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SF-TX
01-13-2009, 18:47
RIP Sir, and may God grant a speedy recovery to the others.

The 36th CAB supports C/5/19 here in Texas.

Soldier killed in helicopter crash ID’d

By David C. Doolittle | Tuesday, January 13, 2009, 05:45 PM

Second Lt. Zachary Cook, 22, from Lufkin was killed Monday when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter he was in crashed on the Texas A&M campus, a statement from the Texas National Guard said.

Four National Guard soldiers who were also aboard the helicopter remain hospitalized Tuesday, officials in Bryan and College Station said.

Cook was a 2008 Texas A&M graduate and member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadre at the university.

The injured soldiers are part of the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, whose headquarters is at Austin’s Camp Mabry, said Col. Bill Meehan, a spokesman for the Texas Army National Guard.

Their names are:

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1st Lt. Wllis Taylor, 31, of Buda
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Chief Warrant Officer Matthew Smith, 41, of Leander
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Sg.t Richard Ravenscraft, 24, of Austin
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Sgt. Charles Mitts, 42, of Spring, near Houston.

Taylor, Ravenscraft and Mitts were taken to College Station Medical Center about 30 minutes after the crash Monday, spokeswoman Melissa Purl said.

Taylor and Ravenscraft are still at the hospital in critical condition, Purl said. Mitts was transferred to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital in Houston today at the request of his family, Purl said. He was in critical condition when he left College Station, she said.

Cook and Smith were taken to St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan, spokesman Tim Ottinger said. Cook later died at the hospital, he said. Smith was transferred to another hospital, Ottinger said, but he would not say where at the request of the National Guard, he said. Sgt. Jennifer Atkinson, a spokeswoman with the Texas Army National Guard, said it was probably Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

A student was treated and released at the medical center Monday, Purl said. She did not get his name but said he was hit by flying debris.

The helicopter crashed during field training exercises, Meehan said.

Meehan said Monday that several helicopters all based in Austin had been shuttling cadets to College Station from Camp Swift, a Texas Army National Guard training site north of Bastrop.

The incident is under investigation at the Combat Readiness/Safety Center in Fort Rucker, Ala., home of the U.S. Army Aviation Center, the release said.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/blotter/entries/2009/01/13/soldier_killed_in_helicopter_c.html

Red Flag 1
01-13-2009, 19:26
Rest In Peace Lt. Cook.

Prayers out.

JJ_BPK
01-13-2009, 19:59
RIP, Vaya con Dios

Loadsmasher
01-13-2009, 23:28
I know some of the guys in the crash and I talked to a buddy at the State Aviation Office for the Texas NG. I saw him this morning and got an update. The pilots had the standard hard landing injuries to their backs and legs.. The Crew Chief, SGT Mitts is still unconscious.

All they know right now is catastrophic failure of the tail rotor.

Rogue
01-14-2009, 07:04
Rest in Peace

gagners
01-14-2009, 08:16
Rest in peace, citizen soldier.

Stras
01-14-2009, 16:36
RIP 2LT Cook.

A brother QP is the SF Advisor there at Texas A&M. They are thinking catrostrophic failure. Luckily the rest of the ROTC cadets were unharmed in the incident, but are badly shaken by the tragic death of one of their peers.

Blitzzz (RIP)
01-14-2009, 17:40
You can't pick when, rest in peace.

greenberetTFS
01-14-2009, 18:06
RIP,Warrior...............:(

GB TFS

Debo
01-15-2009, 17:08
Rest in Peace, Sir.


D.

SRGross
01-15-2009, 18:19
Lord Watch over his family and friends in their Hour of need
RIP my friend your battles are over

Goggles Pizano
01-16-2009, 06:56
In pace requiescat Sir.

Loadsmasher
01-20-2009, 10:39
SGT Charles Mitts passed away this weekend as a result of the injuries he sustained in the crash. More info to follow.

Vaya Con Dios Hermano.

SF_BHT
01-20-2009, 11:17
Rest in Peace LT Cook and SGT Mitts

airbn5
01-20-2009, 12:55
Rest in peace, Lt. Cook, Sgt. Mitts. Prayers out to all involved and God bless.

Loadsmasher
01-21-2009, 11:24
IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET THAT THE ADJUTANT GENERAL ANNOUNCES THE PASSING OF SSG CHARLES C. MITTS ON 14 JANUARY 2009. STAFF SERGEANT MITTS WAS ON BOARD A TXARNG BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER THAT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING ON THE CAMPUS OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY WHILE CONDUCTING A MISSION IN SUPPORT OF THE TEXAS A&M CORPS OF CADETS. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO C CO., 1/108TH AVIATION REGIMENT. HE SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/STORM AND WAS ACTIVATED IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM FROM APRIL 2006 UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2007.



HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, KRISTI, DAUGHTERS, CAITLYN AND CATHERINE, AND SON, ANDREW.



VISITATION WILL BE FROM 1800-2100 ON WEDNESDAY, 21 JANUARY 2009, AT THE SETTEGAST-KOPF CO., 15015 SOUTHWEST FREEWAY, SUGAR LAND, TEXAS. A ROSARY WILL BE RECITED AT 2000 HOURS. FUNERAL SERVICES ARE SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, 22 JANUARY, AT 1200 AT ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA CATHOLIC CHURCH, 7810 CYPRESSWOOD DR., SPRING, TEXAS. BURIAL WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS WILL FOLLOW AT THE HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, 10410 VETERANS MEMORIAL DRIVE, HOUSTON, AT 1330 HOURS.



UNIFORM FOR THE FUNERAL WILL BE CLASS A OR EQUIVALENT CIVILIAN ATTIRE. SOLDIERS OF B AND C COMPANIES AND SOLDIERS COMING FROM KANSAS ARE ASKED TO WEAR ACU FLIGHT SUIT OR REGULAR ACUs.



OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES ARE EXTENDED TO STAFF SERGEANT MITTS’ FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT THIS TIME OF GREAT SORROW.



LS sends