Tuesday's helicopter crash in Afghanistan killed nine Americans. Sadly, September is the deadliest month there for US Forces this year.
Since 2001, there have been 1300 American troops killed in Afghanistan, and since 2003, 4421 American troops killed in Iraq. The IGTNT (I Got The News Today) title is a reminder that nearly everyday, somebody gets the news that a friend, former classmate, or beloved family member will not be coming home from war.
Tonight's diary honors five Army aviation crewmen killed:
Lt. Col. Robert F. Baldwin, 39, of Quad Cities, Illinois
Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G. Wagstaff, 34, of Orem, Utah
Chief Warrant Officer Jonah D. McClellan, 26, of Clark County, Washington
Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 25, of Pleasant Plains, Illinois
Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr., 23, of Elkhart, Indiana
Please take a moment below to remember them.
The Department of Defense announced the deaths of five soldiers in a Black Hawk helicopter crash September 21 during combat operations in Zabul province, Afghanistan. They were assigned to 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Killed were:
Lt. Col. Robert Baldwin, Chief Warrant Officer Matthew Wagstaff, Chief Warrant Officer Jonah McClellan, Staff Sgt. Joshua Powell, Sgt. Marvin Calhoun Jr.
Baldwin was assigned to the brigade headquarters; Wagstaff, McClellan and Calhoun were assigned to the 5th Battalion; and Powell was assigned to the 6th Battalion.
The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade is one of two aviation units under the 101st Airborne Division. Almost all the 20,000 soldiers from the division are deployed to Afghanistan. The 101st Airborne is known as the "Screaming Eagles." The 101st Aviation Combat Brigade is called "Wings of Destiny."
On September 21, Army aviation crew Task Force Destiny was manning a Black Hawk helicopter when it went down just after taking off in the early morning darkness. The incident occurred in Daychopan district of Zabol province, near Kandahar province and the Pakistani border. The cause of the devastating crash is under investigation.
Also killed were four Navy special operations troops; please read more about them in JaxDem's wonderful inaugural IGTNT tribute, here. And keep in your thoughts and prayers, the three others who were seriously injured in the crash, and all those suffering injuries from these long wars.
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Lt. Col. Robert F. Baldwin, 39
Quad Cities, Illinois
Lt. Col. Baldwin, an Aviation Liaison Officer, died in a September 21 helicopter crash in Afghanistan, along with 8 other Americans.
Robert "Robbie" Baldwin grew up in the Quad Cities, Illinois, area. His parents live in rural New Boston, downstream from Muscatine, Iowa, on the Mississippi River. Robbie Baldwin graduated in 1989 from Sherrard High School in Sherrard, Illinois. In 1993, earned a degree in industrial technology and a minor in military studies from Western Illinois University. At WUI, Baldwin was an active member in the Delta Upsilon fraternity.
Lt. Col. Robert Baldwin was a 17 year military veteran. He joined the Army in 1994 following his graduation from WIU's ROTC program. Baldwin also served in the 25th CAB based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, in 2003-2004. He arrived at Fort Campbell in January 2009.
Lt. Col. Baldwin served three tours of duty in Afghanistan, along with a tour in Bosnia. The Army awarded Baldwin the Bronze Star Medal, and many other decorations. He was posthumously promoted from Major on September 24.
While he was stationed in Honolulu, Robbie met his wife, Danielle, who was from Manteca, California. The couple have four small children, aged 8, 4, and 3 years, and 8 months old. His infant son was born just two weeks before Major Baldwin left for his latest tour in Afghanistan in February.
Lt. Col. Baldwin was just home with his family in Clarksville, Tennessee, during Labor Day for two weeks leave. He went back to Afghanistan September 14, a week before he died.
Among those Lt. Col. Baldwin leaves behind are his wife, and four young children, and his men at the 101st.
Lt. Col. Robert Baldwin is missed. REST IN PEACE
WQAD8, Des Moines Register, Eagle Honors (101st Airborne)
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Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G. Wagstaff, 34
of Orem, Utah
CWO Wagstaff, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot assigned to Bravo Company, died in a September 21 helicopter crash in Afghanistan, along with 8 other American servicemen.
Matthew "Matt" Wagstaff played football at Orem High School before attending and graduating from Utah State University. Wagstaff entered the Army in January 2002 and arrived at Fort Campbell in May 2007.
The Daily Herlad Extra reported:
Family friend Kelvin Brock said Wagstaff was a big and burly former football player, but he was a teddy bear. He joined the military for his love of flying.
"Matt was really interested in becoming a helicopter pilot," Brock said.
During his time in the Army, Wagstaff served three tours of duty, including one in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. Brock said Wagstaff was in more of an administrative role at first, so he was excited to be flying in his latest tour, which he left for in March.
According to a 2007 article in the Barstow Desert Dispatch, Wagstaff was one of several pilots who flew Black Hawk helicopters through Los Angeles for scenes in the "Transformers" movie. Brock said Wagstaff enjoyed his involvement in the movie, though only a glimpse of him could be seen on the screen.
"That was a fun little factoid that he enjoyed sharing with people," he said.
In January, Wagstaff married his wife, Tiffany, and intended to take her on a honeymoon when he came home for a short leave next month.
"We appreciate the support and concern expressed by our family, friends, neighbors and community during this difficult time," the family said in the Herlad. "Matt died doing what he loved to do -- and that was to fly. He was a tremendous husband, son, brother and uncle, and he served his country well."
The Army awarded CWO Wagstaff the Bronze Star Medal, and other awards and decorations for his service.
Among those Chief Warrant Officer Wagstaff leaves behind are his wife, and his parents.
Chief Warrant Officer Matthew Wagstaff is missed. REST IN PEACE
Daily Herlad Extra, FR
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Chief Warrant Officer Jonah D. McClellan, 26
of Clark County, Washington
CWO McClellan, a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot assigned to Bravo Company, died in a September 21 helicopter crash in Afghanistan, along with 8 other American servicemen.
Jonah McClellan was born in Minnesota, but he spent most of his life in Clark County, Washington, where he attended Battle Ground School District schools. McClellen attended Battle Ground High School for three years, and then in 2002, graduated from Summit View High School, an alternative school with about 300 students. A former teacher remembered McClellan as quiet and polite.
Jonah McClellan entered the Army in August 2003 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2006. He was on his second, year-long tour of Afghanistan.
Oregon Live reported:
The 26-year-old McClellan was a chief warrant officer and an Army aviator, but the military representatives didn’t specify his role on the mission.
"He was either the pilot or the co-pilot," his father Rod McClellan said.
McClellan told the family about some of his missions in general terms — airlifting injured soldiers, transporting troops and dropping off ammunition.
"I think what he told us was filtered," Rod McClellan said. "Anything tough he didn’t tell us: close calls or being fired on, he never told us that stuff."
Among those Chief Warrant Officer McClellan leaves behind are his wife, and three small children.
Chief Warrant Officer Jonah McClellan is missed. REST IN PEACE
The Columbian, Star Tribune
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Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 25
of Pleasant Plains, Illinois
Staff Sgt. Powell, a UH-60 Black Hawk Crew Chief, died in a September 21 helicopter crash in Afghanistan, along with 8 other Americans.
Joshua Powell grew up in Pleasant Plains, Illinois, which is just west of Springfield. He graduated from Pleasant Plains High School, and enlisted with the Illinois Army National Guard in April 2003, where he served in Company F, 106th Aviation Battalion. Powell joined the regular Army in May 2005, and arrived at Fort Campbell in June 2005.
KSDK5 News reported:
The Powell family is trying to cope with their loss. But they said Staff Sgt. Powell died doing what he loved.
"He just loved the military. He loved the Army. And that's the only thing that's getting us through this as a family, because we all know this is what Josh wanted," his father said.
From an early age, the Army was Josh Powell's passion; that was always clear. As part of the 101st Airborne Division, he served three tours, one in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.
The news has devastated the Powell family.
"His little brother who's only five, just admired his brother," Powell said. "He's wore his camouflage pants now two days in a row to school. That was his hero, and our hero."
But they said Josh Powell never thought of himself as a hero. He was modest and selfless, the kind of guy who just wanted to serve.
"Very, very brave and would go out of his way to help somebody else first."
And his family says that's exactly how they want him to be remembered.
"I want him to be known for who he was, even though he would be too embarrassed. He wouldn't tell anybody himself, but he needs to be honored," David said.
Among those Staff Sgt. Powell leaves behind are his father in Springfield, and his mother and little brother, in Pleasant Plains, Illinois.
Staff Sgt. Joshua Powell is missed. REST IN PEACE
SJ R, Ft. Campbell Courier, Telegraph
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Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr., 23
of Elkhart, Indiana
Sgt. Calhoun, a door gunner on the Black Hawk, died in a September 21 crash in Afghanistan, along with 8 other American servicemen.
Marvin Calhoun grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, were he played defensive line on the Elkhart Central High School football team. Calhoun joined the Army after graduating in 2006, and arrived at Fort Campbell in December 2007.
This was Calhoun's second tour in Afghanistan, were he was assigned as a construction equipment repairer.
WSBT reports that
Sgt. Calhoun's parents traveled to Deleware to meet the return of his remains to the U.S. He was married, with a 2 year old daughter.
"Great athlete, great kid, wonderful personality, loved to joke around. He always had a smile on his face, but he was one of the hardest working kids out there," the former football coach for Elkhart Central said. "Exactly the kind of kid you would see excelling in the military."
Among those Sgt. Calhoun leaves behind are his wife and young daughter, and his parents.
Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr. is missed. REST IN PEACE
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Thanks to Timroff for our faithfully lighted candle IGTNT logo;
and Thanks to llbear for our beautiful forget-me-nots IGTNT logo.
(Other Photos by CalNM)
Helping our troops: If you wish to assist our military and their families, consider Operation Helmet, or Fisher House. Sponsoring a deployed service member at TroopCarePackage.com can provide letters or care packages that make a real difference in a military person's life. To assist the animal companions of our deployed military, information is available at guardian angels for soldierspet.
When our veterans come back home, they need jobs. Look at the programs of Veterans Green Jobs and Welcome Back Veterans. Encourage a Vet, and see if you can help out.
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About the IGTNT series: I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect, and remember the fallen, and to remind us that each casualty has family and friends who received the terrible news that their loved one has died at war.
Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories. The US Department of Defense news releases are found at defense gov/releases. Icasualties lists the names of those killed, and shows the number of wounded. Published AP photos of the returning war fatalities are found on the Dover AFB page.
Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries in the series which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, a girl in MI, Spam Nunn, JeNoCo, Janos Nation, True Blue Majority, Proud Mom and Grandma, Sandy on Signal, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Ms Wings, maggiejean, racheltracks, JaxDem, and me, CalNM. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for our fallen brothers and sisters.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and
family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.