IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 705-11
August 11, 2011

DOD Identifies Service Members Killed In CH-47 Crash

                 The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of 30 servicemembers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  They died August 6, 2011 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed.

The following sailors assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed:

Lieutenant Commander (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, Louisiana

                Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, California

                Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Arkansas

                Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii, 

                Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31, of Stamford, Connecticut

                Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31, of Minneapolis, Minnesota

                Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 35, of West Hyannisport, Massachusetts

                Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 37, of Kansas City, Missouri

                Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas, 

                Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas H. Null, 30, of Washington, West Virginia

                Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32, of Shreveport, Louisiana

                Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 34, of Detroit, Michigan

                Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28, of Angwin, California

                Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, North Carolina

                Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 28, of Taylorsville, Utah, 

                Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Nebraska

                Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

                Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa, 

                Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn, 30, of Stuart, Florida, and 

                Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah. 

The following sailors assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed: 

                Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, California, and 

                Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar, 24, of Saint Paul, Minnesota

The soldiers killed were: 

                Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Aurora, Colorado

                Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Nichols, 31, of Hays, Kan.  He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kansas

                Staff Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Grand Island, Nebraska

                Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, 24, of Tacoma, Wash.  He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kansas; and 

                Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan.  He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kansas

The airmen killed were: 

                Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Florida

                Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, California; and 

                Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, Pennsylvania

                All three airmen were assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, North Carolina

                For more information about the sailors, media may contact Lieutenant Arlo Abrahamson at 757-763-2007 or 757-620-3109. 

                For more information on Carter, media may contact the Colorado National Guard public affairs office at 720-250-1053. 

                For more information on Nichols, Bennett and Duncan, media may contact the 11th Aviation Command public affairs office at 502-626-5746 or 502-851-3466. 

                For more information on Hamburger, media may contact the Nebraska National Guard public affairs office at 402-309-7302 or 402-309-7303. 

                For more information about the airmen, media may contact the Air Force Special Operations Command public affairs office at 850-884-5515.

                UPDATE:  August 12, 2011 -- Sergeant Hamburger was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant.

He was about 14 when his older brother graduated from West Point. That’s when he knew he wanted to be an elite soldier, friend Tate Bennett told The Deseret News. Then came the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and Workman’s calling grew even stronger.
 
“He didn’t become a Navy SEAL by chance,” Bennett said. “He knew that’s what he wanted at a young age and made it happen.”
 
Across his small hometown of Blanding in southern Utah, flags were flown at half-staff as residents mourned the loss of one of their own.
 
Even as a SEAL, Workman came home periodically. During his last trip, he led training sessions with local law enforcement, sharing his military skills, and planned to provide more training during a trip home this fall, Mayor Toni Turk told the Salt Lake City Tribune.
 
After returning from his Mormon mission, Bennett said, Workman went to Southern Utah University. He enlisted in August 2003, according to the Navy.
 
Workman graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in Coronado in March 2005. He joined his East Coast-based SEAL team in August 2005.
 
His decorations include the Bronze Star with Combat “V” device for valor; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal; Joint Service Achievement Medal; Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal; Combat Action Ribbon; Presidential Unit Citation; Navy Unit Commendation; two Navy Good Conduct Medals; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; three Sea Service Deployment Ribbons; Rifle Marksmanship Medal and Pistol Marksmanship Medal. 

Petty Officer 1st Class Workman, 32, was a native of Blanding, Utah. He enlisted in the United States Navy in August, 2003.
 
After graduating Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, Illinois on October, 2003, he reported to the Center for Surface Combat Systems, Virginia Beach, Virginia until January, 2004. From there, he reported to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training at Coronado, California. After he graduated BUD/S in September, 2004, he reported to Naval Special Warfare Advanced Training Command at Coronado, California, where he served until March of 2005. He then reported to his East Coast based SEAL Team in August, 2005.
 
Petty Officer Workman’s awards include Bronze Star with Combat “V” device for valor, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Good Conduct Medal (2), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (3), Rifle Marksmanship Medal, and Pistol Marksmanship Medal.
 

WORKMAN, JASON R   
SOC   US NAVY 
AFGHANISTAN 
DATE OF BIRTH: 08/12/1978 
DATE OF DEATH: 08/06/2011 
BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 9928 
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson