Pentagon Launches Initial Investigation Into Niger Attack

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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) – The Pentagon has launched an initial investigation into the ISIS attack that killed Army Sgt. La David Johnson and his fellow soldiers.

They want answers that Johnson's family and the rest of the country wants to know.

The four soldiers were killed conducting a patrol on which a pre-mission briefing slide said "no enemy contact expected."

They were members of a team of U.S. advisors and soldiers from Niger, about 40 in all, who set out meet with local village leaders that day.

According to the Pentagon's Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, there was no reason to suspect trouble.

"The patrol that was attacked last week had actually done 29 patrols without contact over the previous six months or so.  No indication that this was going to occur," said McKenzie.

Yet, they were ambushed by a band of fighters described in an after action report as "well-trained, well-equipped and well-organized." A band which the Pentagon now believes was a local offshoot of ISIS.

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The patrol's vehicles were destroyed and they were cut down as they tried to take cover. Because no enemy contact had been expected, there were no armed aircraft overhead that the soldiers could call on for air strikes against their attackers. The first aircraft to arrive were French Mirage jets.

"They were able to have close air support overhead about 30 minutes after first contact, which is pretty impressive," said McKenzie.

But by then it was too late to drop bombs, and the patrol had to wait for French helicopters to pick up the mortally wounded soldiers.

The helicopters recovered the bodies of Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright.

The body of Sgt. La David Johnson was not recovered until two days later.