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Family and friends are mourning the deaths of 9 soldiers who had been killed within the crash of two US Army Black Hawk helicopters in southwestern Kentucky final week.
Two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the Army’s one hundred and first Airborne Division crashed throughout a coaching train at round 10:00 p.m. on March 29 in Trigg County, Kentucky, about 30 miles northwest of Army Base Fort Campbell. Is. All 9 soldiers on board each plane had been killed.
The “multi-ship” train included using night-vision goggles, stated Brig. Normal John Lubas, The 101st Airborne Deputy – Commander or Assistant Commander. Based on Lubas, the accident occurred throughout take-off and never throughout a medical evacuation drill.
The incident is at present beneath investigation by an Army Aviation Safety crew from Fort Rucker, Alabama.
“This can be a very unhappy time for the one hundred and first Airborne Division. “The loss of these soldiers will echo through our formations for years to come,” stated Main Normal JP McGee, commanding common of the one hundred and first Airborne Division and Fort Campbell. “Now is a time for mourning and healing. The entire division and this community stand with the families and friends of our fallen soldiers.”
This is what we all know to date concerning the 9 service members.
Ruston Smith, 32
Whereas his service took him around the globe, Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Ruston Smith made an enduring impression on St. James, Missouri, the city northeast of Rolla the place Smith attended highschool and the place his mother and father and sister Reside
Smith joined the Army in 2012, the place he was an teacher pilot for the one hundred and first Airborne Division and served in Afghanistan and Germany.
In a Fb submit, Smith’s aunt AJ Morris known as him “a true Missouri boy who loved hunting, fishing, woods walking, and wading rivers.”
Morris wrote, “He could have lived a perfectly happy and content life at home, secure on a farm in rural Missouri. But he had a big dream. He joined the army with two goals.” “He wanted to serve his country and he wanted to fly in the sky…and he did.”
The household, Morris wrote, is “crushed” by the sudden dying, however “we could not be more proud of the husband, father and warrior (Smith) and the choices he made in life.”
Visible Explainer:A US army Black Hawk helicopter has crashed in Kentucky, killing 9 individuals. Right here we all know.
Smith graduated from St. James Excessive College in 2009. He performed basketball in the course of the 2007-2008 season, and his coach posted a crew picture on Fb on Thursday.
“We lost an amazing role model today,” wrote Ben Smith, industrial arts instructor and head basketball coach at St. James Excessive College, “and our hearts are heavy.”
Smith is survived by his spouse, Carolyn, and their three kids; his mom, Brenda, and father, Purple, each of St. James; his sister, Lena (Monty) Turner of St. James; his aunt, Audrey “AJ” (Wealthy) Morris of Waynesville; Grandparents and prolonged household.
–Susan Zuch, Springfield news-leader, USA TODAY Community
Zachary Esparza, 36
Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Zachary Esparza of Jackson, Missouri, was recognized for his infectious optimistic power.
From his days at Bayless Excessive College in St. Louis, Southeast Missouri State College, and all through his 13-year army profession, friends say Esparza’s vivacious character had a manner of lighting up a room.
He started his army profession as a satellite tv for pc communications specialist earlier than coming into the Army Warrant Flight Program in 2015, and have become a MEDEVAC helicopter pilot with the one hundred and first Airborne Division and served around the globe.
Esparza had a variety of pursuits. He was a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fan, an outdoorsman, snowboarder, and a self-proclaimed charcuterie board artist.
One in all his largest passions was to make his followers chuckle.
In 2018 he despatched out Christmas playing cards dressed as Uncle Eddie, the character from Nationwide Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation”, sporting a gown and trapper hat in entrance of an RV.
Ryan Christie, a pal of Esparza’s within the army, posted on Fb, “He was one of the most genuine, fun-loving souls anyone could converse with and was always the center of the party.” “While we were struggling after losing the MFO400R, a lot of us were still hooked on it.”
MFO400R was a 2020 Black Hawk helicopter operation in Egypt that resulted in a crash that killed seven, together with 5 American service members.
His sister Rebecca Esparza posted on Fb, “Jack lived his life to the fullest protecting his country and traveling the world. He passed away flying his plane doing what he loved most.” “Let’s celebrate the light that Zac brought into our lives and learn to live how Zac lived – to its fullest.”
Black Hawk Crash: Two Army Black Hawk helicopters crash throughout coaching in Kentucky, killing 9 soldiers
David Solinas Jr., 23
Sgt. David Solinas Jr., of Oradell, New Jersey, was devoted to being a flight medic, which confirmed his character, his brother Aidan Solinas stated in a press release.
“We are a loyal family and we are proud that David was on the battlefield training to save soldiers,” he stated. “Being a flight medic is one of the toughest jobs you can do, and shows that David was a man of compassion and faith.”
— Nicholas Katzban, Katie Sobko, and Michael Karas, NorthJersey.com, USA TODAY Community
Joshua C. Gore, 25
Employees Sgt. Joshua C. Gore of Morehead Metropolis, North Carolina was form and compassionate.
Gore’s father, Tim Gore, often known as Caleb to his household, Goldsboro News-Argus that his son was an toddler when the household moved to North Carolina and remained within the state till he joined the army after graduating highschool.
Gore informed the newspaper, “His passion was search and rescue, and if you were wounded on the battlefield, Caleb coming out of that helicopter would be the most beautiful thing.” “He was kind, compassionate and a gentle giant because he was built like a tank.”
Gore stated his son left behind a spouse who’s pregnant.
Jeffrey Barnes, 33
Warrant Officer 1 Jeffrey Barnes enlisted within the Army in 2010 from Milton, Florida.
After coaching in South Carolina and Virginia, Barnes was assigned to the third Fight Aviation Brigade in Savannah, Georgia as an assault helicopter restore man. He went to Camp Humphreys in Korea as a squad chief within the 2nd Fight Aviation Brigade.
He additionally served with the 4th Fight Aviation Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado, and in 2019, Barnes served as an teacher at Fort Eustis, Virginia earlier than attending warrant officer coaching in 2020.
Barnes had been serving as an aeromedical evacuation pilot for the Fight Aviation Brigade, one hundred and first Airborne Division, since October 2022.
Whereas assigned to the Third Fight Aviation Brigade, Barnes deployed to Afghanistan in assist of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Barnes’ awards and decorations embrace the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal; Meritorious Unit Commendation; Army Good Conduct Medal; Nationwide Protection Service Medal; Afghanistan Marketing campaign Medal (Marketing campaign Star); World Warfare on Terrorism Service Medal; and the Korea Protection Service Medal.
– Pensacola Information Journal, USA TODAY Community
Emily Mary Eve Bolaños, 23
Corporal. Emily Mary Eve Bolaños of Austin, Texas, enlisted within the Army in 2019.
Based on wat 6 news, an area Tennessee TV station, Bolaños educated in South Carolina and Virginia. The station reported that she was assigned as a helicopter repairer and air crew member to the Fight Aviation Brigade, one hundred and first Airborne Division, starting in March 2020. She served 9 months in Germany in 2020 in assist of Atlantic Resolve.
– Megan Menchaca, Austin American-Statesman, USA TODAY Community
Isaac John Gayo, 27
Sgt. Isaac John Gayo of Los Angeles, California, joined the army to pursue his dream of turning into a pilot.
Based on his sister Margarita Gayo, Gayo and his household migrated to India from the Philippines in 2012. Isaac John Gayo labored a lot of odd jobs with the Los Angeles Unified College District and within the movie trade earlier than enlisting within the army, which he hoped would assist him understand his dream of turning into a pilot.
Gayo’s sister described her brother as her greatest pal, a person who impressed her day by day, calling with excellent news and nicely needs.
“Whenever I close my eyes, I see him,” she stated. “He was not ready. He had many dreams, he had many plans.
Isaac John Gayo enlisted in the Army in 2019, attended training in South Carolina and Virginia, and was awarded the US Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and Foreign Service Ribbon, according to a report released by the Army.
– Christopher Damien, Palm Springs Desert Sun, USA TODAY Network
Aaron Healy, 32
Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healy of Cape Coral, Florida, leaves behind his parents, Vicki and Michael, brothers Shawn and Brandon, and his wife and daughters, Sierra, Bleklin, 12, and Dakota, 10.
Healy was a devoted father who loved spending time with his wife and daughters. His parents said that he spent most weekends in some sort of family activity.
Healy’s career in the military came as a surprise to his parents, but they said he liked it. Without telling them, Healy enlisted in the army to become a mechanic after withdrawing his scholarship to the Florida Institute of Technology because too many of his men had dropped out.
He hadn’t even told her about Sierra before. According to his mother, he and Sierra, who were his high school classmates, began corresponding via Facebook Messenger. But he didn’t utter a word to his family – until he came home during the holiday. He was first deployed to Afghanistan, and was stationed in Kandahar.
When they went to the airport to pick her up, he told them there was someone he wanted to meet, and took them to Sierra, who was sitting nearby.
“That is after we came upon,” Vicki said, laughing at the memory.
The Healy family hopes to have Aaron interred at Arlington Cemetery. What makes it so difficult, Vicki said, is that Aaron was so young. He and Sierra never discussed his death, let alone what they wanted to do with his remains.
– Kate Cimini, Fort Myers News-Press, USA TODAY Network
Taylor Mitchell, 30
Employees Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, enlisted within the Army in 2014, in line with WHNT-TVA neighborhood Alabama TV station.
The station reported that after training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Mitchell was assigned to the 2nd Calvary Regiment, Vilseck, Germany, as a health care specialist.
According to the station, Mitchell worked as a flight paramedic in Fort Riley, Kansas after attending flight paramedic school in 2017. Mitchell had been serving as a flight paramedic for the Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, since November 2020.
The station reported that Mitchell additionally labored on two rotational excursions in assist of Atlantic Decision in Romania in 2019 and Germany in 2020.
Contributing: Nashville Tennessine, USA TODAY Network; The Associated Press
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