REMEMBER THE FALLEN

CW4 John R. Priestner

Alpha Company

Red Wolves

CW4 John R. Priestner was born in Patterson, NJ on 08 July 1964. He enlisted in the Air Force as a Nuclear Weapons Specialist and later joined the Army as a Warrant Officer, flying the AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter. CW4 Priestner served in Operation Desert Storm with the First Cavalry Division and later with the Pennsylvania National Guard. After a break in service, John was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment at Fort Bragg, NC in 2002 and deployed with that unit to Afghanistan from November of 2002 to August of 2003. After his Afghanistan deployment CW4 Priestner moved to 1-82 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion.

CW4 Priestner served as the Company Safety Officer in Alpha Company 1-82 ARB throughout the AH-64D MTADS fielding at Unit Fielding Training Program in Fort Hood, TX, and combat operations in central/northern Iraq. CW4 Priestner was killed in a helicopter crash near Balad, Iraq, on 6 November 2006 while conducting combat patrols in support of ground forces.

You will never be forgotten…

CW4 Brent S. Cole

Charlie Company

Blue Wolves

CW4 Brent S. Cole born in West Virginia, entered active duty military service in 1987 as a Military Policeman, and was selected in 1998 to the Army’s Warrant Officer Flight Program where he became an AH-64 Apache Pilot. CW4 Cole excelled as an Army Aviator and was selected to be the unit’s Aviation Safety Officer. As a result of his responsibility of his professionalism as a pilot and tremendous qualities as a mentor, CW4 Cole was given the responsibility for teaching new aviators the skills and techniques necessary to operate the greatest attack helicopter in the world; this was his calling, and he loved every minute of it. CW4 Cole was a warrior; a combat veteran on his third Global War on Terrorism deployment. CW4 Cole had three previous deployments while serving his country; first with 3rd battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment in Bosnia and two tours in Iraq with the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment.

CW4 Cole’s fourth deployment was with TF Wolfpack of the 82nd Airborne Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade. CW4 Cole served as both an Instructor Pilot and Aviation Safety Officer in Charlie Company 1-82 ARB. CW4 Cole was charged with the safety and training of his unit, and once again he set the standard. While conducting a much needed resupply mission to an isolated outpost near Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan on 22 May 2009, he was killed in a helicopter crash. During the crash sequence CW4 Cole’s superior flying ability and exceptional skill directly contributed to the survival of his co-pilot.

You will never be forgotten…

CW2 Miles P. Henderson

Alpha Company

Red Wolves

CW2 Miles P. Henderson was born in Amarillo, TX on 28 January 1982. Following Basic Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he attended the Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, AL, graduating on 18 September 2003. Afterwards, CW2 Henderson attended the AH-64D Aircraft Qualification Course and completed the Aviation Life Support Supervisor Course.

Upon completion of his flight training, CW2 Henderson was assigned to Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bragg, NC. After arriving, he successfully completed SERE Level C training. As the battalion reflagged to 1-82nd Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, CW2 Henderson deployed with Alpha Company to the Unit Fielding and Training Program at Fort Hood, TX. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in July 2006 as the Company COMSEC Officer and flew in combat operations on a continual basis. CW2 Henderson was killed in a helicopter crash near Balad, Iraq on 6 November 2006 while conducting combat patrols in support of ground forces.

You will never be forgotten…

SPC Timothy. A. Fulkerson

Delta Company

Timberwolves

Timothy Adam Fulkerson was born in Kentucky on 18 June 1986. He entered active duty military service on June 29th, 2004 as a Private First Class, and completed Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, SC on September 9th, 2004. After graduating from Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Eustis, VA on April 1st, 2005, PFC Fulkerson was MOS-qualified as a 15Y10 Attack Helicopter Armament Technician. PFC Fulkerson reported to the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC in April of 2005 and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion (Attack), 82nd Aviation Regiment. In August, he deployed with the now reflagged as the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) to Fort Hood, TX for nine-month long Unit Fielding and Training Program (UFTP). 1-82 ARB completed UFTP and returned to Ft. Bragg, NC to prepare for an upcoming deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom; PFC Fulkerson was promoted to the rank of Specialist in June of 2006, and he deployed with the unit to COB Speicher, Iraq the following month.

SPC Fulkerson volunteered to become a member of the “Scorpion” Combat Roving Patrol, a ground force tasked to provide a perimeter security for COB Speicher and its 12,000+ inhabitants. On October 8th, 2006, SPC Fulkerson died of wounds sustained when an explosive device detonated under the vehicle in which he was patrolling.

You will never be forgotten…