Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Darin Hoover

Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Darin Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, UT, served with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Pendleton, CA. He was killed August 26, 2021, when an ISIS-K suicide bomber attacked Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. He and his fellow Marines were securing the entrance and screening civilians during the evacuation.

SSgt Hoover was 11 years old when he witnessed the September 11th terror attacks unfold on live television. It was a moment he never forgot. All throughout his Military Career, he wore a 9/11 Memorial Bracelet as a daily reminder of why he signed the dotted line. During his 11-year career, SSgt Hoover completed five overseas deployments—including three tours in Afghanistan.

Friends and relatives recalled SSgt Hoover’s contagious laugh, sense of humor, selflessness and devotion to his Marines. His father summarized his character simply: “He was the best kid in the world.”

SSgt Hoover was survived by his parents, two sisters and a fiancé.