Body of NJ soldier killed in Afghanistan returns home

Show Caption Hide Caption Remembering New Jersey's Michael Goble, U.S. soldier Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Goble of Bergen County was killed in combat Dec. 23, 2019 in Afghanistan, U.S. military officials said.

The remains of Michael J. Goble, a 2004 Westwood High School graduate who was killed during combat in Afghanistan, have been returned to the United States, arriving at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday.

Sgt. 1st Class Goble, 33, was killed Monday in a roadside bombing in northern Kunduz province. The Taliban have claimed they were behind the attack.

Goble was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The Pentagon has said Goble's unit was engaged in combat operations when he suffered fatal injuries.

Multiple U.S. officials, including national security adviser Robert O'Brien and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended what the military calls a dignified transfer, in which the cases containing the remains are transferred to a vehicle from the aircraft that ferried them to the U.S.

The father of a 6-year-old girl, Goble had been scheduled to return home in several weeks after serving four tours of duty, said Westwood Mayor John Birkner Jr.

Goble had many cousins, said his aunt Jill Onorato. He loved his family and his country. Goble built a career helping others, which led him to join the U.S. Special Forces.

A GoFundMe campaign started after Goble's death had raised more than $125,000 as of Thursday.

Goble's preference was to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Onorato said, although funeral arrangements have not been made public.

Goble is one of over 120 members of the armed services from New Jersey who have died since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.

This article contains material from The Associated Press.

Keldy Ortiz is a breaking news reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all the major news happening in North Jersey, subscribe here. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

Email: ortizk@northjersey.com Twitter: @KeldyOrtiz

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