Bill seeks to award Congressional Gold Medal to US service members killed in Kabul bombing, including Navy Corpsman Maxton Soviak from Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 U.S. service members killed in August in a bombing outside Kabul’s airport.

That includes Navy Corpsman Maxton Soviak, a 22-year-old Berlin Heights native who lost his life there during the evacuations of Americans and Afghanistan residents.

CNN reports the bill, passed by the House in late October, is now headed to President Biden’s desk.

According to CNN, the legislation says, “The American servicemembers went above and beyond the call of duty to protect citizens of the United States and our allies to ensure they are brought to safety in an extremely dangerous situation as the Taliban regained control over Afghanistan.”

The 13 service members were identified as:

• Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City
• Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts
• Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California
• Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California
• Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska
• Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California
• Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California
• Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio
• Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee

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