Guardsman from Waterford dies of combat wounds

Waterford - A local member of the National Guard has died from injuries he sustained in Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense.

Staff Sgt. Edwin Rivera, 28, deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year with the Norwalk-based 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment. He was wounded by indirect fire in a May 20 attack at Contingency Outpost Xio Haq, Afghanistan and taken to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., where he died late Tuesday night of his wounds.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff until Rivera’s funeral, plans for which have yet to be announced.

“From Revolutionary War days, Connecticut has always been a home of heroes – and today our state must sadly add another name to its roll of honor,” Rell said. “This is a heartbreaking loss for Staff Sergeant Rivera’s family, as it is for all of the people of our state.”

Rivera, a 2000 graduate of Waterford High School, is survived by his wife Yesenia, his two children and his parents, Ceferino and Gladys Rivera of Waterford. He is the second Waterford High graduate to die in combat in the Middle East – Marine Cpl. Kemaphoom “Ahn” Chanawongse, who graduated the year before Rivera, was killed in the opening days of the Iraq War in March 2003 during operations on the outskirts of Nasiriyah.

“The loss of Staff Sgt. Rivera, so close to the traditional Memorial Day weekend serves as a painful reminder to all of us, of the sacrifices young American heroes and their families are called upon to make on our behalf. For what Staff Sgt. Rivera has done in service to his state and nation makes him well deserving of the term hero,” said Maj. Gen. Thaddeus J. Martin, commander of the Connecticut National Guard.

The 102nd Infantry, as part of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Mountain, is partnered with Afghan security forces to train and mentor the Afghan Army, Police and Border Police forces in order to strengthen and stabilize the government of Afghanistan.