Guardsmen mourn loss of fellow soldiers

Colleagues are mourning the U.S. Air National Guardsmen killed overseas this week in an Afghanistan suicide attack. Two of the six victims, Technical Sgt. Joseph Lemm, also a Bronx NYPD officer, and

News 12 Staff

Dec 24, 2015, 8:06 AM

Updated 3,216 days ago

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Colleagues are mourning the U.S. Air National Guardsmen killed overseas this week in an Afghanistan suicide attack.
Two of the six victims, Technical Sgt. Joseph Lemm, also a Bronx NYPD officer, and Staff Sgt. Louis Bonacasa, were stationed at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York.
Fellow guardsman Sgt. Michael Bates was a friend to both men and says they were both true patriots. Both men had served multiple tours of duty overseas. 
Lemm, 45 years old and from West Harrison in Westchester County, leaves behind his wife and two children. Bonacasa, who's from Long Island, leaves behind his wife and their daughter Lily who just turned 5. 
Two years ago, News 12 aired a story on Lemm's surprise trip home from Afghanistan to visit his family.
The two sergeants are the second and third Air National Guardsman based at Stewart to die in the line of duty.