U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

Rachel Hill, widow of U.S. Air Force Capt. Jeffrey Hill, speaks July 27, 2023 via video call about the day her husband was involved in a tragic aircraft accident. On July 28, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed: majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron; Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron; and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. Each year, JBER and the 3rd Wing remember the accident and honor the fallen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

Alaska Air National Guardsman SrA Luke Davis, assigned to the 144th Airlift Squadron, conducts a memorial ceremony at the crash site of “Sitka 43” at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing, crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed in the crash; Majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

An Alaska Air National Guardsman assigned to the 144th Airlift Squadron rings a bell during a final roll call for the fallen service members at the crash site of “Sitka 43” at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing, crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed in the crash; Majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

Airmen assigned to the Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, 144th Airlift Squadron and U.S. Air Force 517th Airlift Squadron gather for a final roll call memorial ceremony and a toast at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing, crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed in the crash; Majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

U.S. Air Force Capt. Robert Dolin, director of staff assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, conducts a final roll call ceremony at the crash site of “Sitka 43” at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing, crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed in the crash; Majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

A bell and a table with four alcoholic beverages are seen next to the memorial for the crash site of “Sitka 43” as Airmen assigned to the Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, 144th Airlift Squadron and U.S. Air Force 517th Airlift Squadron gather to perform a final roll call memorial ceremony and a toast at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing, crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed in the crash; Majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

Squadron stickers for the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron and 144th Airlift Squadron, and the U.S. Air Force 517th Airlift Squadron decorate a bell at the crash site of “Sitka 43” during a final roll call memorial ceremony and a toast at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing, crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed in the crash; Majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

A memorial remembers fallen Airmen assigned to Alaska Air National Guard 249th Airlift Squadron and U.S. Air Force 517th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing, crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed in the crash; Majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

A metal bucket-like structure contains the remains of “Sitka 43” aircraft wreckage as Airmen assigned to Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, 144th Airlift Squadron and U.S. Air Force 517th Airlift Squadron gathers for a final roll call memorial ceremony and a toast at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed: majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron; Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron; and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

Airmen assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, 144th Airlift Squadron and the U.S. Air Force 517th Airlift Squadron read the memorial at the crash site of “Sitka 43” as they gather to do a final roll call and a toast on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed: majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron; Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron; and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)

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U.S. Airmen Remember their Fallen

Published Aug. 1, 2023
By Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez
JBER Public Affairs

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - A memorial remembers fallen Airmen assigned to Alaska Air National Guard 249th Airlift Squadron and U.S. Air Force 517th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 27, 2023. On July 28th, 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing, crashed shortly after take-off during a local training mission. The four crew members on board were killed in the crash; Majors Michael Freyholtz and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Moises Vasquez)