Their Story
Remembering John M. McHugh.
Col. John M. McHugh, 46, of New Jersey, was assigned to the U.S. Army Battle Command Training Program, Fort Leavenworth. He died May 18 in Kabul, Afghanistan, when a suicide bomber steered his explosives-laden Toyota minibus into an American convoy as it moved through the thick of rush-hour traffic.
Along with COL McHugh attack killed 17 other people, including 4 other American soldiers (Lt. Col. Paul R. Bartz, 43, of Waterloo, Wis., Lt. Col. Thomas P. Belkofer, 44, of Perrysburg, Ohio, Staff Sgt. Richard J. Tieman, 28, of Waynesboro, Pa., Spc. Joshua A. Tomlinson, 24, of Dubberly, La.) Col. Geoff Parker, RCR, and wounded at approximately 47 civilians.
He had arrived in Afghanistan from Fort Leavenworth, Kan., just days before he was killed.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Connie McHugh, his five children and a granddaughter. His oldest child, Michael, was serving in Iraq when his father was killed. He met his father's body in Kuwait and escorted his body home.