An 82nd Airborne pilot was critically injured on Christmas day in a drone strike in Iraq.
“Early this morning in northern Iraq, U.S. military personnel were targeted by a one-way attack drone,” said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in a press release. “The attack wounded three U.S. service-members, one critically. The Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups, under an umbrella of Iranian-backed militants, claimed credit for the attack.”
Pinehurst resident Garrett Illerbrunn is stationed out of Fort Liberty.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been organized to raise funds for Illerbrunn and his family.
“On Christmas Day, 2023, Garrett was one of three US soldiers injured in a drone attack on a base in northern Iraq,” said Melissa Young, the organizer of the GoFundMe fundraiser. “His wife and son, Lorna and Tucker, were visiting family for the Holidays when they received the news. While his prognosis is unknown and ever-changing, we as the organizers want to be able to prepare for the Illerbrunn’s as much as possible in their difficult time.
“Lorna had previously contracted out a surprise Christmas present for Tucker to have a treehouse built for when they got home from their trip. Lorna is traveling to Germany to be by her husbands side while Tucker will be coming home with family to be able to continue on and have an easy transition to the new normal.
“Our friend, who is a local Veteran contractor here in the Sandhills, Ray Helvig, has graciously offered to cover some of the costs of the treehouse but we not only want to help cover the entire costs; we want to do more.”
An update on the GoFundMe page said Illerbrunn suffered a head injury and is in a coma at a hospital in Germany.
U.S. military forces conducted strikes after the attack.
“Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted necessary and proportionate strikes on three facilities used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups in Iraq,” said Austin. “These precision strikes are a response to a series of attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias, including an attack by Iran-affiliated Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups on Erbil Air Base earlier today, and intended to disrupt and degrade capabilities of the Iran-aligned militia groups directly responsible.”
Pinehurst Elementary School (PES) PTA made a statement regarding its PES family.
“Our hearts are aching for this family, and we are sending all the prayers and healing energy to them at this time,” said Pinehurst Elementary School PTA on its Facebook page.
Over $47,000 has been raised to help the family.
Feature photo: Garrett and Lorna Illerbrunn. Photo via GoFundMe.
