deployment, Elchin tragically died in a roadside bomb blast in the Andar Province.
The Department of Defense confirmed that Elchin, 25, was one of three U.S. service members killed in the explosion outside Ghazni in 2018.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The dedication Monday came as those insurgents are once again seizing power there.
[ Photos: Beaver County native named as 1 of 3 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan ]
Three other American service members and an American contractor were injured, the DOD said.
Elchin was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone, the Purple Heart for wounds suffered, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor and the Air Force Commendation Medal, among many others.
Accolades and honors notwithstanding, his legacy is cemented in patriotism, heroism and a special caring for his fellow man.
“He was an exceptional person, and I believe when you’ve lost somebody like this, your purpose should be to make sure they’re never forgotten,” Elchin’s grandfather, Ron Bogolea said. “He wanted to protect America, and he chose the hardest course, absolutely the hardest, most dangerous course in the Air Force as a combat controller.”
On Dec. 3, legislation to designate the Hookstown Post Office building as the “Staff Sergeant Dylan Elchin Post Office” was signed into law by President Donald Trump.
The legislation was championed by U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, who commended Elchin’s bravery and thanked his family.
“We would not be the country we want to be or the country we say we are without families like yours who are willing to raise children like Dylan,” Lamb said.
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