Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died Sept. 5, in Logar Province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when their aircraft crashed.  They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Killed were:

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jose L. Montenegro Jr., 31, of Houston, Texas, and

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thalia S. Ramirez, 28, of San Antonio, Texas.

For more information related to this release, media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at 910-309-5561.

Air Force Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Capt. Francis D. Imlay, 31, of Vacaville, Calif., died March 28 from injuries received in an accident involving an F-15 aircraft near a base in Southwest Asia.  He was assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

For more information media may contact the Air Force 366th Fighter Wing public affairs office at 208-828-6800.

Pentagon: No Enemy Involvement in Djibouti Air Force Crash

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – Four Air Force special operators were killed Feb. 18 when their single-engine U-28 aircraft crashed in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

“This is obviously a tragic incident,” Little said about the accident, which occurred at the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport in Djibouti City. Camp Lemonnier, located nearby, is the main base of operations for U.S. Africa Command in the Horn of Africa.

The airmen had been conducting a surveillance and reconnaissance mission, Little said. “There is absolutely no indication of any kind of enemy involvement in the downing of the plane,” he added.

Little said the Air Force mission was in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, which includes operations in Afghanistan, the Philippines, the Horn of Africa and elsewhere. The special operators -- all were from Hurlburt Field, an Air Force installation in Okaloosa County, Fla. -- were:

-- Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo., assigned to the 319th Special Operations Squadron.

-- Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga., and 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore., both assigned to the 34th Special Operations Squadron.

-- Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md., assigned to the 25th Intelligence Squadron.

Little said a dignified transfer ceremony took place at the Dover Air Force Base military mortuary in Delaware early this morning “for our returning fallen heroes who were involved in this crash.”

A safety board investigation has been initiated to determine the cause of the incident, according to a statement on the Africa Command website. The accident occurred at about 8 p.m. local time, the statement said, and U.S. military personnel were dispatched to the scene.

“We need to understand precisely what happened in this tragic incident,” Little said.

Air Force Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  They died February 18 when their U-28 aircraft was involved in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa.  The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Killed were:

Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo.  He was assigned to the 319th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga.  He was assigned to the 34th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore.  He was assigned to the 34th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md.  He was assigned to the 25th Intelligence Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

For more information media may contact the Air Force 1st Special Operations Wing public affairs office at 850-884-8100.

US Air Force F-15E Incident in Libya; Crew Safe

From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NNS) -- Two crew members ejected from their U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle when the aircraft experienced equipment malfunction over Libya, March 21, at approximately 10:30 p.m. CET.

Both crew members ejected and are safe. The aircraft, based out of Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, was flying out of Aviano Air Base in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn at the time of the incident.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

The identities will be released after the next of kin have been notified.

Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn is the U.S. Africa Command task force established to provide operational and tactical command and control of U.S. military forces supporting the international response to the unrest in Libya and enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973. UNSCR 1973 authorizes all necessary measures to protect civilians in Libya under threat of attack by Gaddafi regime forces.