US Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner killed in helicopter crash

US Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner, serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Company B, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, was one of two soldiers killed on 9th April 2013 when their helicopter crashed during a reconnaissance mission in Nangarhar province.

34-year-old CWO3 Ruffner graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in criminology. He joined the military in 1997, serving initially as a mechanic in the Army Reserve’s 705th Transportation Company in Dayton, Ohio, before transferring to the Army National Guard’s 110th Infantry.

He went on to complete warrant officer training and transferred to the aviation career field in 2005 serving as an aviation life support equipment officer, tactical operations officer and instructor pilot. More recently, he was employed as a full-time Apache instructor pilot for the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility.

His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, three Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals and the Parachutist Badge.

The other Pennsylvania National Guardsman killed in the crash was Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder.

The cause of the crash is being investigated.

US Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder killed in helicopter crash

US Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder, serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Company B, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, was one of two soldiers killed on 9th April 2013 when their helicopter crashed during a reconnaissance mission in Nangarhar province.

27-year-old CWO2 Yoder joined the military in 2005 after graduating from High School the same year. He served as an infantryman and deployed to Iraq in 2008 with the 56th Stryker Brigade. In 2010, he became an Apache Helicopter pilot. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge and Driver and Mechanic Badge.

As reported on the Pennsylvania National Guard website, CWO2 Yoder’s wife Heather Garay-Yoder released the following statement: "Jarett is my American Hero. He always dreamed of being an Apache pilot and he followed those dreams to continue to fight for our country. Jarett died doing what he loved and dreamed of doing, a true hero. There are so many people who love him and we will never forget. I love you, always and forever. Your loving wife, Heather."

The other Pennsylvania National Guardsman killed in the crash was Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner.

The cause of the crash is being investigated.

US Army Chief Warrant Officer James Groves III

US Army helicopter pilot Chief Warrant Officer James E. Groves III was killed in a helicopter crash on 16th March 2013 at Kandahar.

37-year-old CWO Groves, from Kettering, Ohio, served with the Georgia-based 17th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, assigned to 3rd Squadron.

The cause of the crash is being investigated. There was no reported enemy action in the vicinity at the time of the incident.

CWO Groves was on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.

US Army CWO Bryan Henderson

US Army Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Henderson was one of five American soldiers killed on 11th March 2013 when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province.

CWO Henderson, aged 27, served with the Georgia-based 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, part of the 3rd Infantry Division.

The helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk, came down in heavy rain during a routine flight and crashed in the Daman district of Kandahar. All five crew members on board were killed. There was no reported enemy action in the area at the time of the accident.

The other crew members killed were: Captain Sara Cullen (nee Knutson); Staff Sgt. Marc A. Scialdo; Staff Sgt. Steven P. Blass and Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.

More information to follow.

US Army Staff Sergeant Marc Scialdo

31-year-old US Army Staff Sgt. Marc A. Scialdo was one of five American soldiers killed on 11th March 2013 when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province.

SSgt Scialdo, from Naples, Florida, served with the Georgia-based 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, part of the 3rd Infantry Division.

The helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk, came down in heavy rain during a routine flight and crashed in the Daman district of Kandahar. All five crew members on board were killed. There was no reported enemy action in the area at the time of the accident.

The other crew members killed were: Captain Sara Cullen (nee Knutson); Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Henderson; Staff Sgt. Steven P. Blass and Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.

More information to follow.

US Army Staff Sergeant Steven Blass

27-year-old US Army Staff Sgt. Steven P. Blass was one of five American soldiers killed on 11th March 2013 when their helicopter crashed in Kandahar province.

SSgt Blass, from Iowa, served with the Georgia-based 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, part of the 3rd Infantry Division.

The helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk, came down in heavy rain during a routine flight and crashed in the Daman district of Kandahar. All five crew members on board were killed. There was no reported enemy action in the area at the time of the accident.

The other crew members killed were: Captain Sara Cullen (nee Knutson); Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Henderson; Staff Sgt. Marc Scialdo and Spc. Zachary L. Shannon.

More information to follow.

Second helicopter crash in a week kills one soldier

A NATO helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan on Saturday 16th March killing one of the crew members.

There was no reported enemy action in the area at the time of the crash.

On Monday 11th March, a US Army UH-60 Blackhawk crashed in Kandahar province killing five American crew members.

More information to follow.

Five killed in Kandahar helicopter crash

Five NATO troops were killed when a helicopter crashed in southern Kandahar province on Monday 11th March 2013.

An Afghan government spokesman told press that the aircraft crashed during heavy rain in the Daman district. An ISAF spokesman said that there was no enemy action in the area at the time of the crash.

More information to follow.

Chinook helicopter crash 6th August 2011

We've created a separate list here of the troops on board the US Chinook helicopter that crashed while on mission in Wardak on 6th August 2011.

Date	Name	Rank	Age	Unit
AUG
06-Aug	Bennett, Alexander J.	Sergeant	24	US Army - 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment
06-Aug	Benson, Darrik C.	PO1	28	US Navy
06-Aug	Bill, Brian R.	CPO	31	US Navy
06-Aug	Brown, John W.	Tech. Sgt.	33	USAF 24th Special Tactics Squadron
06-Aug	Campbell, Christopher G.	PO1	36	US Navy
06-Aug	Carter, David R.	CWO	47	US Army 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment
06-Aug	Day, Jared W.	PO1	28	US Navy
06-Aug	Douangdara, Johnny	PO1	26	US Navy
06-Aug	Duncan, Spencer C.	Spc.	21	US Army - 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment
06-Aug	Faas, John W.	CPO	31	US Navy
06-Aug	Hamburger, Patrick D.	Sergeant	30	US Army 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment
06-Aug	Harvell, Andrew W.	Staff Sgt.	26	USAF 24th Special Tactics Squadron
06-Aug	Houston, Kevin A.	CPO	35	US Navy
06-Aug	Langlais, Louis J.	CPO	44	US Navy
06-Aug	Kelsall, Jonas	Lt. Cmdr	32	US Navy
06-Aug	Mason, Matthew D.	CPO	37	US Navy
06-Aug	Mills, Stephen M.	CPO	35	US Navy
06-Aug	Nichols, Bryan J.	CWO	31	US Army - 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment
06-Aug	Null, Nicholas H.	CPO	30	US Navy
06-Aug	Pittman, Jesse D.	PO1	27	US Navy
06-Aug	Ratzlaff, Thomas A.	CPO	34	US Navy
06-Aug	Reeves, Robert J.	CPO	32	US Navy
06-Aug	Robinson, Heath P.	CPO	34	US Navy
06-Aug	Spehar, Nicholas P.	PO2	24	US Navy
06-Aug	Strange, Michael	PO1	25	US Navy
06-Aug	Tumilson, Jon	PO1	35	US Navy
06-Aug	Vaughn, Aaron C.	PO1	30	US Navy
06-Aug	Vickers, Kraig M.	CPO	36	US Navy
06-Aug	Workman, Jason R.	PO1	33	US Navy
06-Aug	Zerbe, Daniel L.	Tech. Sgt.	28	USAF 24th Special Tactics Squadron

NATO helicopter crash kills French officer - 10 June

Another NATO helicopter has crashed killing a French officer, in eastern Afghanistan. The incident happened on Friday 10th June 2011.

No further details have been released yet.

More information to follow.

Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Thibodeau

Chief Warrant Officer Christopher R. Thibodeau, aged 28, from Chesterland, Ohio, died on 26th May 2011 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when his helicopter crashed during combat operations. 

He served with the 1st Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Fort Hood, Texas.

CWO Thibodeau deployed to Afghanistan in July 2010, a few weeks after marrying his wife, LeeSandra. Among his many interests was brewing his own beer.

US Army helicopter pilot killed is identified

CWO Varnadore

The pilot of a helicopter that crashed in Kapisa, eastern Afghanistan on Saturday 23rd April 2011, has been identified as Chief Warrant Officer Terry L. Varnadore, aged 29, from Mills River, N.C.

He was stationed at Fort Drum in New York, serving with 1st Attack Reconn Battalion, 10th Mountain Division. He had served a tour in Iraq and was deployed to Afghanistan last year, his pastor the Rev. Paul Thompson told press.

He graduated from Appalachian State University in 2003 and enlisted in the Army in 2005.

His awards and decorations include the Air Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Army Aviator Badge and the Combat Action Badge.

CWO Varnadore is survived by his wife and child, mother and father.

Spanish soldiers killed in Helicopter crash

16th Aug. 2005: 17 Spanish peacekeepers were killed when a helicopter crashed during training in western Afghanistan. Five soldiers were also wounded when a second Spanish helicopter taking part in the exercise made an emergency landing as the first one plunged to the ground near the main western city of Herat.

The aircraft, a Cougar, came down in the province of Herat, "in a very mountainous region, although the impact occurred on flat ground. It is unclear whether the crash was an accident or the result of a terrorist attack.

Taliban militants in June shot down a US helicopter in eastern Afghanistan, killing all 16 aboard. But western Afghanistan, where the latest crash happened, is regarded as much more peaceful.

Pictured left are 8 of the fatalities: Cpl. Daniel Fernandez; Cpl. Gonzalo Nazara; Pvt. Isaac Pineiro; Pvt. Pedro de Veira; Pvt. Ivan Nunez; Pvt. Jesus Rivera; Pvt. Pablo Sanchez; Jose Parada.

The soldiers were all members of the 4th Helicopter Battalion and the Light Infantry, 29th Air Mobile Brigade.

Click here to see the other soldiers killed

Helicopter crash kills 17 Spanish troops

16th Aug. 2005: 17 Spanish peacekeepers were killed when a helicopter crashed during training in western Afghanistan. Five soldiers were also wounded when a second Spanish helicopter taking part in the exercise made an emergency landing as the first one plunged to the ground near the main western city of Herat.

The aircraft, a Cougar, came down in the province of Herat, "in a very mountainous region, although the impact occurred on flat ground. It is unclear whether the crash was an accident or the result of a terrorist attack.

Taliban militants in June shot down a US helicopter in eastern Afghanistan, killing all 16 aboard. But western Afghanistan, where the latest crash happened, is regarded as much more peaceful.

Pictured left are 8 of the fatalities: Lt. Javier Hernandez; Sgt. Jose Bernadino; Captain David Fernandez; Briadier Juan Perra; Pvt. Pedro Cabera; Pvt. Diego Blanco; Pvt. Diego Lopez and Pvt. Jose Enriquez.

Another soldier killed in the crash was named as Alfredo Jodar (no photo available).

The soldiers were all members of the 4th Helicopter Battalion and the Light Infantry, 29th Air Mobile Brigade.

Click here to see the other soldiers killed