April 23 - They died in Pul-E-Alam, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from enemy
indirect fire. Killed were:
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1st Lt. Robert J. Hess, 26, of Fairfax, Va, and
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Capt. Aaron R. Blanchard, 32, of Selah, Wash.
The
Yakima Herald Republic reports:
[Capt. Aaron R. Blanchard] was born in Yakima on April 2,
1981 and grew up in Selah. He attended Lince Elementary and played
Little League Baseball. He and his brothers were part of a happy flock
of neighborhood children that played in the streets near Crusher Canyon
under the close supervision of many loving parents. Aaron learned a love
of speed on his Big Wheel, plunging down Fifth Avenue with his feet off
the pedals, in order to gain maximum velocity. He decided then that
when he grew up he wanted to be an elk, and, were that not possible, a
pilot in the US Armed Forces.
Aaron attended Selah Middle School
and Selah High School, where he was a varsity wrestler and pole vaulter.
He served as a page in the Washington State Senate. He played the
trumpet in the Yakima Community Band that was directed by his
grandfather. The band even took a great trip to play in Europe.
Aaron was an avid hunter and loved
roaming the hills and canyons and mountains of Central Washington with
his brothers and beloved Labrador retrievers. He was an accomplished bow
hunter and exceptionally knowledgeable about elk. His expertise and
frank posts as “Colockumelk” on the “Hunting Washington Forum” earned
the respect of a far-reaching network of friends. Aaron and his brothers
looked forward to the annual elk hunts that brought together the
Blanchard Men for a week in the woods of camping, laughing, and hunting.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps
shortly after graduation from high school in 1999. He completed basic
training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego and earned certification as an
Aviation Mechanic at Pensacola, FL. He made three major deployments
including two combat tours in Iraq as a platoon Sergeant. Aaron’s Marine
career took him all over the world, across the oceans and through the
skies, from Southeast Asia to Iraq.
In 2002 he met the love of his life,
Becky. After discharge from the Marine Corps, Aaron and Becky were
married. Together they shared a “once in a lifetime” love, filled with
laughter and adventure. In 2008 they celebrated the birth of a son,
Hunter, and in 2011, the birth of daughter Amalia. He was a doting
father and committed husband. The love he gave to his family was his
greatest achievement.
In 2005, Aaron and Becky enrolled at
Central Washington University, where Aaron was a bull rider for the
university Rodeo Club. He joined the Army ROTC program, seeking the
bachelor’s degree and leadership training required to be a helicopter
pilot. Aaron led the CWU “Wildcat” Battalion to national recognition as
the nation’s “Most Outstanding Senior Army ROTC Battalion,” and earned
his commission as second lieutenant upon graduation.
Aaron completed pilot training at
Ft. Rucker, Alabama; he was reassigned to Ft. Drum, New York, in 2011.
In January 2013, his unit spent three weeks in Colorado, where he
trained in high-altitude flying in preparation for deployment to
Afghanistan. He loved flying his Apache helicopter and showed off his
expertise at an air show at Ft. Drum, New York. In early April 2013, he
joined the 2nd Aviation Battalion, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade in
Afghanistan, flying an AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter.
. . .
Military colleagues describe him as
having a huge heart: “If you told him he couldn’t do something, he’d do
it, no matter what.” He took care of others. He is described as having a
wonderful spirit, easygoing, able to get along with everyone, and
adventurous. Aaron’s friends and colleagues nicknamed him “Rudy,” a
reference to Rudy Ruettiger, who, against tremendous odds, pursued and
achieved his dream of earning a place on the Notre Dame football team.
. . .
Aaron’s awards and decorations
include the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the NATO Medal, the
Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Army
Achievement Medal, the Army Service Ribbon , the National Defense
Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Army
Aviator Badge, the Navy-Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation, the
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, four Navy Sea Service Deployment
Ribbons, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, and two Rifle Expert
Badges. He also completed Marine Combat Training, Aviation Machinist
Mate Courses, the Apache Aviator Qualification Course, the Survival,
Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, and the Aviation Office Basic
Course.
April 27 - They died near Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in the crash of an MC-12
aircraft. The cause of the crash is under investigation, however
initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at
the time of the crash. Killed were:
-
Capt. Brandon L. Cyr, 28, of Woodbridge, Va.
-
Capt. Reid K. Nishizuka, 30, of Kailua, Hawaii
-
Staff Sgt. Richard A. Dickson, 24, of Rancho Cordova,
Calif.
-
Staff Sgt. Daniel N. Fannin, 30, of Morehead, Ky.
May 1 -
Staff Sgt. Michael H. Simpson, 30, of San Antonio, Texas, died in Landstuhl,
Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit on April
27, with an improvised explosive device in Arian, Afghanistan.
May 2 - The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, of injuries sustained in a vehicle
accident. Killed were:
-
Spc. Trinidad Santiago Jr., 25, of San Diego, Calif., and
-
Pfc. Charles P. McClure, 21, of Stratford, Okla.
May 3 - They died near Chon-Aryk, Kyrgyzstan, in the crash of a KC-135 aircraft.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. Killed were:
-
Capt. Mark T. Voss, 27, of Colorado Springs, Colo.,
-
Capt. Victoria A. Pinckney, 27, of Palmdale, Calif., and
-
Tech Sgt. Herman Mackey III, 30, of Bakersfield, Calif.
May 4 - They died while conducting combat operations in Farah province,
Afghanistan. This incident is under investigation. Killed were:
-
Staff Sgt. Eric D. Christian, 39, of Warwick, N.Y., and
-
Cpl. David M. Sonka, 23, of Parker, Colo.
They died May 4, in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when their vehicle
was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. Killed were:
-
1stLt. Brandon J. Landrum, 26, of Lawton, Okla.,
-
Staff Sgt. Francis G. Phillips IV, 28, of Meridian, N.Y.,
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Spc. Kevin Cardoza, 19, of Mercedes, Texas,
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Spc. Thomas P. Murach, 22, of Meridian, Idaho, and
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Spc. Brandon J. Prescott, 24, of Bend, Ore.
The
Bend Bulletin reports:
[Spc. Brandon J.] Prescott and the others perished when an improvised explosive device,
or IED, detonated as their armored vehicle passed by on routine patrol
about 1:30 p.m. local time, said Maj. Joseph P. Buccino of Fort Bliss,
Texas. . . . Theirs was the only vehicle in the
convoy that was struck.
. . .
That
all five died in the same vehicle is unusual, Buccino said. “It just
almost never happens," he said. “That's extremely rare given the amount
of armor (on the vehicle) and the amount of protection the soldiers
wear."
. . .
During
his short career in the Army, Prescott earned the Bronze Star and
Purple Heart medals, as well as the Combat Infantryman Badge and other
distinctions, according to the Army.
The
Oregonian:
Prescott was the younger in the family's first set of twin boys, born
in West Covina, Calif., said his older brother, Aaron. The second set
of twins, Jake and Josh, now 23, arrived soon after.
Prescott grew
up in Dana Point, Calif., and graduated from Dana Hills High School in
2006. Two years later, their mother moved the brothers to Bend, where he
took classes at Central Oregon Community College. Their father, Joseph
Prescott, lives in Montgomery, Texas; their mother, Tracey Prescott has
returned to Dana Point.
She said her son volunteered with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency and took part in a firefighting
academy before joining the Army in 2010 in Portland.
Prescott was
due to return home in September. However, he signed up for another three
years when he discovered he would have to leave his unit behind, Aaron
Prescott said.
The older twin said he spoke to Prescott on the
phone about four hours before he was killed. The soldier said he loved
and missed his family He is survived by his mother, father and three
brothers.
"He was a hero and an inspiration for all of us," Aaron
Prescott said. "Before he left for Afghanistan, he told us that if he
died, he wanted us to be proud of him and hold our heads up because we
know he was doing something he loved."
Tracey Prescott described
Prescott as a selfless, humble man who loved his family and the beach.
She, Aaron and Jake were flying to Dover, Del., to claim his body.
Service arrangements were to be announced.
"I'm a broken woman
right now," Tracey Prescott said. "I'm sad and angry, but also very,
very proud of my son. He definitely was a special kid."
May 14 - They died in Sanjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces
attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. Killed were:
-
Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey C. Baker, 29, of Hesperia, Calif.,
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Spc. Mitchell K. Daehling, 24, of Dalton, Mass.,
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Spc. William J. Gilbert, 24, of Hacienda Heights, Calif., and
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Pfc. Cody J. Towse, 21, of Elk Ridge, Utah.
May 15 -
Sgt. 1st Class Trenton L. Rhea, 33, of Oakley, Kan., died May 15, in Kandahar,
Afghanistan, after drowning while attempting to cross a body of water
during combat operations.
May 16 - They died in Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces
attacked their unit with a vehicle borne improvised explosive device. Killed were:
-
Sgt. Eugene M Aguon, 23, of Mangilao, Guam, and
-
Spc. Dwayne W. Flores, 22, of Sinajana, Guam.
