Families, communities mourn SEALs

CARL QUINTANILLA, anchor: Tonight we're hearing from the families of some of the Americans killed in that attack. NBC 's Thanh Truong joins us now from Norfolk , Virginia , home to SEAL Team Six . Thanh , good evening.

THANH TRUONG reporting: Carl , good evening to you. Here in the greater Norfolk area, tens of thousands of families are closely connect to the Navy and the Navy SEALs . So as you can imagine, losing 22 of their own is hard to process. At a church service in Virginia Beach this morning, the faithful prayed for the fallen and sang the Navy hymn . Navy SEALs may be shrouded in secrecy, but in naval communities like this, they're neighbors, friends and family.

Unidentified Woman: My heart goes out to them. I know the boys were doing what they love and always would do that and they live for that. But to lose them is tough.

TRUONG: Navy SEAL Aaron Vaughn was based in Virginia Beach . He was one of 22 SEALs killed in the attack. The 30-year-old leaves behind a wife and two young children. His grandmother wishes she could have seen him one last time.

Ms. GENEVA VAUGHN (Aaron Vaughn's Grandmother): I'd say, ' Aaron , you make me proud.' And I 'd say, 'you did a good job,' and I'd say, 'I love you and I always will.'

TRUONG: Cynthia Morrison with the Navy SEAL Foundation , a nonprofit supporting SEAL families, estimates that half of the 2600 elite commandos are based in the greater Norfolk area. The other half calling Coronado , California , and San Diego home. In such a small group, the loss of 22 is magnified.

Ms. CYNTHIA MORRISON: We pray every day that they do come home. And this weekend, unfortunately, there are going to be a lot of guys not coming home .

TRUONG: Eight other US service members died in the crash, among them Air Force tech Sergeant John Brown , a native of northwest Arkansas . His mother called the special forces medic a humble healer.

Ms. ELIZABETH NEWTON (John Brown's Mother): If there is a comfort in the situation, I'm so proud of my son. So very proud of him.

TRUONG: Thirty-year-old Patrick Hamburger was a sergeant in the Nebraska Air National Guard . He is survived by his fiancee and two-year-old daughter. And Army Reserve Specialist Spencer Duncan , just 21, served as door gunner on the Chinook . And the next difficult step for the families of the fallen is to wait for the bodies of their loved ones to be flown back here to American soil. Carl :

QUINTANILLA: And, Thanh , as the nation tries to get over the shock of this attack is there any indication at all as to when those remains might be coming back stateside?

TRUONG: Well, it'll be most likely in the next few days, probably within this week. But so far military officials haven't even released the names of the full list of the names of the fallen yet. Carl :

QUINTANILLA: Appreciate that. Thanh Truong joining us tonight from Norfolk , Virginia .