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Body Of General From Albany Area Killed In Afghanistan Arrives In Dover

DOVER, Del. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The body of a two-star general killed in an apparent Afghan "insider attack" has arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

A C-17 cargo plane carrying the body of 55-year-old Maj. Gen. Harold Greene, an Albany area native, landed Thursday morning at Dover, home to the nation's largest military mortuary.

White-gloved soldiers solemnly carried a flag-draped metal case with Greene's remains to a waiting mortuary vehicle as Army officials and other dignitaries saluted.

Army Maj. Gen. Harold Greene
Army Maj. Gen. Harold Greene. (Photo by U.S. Army/Getty Images)

Greene is the highest-ranked U.S. officer to be killed in combat since 1970 during the Vietnam War.

A 34-year U.S. Army veteran, Greene was born in Albany and graduated from high school in suburban Guilderland. He was a 1980 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in nearby Troy, where he earned degrees in engineering.

Greene was the deputy commanding general of the combined security transition command unit in Afghanistan. Trained as an engineer, Greene was involved in preparing Afghan forces for the departure of U.S.-coalition troops at the end of this year.

He was killed in one of the bloodiest insider attacks of the long Afghanistan war when a gunman dressed as an Afghan soldier turned on allied troops, wounding about 15 U.S. and coalition forces.

On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered flags on state government buildings across New York to be flown at half-staff.

"It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene," Cuomo said in a statement. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I offer my thoughts and prayers to the friends and family of Major General Greene. We will never forget his sacrifice, and we will honor his service with pride."

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