Always Remember
On Nov. 10 a MH-60M helicopter crashed during a in-flight refueling training event over the Mediterranean Sea. Those onboard the Special Operations aircraft were CW3 Stephen Dwyer, CW2 Shane Barnes, SSG Tanner Grone, SGT Cade Wolfe, and SGT Andrew Southard.
According to Military.com, “the Soldiers were all assigned to 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) based out of Ft. Campbell, KY.”
Dwyer, the most senior soldier on the aircraft and one of its pilots, started out his career as an artillery officer before becoming a helicopter pilot and warrant officer.
His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, and an Air Medal with combat device, as well as multiple personal, service and campaign awards.
Barnes, the other pilot of the Black Hawk, had been with the 160th since 2016. The Army statement said that in 2020 "he fully dedicated himself to the organization and his profession by resigning his commission and becoming a warrant officer."
His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with valor device and Air Medal with combat device, as well as multiple personal, service and campaign awards.
Grone enlisted in the Army in 2017 as a Black Hawk repairer and was assigned to the 160th in 2018. He served as a flight instructor and crew chief for the MH-60M.
Grone's awards and decorations include the Air Medal with combat device and the Army Achievement Medal with combat device, as well as multiple service ribbons and campaign awards.
According to the Army, Dwyer, Barnes and Grone all deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan with the 160th "and supported several no-notice deployments and exercises worldwide in support of national security objectives."
Southard enlisted in the Army in 2015 as a Black Hawk repairer and was first assigned to the 1st Armored Division's Combat Aviation Brigade at Dort Bliss, Texas, before moving to Fort Campbell’s 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. He arrived at the 160th in 2023, where he served as an MH-60M crew chief.
His awards include two Army Commendation Medals and Army Achievement Medal, as well as multiple service ribbons and campaign awards. He also deployed to Afghanistan with the 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade.
Finally, Wolfe enlisted in the Army in 2018 as a Black Hawk repairer and was initially assigned to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, before coming to the 160th as an MH-60M crew chief.
His awards include two Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement Medal, as well as multiple service ribbons.
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