The War in Afghanistan is officially over.
According to the Pentagon, at 3:29 Eastern Standard Time yesterday, the last C-17 lifted off with American troops out of the country, completing the longest war in U.S. History, surpassing the Vietnam War by roughly 5 months.
The nearly two-decade long conflict had its presence felt here in the area with the deaths of Sgt. Matthew W. Weikert of Jacksonville on July 17, 2010, Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell of Pleasant Plains on Sept. 21, 2010; and Sgt. Andrew R. Tobin of Jacksonville on August 24, 2011.
Overall, 90 Illinois residents died in the conflict. 19,950 soldiers were wounded in total for the United States.