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.

Alex was born on October 31, 1986 and grew up attending Life Christian Academy before attending the Curtis School District. Alex loved flying, the army, and cars - especially Honda Civics. 

Alex joined the Washington National Guard in 2004. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 2007 and served a tour in Iraq in 2009. At his request, he joined B Company out of Fort Riley, Kansas, to further advance his career as Chinook Crew Chief and hoped to become a pilot. He deployed to Afghanistan in spring 2011.

Alex's awards include: Combat Action Badge, Aviation Crewmember Badge (Basic), National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device, Good Conduct Medal, Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart. 

Alex was well-loved by all who had the pleasure of meeting him. He was notorious for making people laugh - either with pranks, his infectious grin, or his wit. One fellow soldier recalls an incident where Alex kept the crew calm with his humor as they lost hydraulic fluid over a large lake. He loved being a soldier and lived his life to the fullest. 

Alex is survived by his mother Kim Robertson, father Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Bennett (Elsa), step-siblings Kathryn Bennett and Austin Bennett, grandparents Don and Doylene Bennett and Theresa Cali, great-grandmom Rachel Macon, uncle Greg Bennett (Joy), aunt Robyn McElligott (Thomas), uncle John Michael Cali, many cousins, his best friend Josh McLean, mentor/platoon leader Sergeant First Class Kirk Kuykendall, many friends and fellow soldiers. A memorial will be held locally at Life Center Church of Tacoma at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011. Donations requested to the Wounded Warrior Project in SGT Alex Bennett's name - an organization he supported and believed in. For more information visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org or mail your donations to:Wounded Warrior Project, Attn: Donor Services, 4899 Belfort Rd, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida 33256
 

BENNETT, ALEXANDER   
SGT   US ARMY 
AFGHANISTAN 
DATE OF BIRTH: 10/31/1986 
DATE OF DEATH: 08/06/2011 
BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 9942 
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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