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 did what he loved and died defending those he loved and those who loved him,” his nephew, Jeff Adams, said as he read a statement from the family.
 
When Ratzlaff visited his hometown in northwest Arkansas, his late father would bring him by the log cabin restaurant where he ordered an egg, sausage and wheat toast every morning.
 
“The whole town was proud of him,” said Loree Blackburn, who runs that restaurant.
 
Now, the community of 2,700 remembers Ratzlaff with flags flying at half-staff.
 
Ratzlaff, 34, would have been grateful for the outpouring of support for his family, his nephew said. But he “would want the focus to remain on the cause for which he made the sacrifice, not the sacrifice itself.”
 
He had two sons and a wife expecting their third child — a girl — in November. He also leaves behind a sister and mother.
 
“As a Navy SEAL team member, my uncle was trained to keep a low profile and to do his job,” Adams said.

Senior Chief Ratzlaff, 34, was a native of Green Forest, Arkansas. He enlisted in the United States Navy in May, 1995.
 
He graduated from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois in August, 1995. Senior Chief Ratzlaff completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL School, Coronado California in December, 1998. He served in two East Coast based Special Warfare Units from July, 2006 to August, 2011. 

Senior Chief Ratzlaff’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal with Combat ‘V’ (4), Joint Service Commendation Medal (2), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2), Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation (3), Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy Good Conduct Medal (5), National Defense Service Medal (2), Kosovo Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (8), NATO Medal, Navy Expert Rifleman Medal, Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal. He was also qualified as an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist.

Ratzlaff was one of 30 U.S service members killed when a coalition CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed in Afghanistan on, August 6, 2011.

Tuesday morning family, friends, service members and the community of Green Forest gathered to both celebrate the life and mourn the loss of their loved one.

The parking lot and walkways of the chapel were lined with volunteers from the Patriot Guard Riders and the Daughters of the American Revolution, all waving American flags and offering their support to the family of the fallen veteran.

Pastor Gray Hayhurst led the memorial service and spoke of Ratzlaff's life and Naval career. He consoled the family for their loss and thanked the veterans for their service.

Senior Chief Ratzlaff was described as being "selflessly dedicated to serving his family, country and brothers in arms. He was an extraordinary hero and his commitment to freedom will remain as a hallmark for Special Operations Warriors."

Ratzlaff was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor (5th award), Defense Meritoriously Service Medal, and the Purple Heart.

Ratzlaff's interment is scheduled to take place at Arlington National Cemetery later this month.

The family requests that Memorial Contributions in his honor be made to the Navy SEAL Foundation, nswfoundation.org, or the Ratzlaff Memorial Fund, c/o First National Bank of Green Forrest, P.O box 1900, Green Forest, AR 72638.

RATZLAFF, THOMAS A   
SOCS   US NAVY 
AFGHANISTAN 
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/03/1976 
DATE OF DEATH: 08/06/2011 
BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 9935 
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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