Nevada Guard honors crew 19 years after being shot down in Afghanistan
A silhouette of a stationary Chinook helicopter making a soft landing stretches across the afternoon horizon just south of the Army Aviation Support Facility at Stead.
Although the helicopter ferried troops and supplies more than a decade ago in Afghanistan, the CH-47D Chinook now serves as a subtle reminder of the price of freedom. The repainted and refurbished display shows a Chinook with tail No. 200 in an aft-gear landing position. The helicopter was not with D Company in 2005 but flown by the Nevada Army Guard’s Bravo Company, 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion, during its 2012-2013 deployment in Afghanistan.
The refurbished helicopter was permanently grounded after its Afghanistan service due to mechanical problems.
Mustang 22 was the original call sign for a Nevada Army National Guard Chinook. On Sept. 25, 2005, a Taliban-fired rocket-propelled grenade hit the helicopter, sending it spiraling to the ground and killing five guardsmen near the Daychopan district in southern Zabul. Three CH-47 Chinooks, two Blackhawks, and two Comanche helicopters had lifted off earlier from Kandahar, flying toward a mission objective in a neighboring province.
Killed were two Nevada guardsmen, Chief Warrant Officer 2 John M. Flynn of Sparks and Sgt. Patrick Stewart of Fernley; Warrant Officer Adrian B. Stump and Sgt. Tane T. Baum, both of Pendleton, Ore.; and Sgt. Kenneth G. Ross of Peoria, Ariz.
A dedication held Wednesday afternoon for the refurbished Chinook, which flew 27 months as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, now serves as a reminder of Mustang 22. The original helicopter was shot down nine months after its unit, Company D, 113th Aviation, left the Nevada Army Guard training center at Stead in a heavy snowstorm and deployed for two months of training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After completing training, the unit left for Kandahar Air Field in southeastern Afghanistan.
In April, Kyle Pellett of Pellett Construction, Steve Stewart, retired Chief Warrant Officer Sean Laycox, Christie Pierce, and Col. Matt Jonkey participated in a groundbreaking ceremony that marked the beginning of the construction of the Mustang 22 static display and memorial.
Retired Col. Roger Capps, commander of the helicopter unit in Afghanistan 19 years ago, thanked guests at the dedication ceremony for attending and for the fellowship of connecting with one another. He also named the soldiers who died that September day.
“That’s the reason we’re here today,” he said after reading the five names. “We have some family members who came down from Pendleton.”
Capps mentioned he recently attended a Dust Devils aviation reunion in Pendleton and noted the strong relationship between the National Guard units stationed in Nevada and Oregon before, during, and after the deployment.
Capps shared how the idea for the original memorial came about, inspired by a camping trip he and fellow guardsman Don Gable Jr. took after returning to Nevada. From the initial idea to fundraising and receiving nonprofit status, Capps said their efforts helped fund the construction of the first memorial and its dedication in 2015.
Over the years, Capps said fundraising has relied on donations, the sale of specialty-made Mustang whiskey, and poker tournaments. The proceeds, he said, support nonprofit efforts such as providing scholarships for the children of fallen comrades. No taxpayer funds were used on the static display project.
Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry, Nevada’s adjutant general, who is retiring at the end of October, said no one cares more about a community than the National Guard.
“What we do in the military is dangerous,” he said. “We send people in harm’s way, but we cannot have the country we have unless people are willing to take an oath of sacrifice. This was not done in vain.”
Berry encouraged guests to appreciate the history of what the finished project signifies and to commemorate the completion of the Mustang 22 static display. He said that if something needs to be done, people should talk to the military.
The outgoing adjutant general emphasized that the legacy of Mustang 22 and its crew must persevere. “We don’t want you to forget why we’re here today,” he said, adding, “the least we can do is keep their memory alive.”
Berry said the Nevada Guard continues to care for others, especially families and loved ones.
“The Nevada National Guard will never forget the service, sacrifice, commitment, and dedication to this great nation,” he said.
On behalf of the Nevada Guard, Berry thanked many of the contractors and subcontractors who donated their work and time, as well as the Nevada Military Support Alliance, which sold Mustang whiskey at their annual golf tournament.
Laycox, who spent many hours and days on the project and ensured it was ready before the 19th anniversary, provided historical information on the memorial’s construction. He described the static display as showing an aft landing with the back wheels touching the ground first.
“That was the bread and butter of our landings when we couldn’t get all four wheels on the ground,” he said. “We did this landing a thousand times. It’s a pretty good landing, and that’s why we used it on the memorial.”
After the ceremony, Pierce and Capps expressed their satisfaction with the dedication. “This is extremely important, especially considering the state of our nation right now,” said Pierce, who was accompanied by her son, now a graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno, and her late husband’s parents. “I think the values and the people who have given their lives, and the dedication to remember their families, is outstanding.”
Pierce first saw the work being done on the Chinook when it was inside a hangar. She said Laycox was gracious in allowing her family to visit the Stead facility and learn about plans for the Chinook display. “We surround ourselves with other Americans who love our country and families who are dedicated to preserving our memory,” she added.
Capps said the Nevada Guard—past and present—is a close-knit community. “The Nevada Guard is a very small organization,” he said, “and Nevada Army Aviation is even smaller.”
Col. Matthew Jonkey, Nevada Guard state Army aviation officer, said the dedication was a way to thank the community for its continued support. “We want to thank everyone in the community who came together, fundraised, and donated their time and reso
