Flags were lowered to half-staff Saturday at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, as U.S. troops paused to remember six brave airmen who were killed Friday when their C-130 crashed, along with five civilian passengers and an unknown number of people on the ground.

Capt. Jonathan J. Golden, 33; Capt. Jordan B. Pierson, 28; Staff Sgt. Ryan D. Hammond, 26; and Senior Airman Quinn L. Johnson-Harris, 21, were all assigned to the 39th Airlift Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, according to a Defense Department news release. They were the plane's crew: two pilots and two loadmasters.

"We are all mourning the loss of these incredible young men, but no one more than those who lost their loved ones," Col. Stephen Hodge, 317th Airlift Group commander, said in a news release. "These Airmen were our friends and our family, and the halls of the group and the skies overhead will never be the same without them. Though they are no longer with us, the memories of those whose lives they touched will remain forever."

Senior Airman Nathan C. Sartain, 29; and Airman 1st Class Kcey E. Ruiz, 21; were both assigned to the 66th Security Forces Squadron at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, Saturday's news release says. They performed fly-away security team missions, guarding aircraft, cargo, crew and passengers, according to a news release from Hanscom.

"These Airmen were rock stars," 66th Security Forces Squadron Commander Maj. Joseph Bincarousky said in the news release. "Their enthusiasm and dedication inspired peers and unit leadership alike. This is the type of young airman the Air Force needs more of; their absence is palpable."

The C-130J crashed soon after midnight local Afghan time on Friday shortly after takeoff at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan. Although the Taliban claim to have shot the plane down, enemy fire is not suspected as a cause in the crash.

"Today was a tough day for the Vulture Nation," Brig. Gen. Dave Julazadeh, 455th AEW commander, said at a fallen comrade ceremony on Saturday, according to a news release. "We mourned with the families of Jordan, JJ, Ryan, JH, Nathan and Kcey. We owe it to these warriors to complete the mission for which they gave their lives to protect and defend the freedoms upon which our great nation was built. We must never forget them or the sacrifices they made."