F15 pilot, Captain Francis Imlay killed in accident

USAF F15 pilot, Captain Francis D. Imlay, from Vacaville, California, died on 28th March 2012 from injuries received in an accident involving an F-15 aircraft near a base in Southwest Asia.

31-year-old Capt. Imlay served with the 391st Fighter Squadron, from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He was married with a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter.

MHAFB Commander Col. Ron Buckley issued the following statement: "Today we mourn the loss of one of our warriors, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and co-workers during this time. He was a true professional and his dedication to the Gunfighter family will not soon be forgotten."

The cause of the accident is being investigated.

USAF Lt. Colonel John Loftis

44-year-old US Air Force Lt. Col. John D. Loftis, from Paducah, Kentucky, was one of two US military officers killed on 25th February 2012 by an Afghan national inside the Interior Ministry in Kabul.

The high-ranking officer was assigned to the 866th Air Expeditionary Squadron, Kabul, Afghanistan.

After graduating from Calloway County High School in 1986, Lt. Col. Loftis attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he graduated in 1990. He was commissioned by the Air Force in 1996. He served in the Peace Corp for two years.

More to follow.

USAF Senior Airman Bryan Bell

23-year-old USAF Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, from Erie, Pennsylvania, was one of three Air Force servicemen killed in action on 5th January 2012 when their vehicle struck an insurgent bomb in Shir Ghazi, Helmand.

Sr. Airman Bell, a bomb-disposal technician serving with the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, was a volunteer firefighter. He graduated from Harbor Creek High School in 2006 and joined the Air Force the same year.

He leaves behind his father, mother, wife and sister.

Also killed were: Airman 1st Class Matthew Seidler and Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz.

USAF Airman 1st Class Matthew Seidler

24-year-old USAF Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler, from Westminster, Maryland was one of three Air Force servicemen killed in action on 5th January 2012 when their vehicle struck an insurgent bomb in Shir Ghazi, Helmand.

Afc Seidler was serving with the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

Also killed were: Senior Airman Bryan Bell and Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz.

More information to follow.

Three USAF servicemen killed in action

Three USAF servicemen were killed while on patrol in Helmand province on 5th January 2012. Killed were:

34-year-old Technical Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz

23-year-old Senior Airman Bryan Bell

24-year-old Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler

USAF Airman 1st Class Jerome Miller Jr.

23-year-old USAF Airman 1st Class Jerome D. Miller Jr., from Washington, D.C. died in Parwan province on 13th October 2011 due to a non-combat related incident.

Afc. Miller served with the 459th Security Forces Squadron, based at Andrews Air Force Base.

More information to follow.

USAF Staff Sergeant Andrew Harvell

US Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew W. Harvell, from Long Beach, California, was killed in action on 6th August 2011 when the helicopter he was in was shot down by enemy forces in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

The 26-year-old served with the USAF 24th Special Tactics Squadron, based at Pope Field, North Carolina.

More information to follow.

USAF Tech. Sergeant John Brown

US Air Force Tech. Sergeant John W. Brown, from Tallahassee, Florida, was killed in action on 6th August 2011 when the helicopter he was in was shot down by enemy forces in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

The 33-year-old served with the USAF 24th Special Tactics Squadron, based at Pope Field, North Carolina.

More information to follow.

USAF Sergeant Daniel Douville

US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Douville, from Harvey, Louisiana, was killed in action on 26th June 2011 when a bomb exploded in the Nad-e-Ali district of Helmand province. He was 33 years old. 

He was assigned to the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Tech. Sgt. Douville had been in the USAF since 1997. He was a bomb-disposal technician who his former EOD instructors described as having "a quiet presence."

Married for 14 years, he leaves his wife LaShana, son Daniel Jr., and daughters Jadelynn and Ayjah.

US Army fallen soldiers repatriated

Among the U.S servicemen killed in Afghanistan this week are:

Name: John M. Runkle

Hometown: West Salem, Ohio

Rank: 1st Lt.

Service: United States Army

Name: Christopher R. Thibodeau

Hometown: Chesterland, Ohio

Rank: Chief Warrant Officer 2

Service: United States Army

Name: Edward D. Mills, Jr.

Hometown: New Castle, Pa.

Rank: Staff Sgt.

Service: United States Army

Name: Thomas A. Bohall

Hometown: Bel Aire, Kan.

Rank: Sgt.

Service: United States Army

Name: Adam J. Patton

Hometown: Port Orchard, Wash.

Rank: Spc.

Service: United States Army

Name: John C. Johnson

Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.

Rank: Tech. Pfc.

Service: United States Army

Name: Kristoffer M. Solesbee

Hometown: Citrus Heights, Calif.

Rank: Tech. Sgt.

Service: United States Air Force

USAF Staff Sergeant Joseph Hamski

U.S Air Force Staff Sergeant Joseph J. Hamski, aged 28, from Ottumwa, Iowa, was killed in action on 26th May 2011 in  Shorabak district, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

SSgt. Hamski was part of a unit that was hit by the blast of an improvised explosive device (a homemade bomb), detonated by insurgents.

He served with the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron based at Spangdahlem, Germany.

SSgt. Hamski leaves his wife, Air Force Staff Sergeant Maria Christina Hamski, mother, Mary Ellen Winston, sisters Jennifer Hensley and Nicole Friedman and his brother Thomas Hamski.

In the same incident,  USAF Tech. Sgt. Kristoffer M. Solesbee lost his life.

USAF Tech. Sergeant Kristoffer Solesbee

U.S Air Force Tech. Sergeant Kristoffer M. Solesbee, aged 32, from Citrus Heights, California was killed in action on 26th May 2011 in Shorabak district, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

TSgt. Solesbee was part of a unit that was hit by the blast of an improvised explosive device (a homemade bomb), detonated by insurgents.

He served with the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

In the same incident,  USAF Staff Sgt. Joseph Hamski lost his life.

USAF Major Jeffrey Ausborn

USAF Major Jeffrey O. Ausborn, aged 41, from Gadsden, was one of eight US military personnel killed by an Afghan Air Force pilot on 27th April 2011 in Kabul. He was assigned to the 99th Flying Training Squadron based at Randolph Air Base in Texas.

Major Ausborn, a 19-year veteran of the Air Force, had volunteered to go to Afghanistan last year to teach new Afghan pilots how to fly the C-27 aircraft.

In addition to his wife, Suzanna, he leaves five children: Emily, 15; Eric 12; Shelby, 10; Mitchell Maloy, 21; and Summer Maloy, 17.

USAF Master Sgt. Tara Brown

USAF Master Sergeant Tara R. Brown, aged 33, from Deltona, Florida, was one of eight US military personnel killed by an Afghan Air Force pilot on 27th April 2011 in Kabul.  She was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

M-Sgt. Brown was deployed to Afghanistan in January to train Afghan airmen on computer and networking skills. She was posthumously promoted from technical sergeant.

USAF Captain Charles Ransom

USAF Captain Charles A. Ransom, aged 31, from Midlothian, Virginia, was one of eight US military personnel killed by an Afghan Air Force pilot on 27th April 2011 in Kabul.  Capt. Ransom was assigned to the 83rd Network Operations Squadron, located at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

Capt. Ransom was a Virginia Military Institute alumnus and was vice president of the Class of 2001. He was a computer science major, and a cadet corporal platoon sergeant.

USAF Lt. Col. Frank Bryant

USAF F-16 pilot, Lt. Col. Frank Bryant was one of eight US military personnel killed in the much publicised Kabul shooting by an Afghan Air Force pilot on Wednesday 27th April 2011.

Lt. Col. Bryant had served in Iraq, where he piloted an F-16 on more than a dozen bombing missions in Baghdad and helped support a surprise raid aimed at Saddam Hussein and his sons.

USAF Major David Brodeur

USAF F-16 pilot, Major David Brodeur was one of eight US military personnel killed in the much publicised Kabul shooting by an Afghan Air Force pilot on Wednesday 27th April 2011.

Major Brodeur’s father told several news outlets that Brodeur, an F-16 pilot, had been in Afghanistan for about three months.

Brodeur was a 1999 graduate of the Air Force Academy and the father of two children, his father told the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester, Mass.

“David was a wonderful and caring father, husband, son and brother who was committed to the service of his country,” Lawrence Brodeur told the newspaper. “Words are inadequate to express how much we miss him.”

AFC Christoffer P. Johnson, U.S Air Force

AFC Christoffer Johnson

U.S Air Force Airman 1st Class Christoffer P. Johnson

Died February 17, 2011 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

AFC Johnson, aged 20, of Clarksville, Tenn., was assigned to 423rd Security Forces Squadron, Royal Air Force Alconbury, England. 

He was killed while on security patrol at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

During his time serving RAF Alconbury, Johnson volunteered for an assignment Operation New Dawn. Airman Johnson had only been on deployed for three weeks when he died.