Fallen but not forgotten

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Peter Dean
  • 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  "These things we do, that others may live" is the motto that the elite Air Force Rescue Airmen live and die by. During a remembrance ceremony held here June 25, a small group of friends, family members and rescue Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing gathered to remember and pay respect to five rescue Airmen and 14 other Airmen that lost their lives during the cowardly terrorist attack on the Khobar Towers, Dhahran Air Base, Saudi Arabia.


"We are here today to remember their ultimate sacrifice, and to let their families and our fellow Airmen know they will never be forgotten," said Mr. Darrell Hankins, event manager and former member of the 1st Rescue Group.

It was 10 p.m., many of the Airmen with the 4404th Wing (provisional) supporting Operation Southern Watch had settled in for the night, some writing letters home, some calling home and some sound a sleep, when a tanker truck loaded with thousands of pounds of explosives pulled up in front of Khobar Towers, Building 131.

Sentries on duty that night observed as two white-robed men quickly abandoned the explosive laden truck and climbed into an awaiting car that quickly sped off. Within seconds the sentries acted to evacuated the building, only to have their efforts come to an explosive end just four minutes later. The devastating explosion stripped away the entire facade of building 131, leaving 19 Airmen, one Saudi dead, and 372 of varying nationalities injured.

"We lost members of our rescue family on that fateful day," said Col. Jeffrey Macrander, 920th RQW commander. "Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families, friends, and comrades. You are not forgotten."

The rescue Airmen from the 71st Rescue Group, 1st Squadron, formally housed at Patrick AFB who perished that day are:

Capt. Christopher J. Adams of Massapequa Park, N.Y.
Capt. Leland T. Haun of Clovis, Calif.
Master Sgt. Michael G. Heiser of Palm Coast, Fla.
Staff Sgt. Kevin J. Johnson of Shreveport, La.
Airman First Class Justin R. Wood of Modesto, Calif.

"Fills my heart with joy," said Mrs. Shryl Johnson, wife of fallen rescue Airman Staff Sgt. Kevin "KJ" Johnson. "It makes me feel good to know we [the family] are not forgotten, and the Air Force family remembers its fallen Airmen, means the world to me."

The 920th RQW is an Air Force Reserve combat search and rescue unit, which performs more than 20 percent of the Air Force's combat search and rescue mission (CSAR). The Wing is comprised of 1,500 Airmen and flies both fixed and rotor wing aircraft: the HC-130P/N extended-range Hercules and the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. 

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