Names of Sailors,Soldiers and Airmen Killed in Helicopter Crash Are Released

[sappstuf]

Many of them are my brothers in the Chief community.


Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, La.

Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, Calif.

Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Ark.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31, of Stamford, Conn.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31, of Minneapolis, Minn.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 35, of West Hyannisport, Mass.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 37, of Kansas City, Mo.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32, of Shreveport, La.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 34, of Detroit, Mich.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (Select) (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, Calif.,

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28, of Angwin, Calif.

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, N.C.

Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 28, of Taylorsville, Utah

Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Neb.

Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia, Pa.

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn, 30, of Stuart, Fla.

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah.

The following sailors assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed:

and

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar, 24, ofSaint Paul, Minn.

The soldiers killed were:

Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Aurora, Colo.;

Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Nichols, 31, of Hays, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.;

Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Grand Island, Neb.;

Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, 24, of Tacoma, Wash. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.; and

Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.

The airmen killed were:

Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Fla.;
- Siloam Springs Native Killed in Afghanistan Helicopter Crash

Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, Calif.; and

Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, Pa.

[Fish&Game]

http://militaryconnection.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/salute_flag_alt.jpg

[The Profit]

God bless them all, and may he give comfort to their families.

[Memtig14]

God bless them all, and may he give comfort to their families.

Well said.

[diverdog]

On Tuesday night I was sitting at a stop light on the corner of RT 10 and HWY 13. That does not mean much on this board until I tell you why it is important. Route 10 is the main road to Dover AFB and RT 13 goes to Norfolk Virginia. As I sat at the light I watch bus load after bus load of Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Soldiers heading back to their bases after honoring the dead. It was a really sad sight and all I could think about were my sons and how devastated I would be if I lost one.

To often war gets described in terms of herorism, honor, duty and country. What war is really about is death.....death of the sons and daughters whose lives were cut far to short. I hate war and I see very little that is noble about it. War happens because in most cases statesmanship failed. There are noble and honorable people who fight and die in wars but at the end of the day it exacts a terrible price and the devil gets his measure.

Our nation has been at war for most of my lifetime and as far as I can tell they have not accomplished a whole lot. I pray for the day when our children grow up in a world without war. I pray for the day when we are no longer a nation whose biggest exports are weapons but are medicines, technology, food, and entertainment. I pray for the day when the people in Afghanistan and Iraq can live peaceful lives and join the world as our friends. I know this is mostly wishful thinking but I cannot help but feel that families of these men wish that there were no wars and could live to see their sons grow into old men. Ipray that this comes true and I pray for the men whose lives have been taken before they were ready. God bless their families.

[Turd_Ferguson]

God bless them and they're families...RIP

[Sooner Mommy]

A simple "thank you" seems insufficient to these individuals and their families. May God be with their loved ones. I am eternally grateful for these and other brave souls who sacrifice so much for the rest of us.