Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, October 30, 2009
Marines killed in Afghan helicopter crash had Kona connection
By News Release @ 7:33 PM :: 12549 Views :: Hawaii County , Energy, National News, World News

Message from Kona Gathering of Eagles

Friends:  Sadly we must report to you that four brave aviation Marines, whose Squadron we have been supporting with donations of Kona coffee since last June have been killed in action in Afghanistan.

LINK: MILITARY: 4 Camp Pendleton Marines die in Afghanistan helicopter collision

Four Camp Pendleton Marines were killed in Afghanistan Monday (Oct 26) when two helicopters collided over Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, authorities said.

Seven other Americans and three members of the Drug Enforcement Agency combating that country's opium trade died in a separate crash Monday in western Afghanistan, military officials said.

The combined 14 deaths made Monday the deadliest single day for U.S. personnel in Afghanistan since 2005.

The Camp Pendleton fatalities were identified by military officials as Capt. Kyle Van De Giesen of North Attleboro, Mass.; Capt. Eric A. Jones, 29, of Westchester, N.Y.; Capt. David S. Mitchell, 30, of Loveland, Ohio; and Cpl. Gregory Fleury, 23, of Anchorage, Alaska.

These Marine pilots were involved in the aerial collision of two helicopters you may have heard about between a UH-1 Huey and an AH-1 Super Cobra.

They were members of HMLA-169 - Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, the Vipers.

Here is a photo of their helicopters in flight sent by the Vipers over the summer, posted on the Hawaii Gathering of Eagles Blog:

169-4

The Kona Coffee for Our Troops projects, as Operation Jarhead Java, has sent HMLA-169 about 120 lbs of coffee and it has been greatly appreciated .

The farms and farmers whom specifically donated this coffee to the Vipers, repeatedly, are:

  • Captain Cook Coffee Company

  • Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Company

  • Makahiki Farms

  • Kona Rain Forest Coffee Company

  • Pagoda Farm

  • and Paradise Farm

All of you--thank you .....you made a difference.

God rest these pilots and may their families somehow be comforted and find peace and happiness again one day .

---30---

LINK: http://goekona.wordpress.com/about/our-fallen-heroes/

http://goekona.wordpress.com/

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii