Memorial Day Weekend

becbec71

Also, this weekend I'm gonna take time to remember our brothers we lost during our tour in Afghanistan 2005-2006.

05 MAY 06
Aircraft "COLOSSAL 31" a CH-47 Chinook was conducting night operations on a mountaintop LZ, in support of Operation Mountain Lion near Asadabad in Kunar province, when the rear blades made contact with a tree, totally collapsing the rear rotor system 5 seconds after contact, causing the aircraft to violently up-end over the side of the mountain. Crashing along the mountain side and killing everyone on board; to include the aircrews and passengers. The following gave their lives...

CW3 Eric W. Totten [P]
CW2 Christopher B. Donaldson [P]
SSG Christopher T. Howick [FE]
SGT Jeffery S. Wiekamp [FE]
SGT Bryan A. Brewster [FE]
SGT John C. Griffith
LTC Joseph J. Fenty
SPC Justin L. O'Donohoe
PFC Brian M. Moquin Jr
SPC David Timmons Jr

02 JUL 06
During a night-time mortor attack on Kandahar Airfield, an Apache was launched as part of a QRF effort to hoze down insurgents spotted fleeing a fixed position. Just outside the camp's wire after lift-off, both pilots lost visual reference with the horizon from an NVG goggle failure, and crashed the aircraft into the ground. The co-pilot was ejected from the aircraft. The aircraft caught fire and munitions began to explode, which kept him from returning back to rescue CW3 Flanigan who was knocked unconscious. Mr. Flanigan died in the fire. He left behind his wife and two kids, as well as plenty of family, friends and battles that will never forget his sacrifice for this country and the great citizens of Afghanistan. The co-pilot, after a month of treatment to injuries sustained from the crash, courageously returned back to duty.


I appreciate the thankyous. Please take time to remember these gentlemen.

Amazing people to sacrafice for us all service men and women are heros!