Shannon Kent, a US Navy sailor from upstate New York who was killed in this week’s suicide bombing in Syria, was remembered Friday in her hometown as “a wonderful person” who gave her life for her country.
Chief Cryptologic Technician Shannon M. Kent, 35, was among 16 people – including three other Americans – killed when an ISIS suicide bomber attacked US-led coalition forces on patrol in the northern Syrian city of Manbij on Wednesday, officials said.
Kent, a native of Pine Plains in Dutchess County, graduated from Stissing Mountain High School in 2001.
“She was a wonderful person and was an honor student,” principal Tara Grieb told The Post. “We’re very proud of her and her service. We’re supporting her family 100 percent at this time of sorrow.”
Grieb said Kent’s two siblings also attended the school, but declined to provide additional information out of respect for the family.
Pine Plains town Supervisor Darrah Cloud said flags were lowered to half-staff Friday morning in Kent’s honor in the community of 2,473 people about 100 miles north of the city.
“She was a brilliant kid. Many, many people here knew her and they really admired her,” Cloud said. “She was really a unique person and had a gift for language. She knew she was in a dangerous place and it took real courage to go there.”
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said the community will remember Kent’s service to the nation.
“May her light shine on through her friends and loved ones,” Molinaro said in a statement, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal. “And may her family find peace during this difficult time.”
Kent enlisted in the Navy on Dec. 11, 2003, and graduated in February 2004 from boot camp in Illinois, according to the military.
She was a graduate of the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and assigned to Cryptologic Warfare Activity 66, based out of Fort Meade, Maryland.
During her years of service, she received nearly a dozen honors, including the National Defense Service Medal and two Joint Service Commendation Medals, Navy officials said.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and teammates of Chief Petty Officer Kent during this extremely difficult time,” Cmdr. Joseph Harrison, commanding officer of CWA 66, said in a statement.
“She was a rock star, an outstanding chief petty officer, and leader to many in the Navy Information Warfare Community.”