Western PA Soldier Dies In Afghanistan

The nephew of an Upper St. Clair couple was killed in Afghanistan Wednesday, according to the Department of Defense.

Staff Sgt. Eric S. Holman, 39, of Evans City, Butler County, died of wounds suffered when he came into contact with an improvised explosive device in the Ghazni province. He was the son of David Holman and nephew of Sal and Kathy Crisanti of Upper St. Clair, and he had a 7-year-old son.

Eric Holman was assigned to 192nd Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group, 20th Support Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

“He loved his country,” David Holman told KDKA-TV. “He was very patriotic and he just felt that he needed to do what he needed to do, and he wanted to have an impact.”

A 1990 graduate of Avonworth High School, Holman also attended Penn State University. He joined the Army after 9/11 and was deployed to Afghanistan in January.