Lone Star Battalion may have lost 2 to friendly fire Military investigates possible friendly fire

2 in Lone Star Battalion apparently killed by a Hellfire missile fired from a drone

Marine Staff Sgt. Jeremy Smith, 26, of Arlington, died April 6 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He served with the Houston-based 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, a reserve unit also known as the Lone Star Battalion. less Marine Staff Sgt. Jeremy Smith, 26, of Arlington, died April 6 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He served with the Houston-based 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, a reserve unit also known as the Lone Star ... more Photo: Family Photo Photo: Family Photo Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Lone Star Battalion may have lost 2 to friendly fire 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

The military is investigating the deaths of a Houston-based Marine reservist and Navy hospital corpsman in an apparent friendly fire incident, a Defense Department spokeswoman said Monday.

Lt. Col. Elizabeth Robbins said the deaths of Marine Staff Sgt. Jeremy Smith, 26, of Arlington, and Navy Seaman Benjamin Rast, 23, of Niles, Mich., in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday are being investigated by International Security Assistance Force Joint Command but declined to give further details.

The families of both men say military officials told them the two were killed Wednesday by a Hellfire missile, a weapon fired by U.S. aircraft.

Smith and Rast were assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, also known as The Lone Star Battalion.

NBC News on Monday reported that Smith and Rast were killed by a Hellfire fired from a U.S. Air Force Predator drone.

Citing anonymous U.S. military sources, NBC reported that Smith and Rast's unit was on its way to reinforce fellow Marines under fire from enemy forces in Helmand Province when confusion on the battlefield led to tragedy.

The Marines who were under fire saw "hot spots," or infrared images, on streaming video relayed to them from a Predator overhead and mistakenly identified the "hot spots" as enemies, according to the NBC report.

ISAF officials reached by telephone and email in Afghanistan said they couldn't release any information until an incident assessment report is finalized.

'A leader with experience'

Smith and Rast were among more than 800 citizen-Marines and Navy corpsmen who deployed in March to Afghanistan with the The Lone Star Battalion, a reserve unit headquartered at Houston's Ellington Field.

Their deaths are the first two casualties suffered by the battalion during this deployment.

Smith, a light armored vehicle crewman, joined the Marine Corps on June 16, 2003. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan. He previously served three tours in Iraq.

"The Bible says that we are to run the race that is set before us," said Smith's father, Jerry, in a statement. "Jeremy did that even though it was a difficult race. He only had to do two tours, but this is his fourth.

"As a leader with experience, he felt that he needed to go back, to ensure that his guys made it home safely. That is why he did four tours."

'Brave beyond belief'

Rast enlisted in the Navy on April 1, 2009. He was stationed at Naval Medical Center San Diego's Directorate for Nursing Services before being attached as a hospitalman to The Lone Star Battalion.

Rast's father, Robert, said in a telephone interview that his son was "brave beyond belief" and cared deeply about his fellow Marines and fellow sailors.

"I'm trying to be strong for him because he'd want me to be strong," the father said.

He said he has no comment on the possible friendly fire incident until he receives an official report.

lindsay.wise@chron.com