The first incident happened on Tuesday in Kandahar City, where four soldiers were killed.
Officials says 23-year-old 1st Lt. Christopher S. Goeke of Apple Valley, Minn.; 34-year-old Staff Sgt. Christopher T. Stout of Worthville, Ky.; 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Sheldon L. Tate, 27, of Hinesville, Ga., and 20-year-old Specialist Christopher J. Moon of Tuscon, AZ. died while fighting insurgents that attacked the Afghan National Police headquarters in Kandahar.
They were members of the 82nd's 4th Brigade due to come home soon. The 4th Brigade left Fort Bragg last August to train Afghanistan troops and police units.
Four other soldiers also lost their lives on Wednesday in the Zabul province.
They were identified as 21-year-old Spc. Chase Stanley of Napa, Calif.; 26-year-old Spc. Jesse D. Reed of Orefield, Penn.; 21-year-old Spc. Matthew J. Johnson of Maplewood, Minn. and 24-year-old Sgt. Zachary M. Fisher of Ballwin, Mo. They were assigned to the 20th Engineer Brigade.
Officials say the men were killed while they were finding and clearing roadside bombs.
"They did so willingly, professionally and absolutely without fear," 20th Eng. Brigade Commander Col. Richard G. Kaiser said. "Their whole purpose was to make Afghanistan a safer place for our American troops and our Afghan partners, as well as every citizen of Afghanistan. What more noble and selfless task could there be. They are true American heroes."
A memorial for the fallen soldiers will be held in Afghanistan.
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