US Army Pvt. Danny Chen death subject to criminal investigation

MANHATTAN: The US Army's criminal investigations unit is probing the death of a soldier from Manhattan who was killed in Afghanistan early this month.

Army Pvt. Danny Chen, 19, who grew up in Chinatown and went to school on the Lower East Side, died on Oct. 3 in Kandahar Province, the military said last week.

Chen’s parents reportedly said military personnel informed them that their son had been subjected to harassment and physical abuse by fellow soldiers and may have committed suicide. Reports indicate that Chen died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Read full story at DNAinfo.com Manhattan Local News

Cause of US Army Helicopter crash released

The cause of the August 2011 Chinook helicopter crash that killed 30 American service personnel has been officially announced by US military investigators.

The official investigation report, released on Wednesday 12th October 2011 by US Central Command said: "A previously undetected group of suspected Taliban fighters fired two or three RPGs in rapid succession from the tower of a two-story mud brick building approximately 220 meters south of the aircraft. The first RPG missed the helicopter, but the second RPG struck one of the blades on the aft (rear) rotor assembly and exploded."

The crash killed everyone on board the helicopter including 17 US Navy SEAL members, 5 US Navy Special Operations personnel, 3 USAF personnel, 5 US Army helicopter crew members, 7 Afghan Commandos, and Afghan interpreter and a US military dog.

Click here for a list of the fallen service members.