Honoring Black Hawk Tail #517 ~ You Will Never be Forgotten.
Memorial Day has come to have very special meaning for us.
As members of Soldiers' Angels, we have supported many, many soldiers who served in Afghanistan and
Iraq with cards, letters, care packages, and holiday gifts since we first joined the group in 2006.
In 2010, we adopted an entire unit of 35 soldiers who were members of the 101st Airborne Combat Air Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. This unit was based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and had been deployed to Afghanistan where they were stationed at Kandahar Air Base.
In
addition to the soldiers of the 101st, we also supported another platoon of 12
soldiers, members of a combined joint special operations task force
serving in Tarin Kowt that our CAB unit delivered mail and supplies to.
Our unit of the 101st CAB brought mail, food, and supplies
to groups of soldiers stationed in the mountainous region near Kandahar and
served as the extraction team for any NATO troops in that region who
were either in extreme danger or who had been injured or killed. It was grim, dangerous work.
Capt. Nick Craig |
Our
main contact for both units during the deployment was Capt. Nick Craig,
one of the Black Hawk pilots in the CAB unit we were supporting. Nick
relayed messages to us, letting us know what
kinds of food, clothing, and toiletries the special forces soldiers
needed, and what the soldiers in his own unit needed as well.
We sent cards and letters every week and more than two dozen care
packages every month, including complete meals, toiletries, and snacks
for the special forces soldiers.
We also sent each of our soldiers a Christmas stocking stuffed with goodies from their "Wish List". (That was a major production but we pulled it off!) And we sent each one of them one of the "US Flag" T-shirts we are wearing (above photograph).
We also sent each of our soldiers a Christmas stocking stuffed with goodies from their "Wish List". (That was a major production but we pulled it off!) And we sent each one of them one of the "US Flag" T-shirts we are wearing (above photograph).
On September 21, 2010, the U.S. suffered one of the most devastating losses of the entire war when one of the unit's Black Hawk helicopters, tail #517, crashed, claiming the lives of 9 soldiers and sailors.
While we were grateful that Nick was not flying that day, the five
soldiers who perished were members of the 101st CAB. The other four troops who died in the crash were sailors, members of a special forces combined group. Three were
Navy SEALs and the fourth was a Navy cryptologic technician assigned to a
Naval Special Warfare unit.
Their unit emblem, sent by Nick, shortly after the crash. |
Despite not having met any of "our" soldiers or knowing them personally, the loss was very personal to us. We held every one of them very close to our hearts.
Nick organized a memorial to honor the
soldiers who died and single-handedly raised the funds to build it. The memorial was dedicated at Fort Campbell on my birthday, January 6, 2012.
We couldn't be there for the dedication, but Nick sent us a certificate commemorating the day and acknowledging that a flag was flown in our name by a Black Hawk over Afghanistan. We were very touched by the honor. He also sent us their unit emblem which hangs in our kitchen.
As we have done each year since this tragedy occurred, today on Memorial Day, we are remembering and honoring the soldiers and sailors who perished in the crash of Black Hawk #517.
In 2011, we dedicated the circular rose and cottage garden in front of our home to the memory of these soldiers and placed American flags around the circle, one for each soldier and sailor lost. We left the flags flying in place until it was time to close the garden for the winter.
We couldn't be there for the dedication, but Nick sent us a certificate commemorating the day and acknowledging that a flag was flown in our name by a Black Hawk over Afghanistan. We were very touched by the honor. He also sent us their unit emblem which hangs in our kitchen.
As we have done each year since this tragedy occurred, today on Memorial Day, we are remembering and honoring the soldiers and sailors who perished in the crash of Black Hawk #517.
In 2011, we dedicated the circular rose and cottage garden in front of our home to the memory of these soldiers and placed American flags around the circle, one for each soldier and sailor lost. We left the flags flying in place until it was time to close the garden for the winter.
Last year, we erected a permanent memorial in the form of a figure of a
soldier bearing a flag. At night, the statue and flag are lit by a
solar powered spot light that shines from dusk until dawn.
We are grateful for the safe return of the many soldiers we supported over the past nearly 7 years. For those who gave their lives to this effort, we have pledged to honor their memory. With this garden, we will never forget.
Here is our garden tribute to the soldiers and sailors who died on September 21, 2010 in the crash of Black Hawk Tail #517.
Red roses, white iris, blue catmint, and (off to the side out of view) peonies are in bloom. |
Close-up of the statuary. |
Remembering the Soldiers and Sailors
from Black Hawk #517
from Black Hawk #517
Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G. Wagstaff |
Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr. |
Chief Warrant Officer Jonah D. McClellan |
Maj. Robert F. Baldwin |
Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell |
Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam O. Smith |
Lt. Brendan J. Looney |
Senior Chief Petty Officer David B. McLendon |
Petty Officer 3rd Class Denis C. Miranda |
Author's Note:
Much of the content of this post is taken from our previous post about
this courageous crew which we posted on Memorial Day, 2011. You can
read the previous post HERE. Photos were sent to us by Capt. Nick Craig shortly after the crash.
What a beautiful and inspiring tribute. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for acknowledging this, Mario. We think of these soldiers every day - and we have a solar spot light on this soldier and the flag so that everyone else who passes by can remember as well.
ReplyDeleteYou are inspiring in your dedication to these fine soldiers. A wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteAhhh, you're so sweet! Yes, we are dedicated to their memory. It's hard to believe that it's been 3 years since this tragedy happened. Thanks for helping us honor them.
Deletedear C and S, thank you for sharing your beautiful memorial garden. Such a tragic waste of young lives.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for dropping by! We agree about the loss - we still grieve and we were strangers. The loss to their families is incalculable.
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