One Of 25 Fatally Injured In Helo Accident In Afghanistan
August 6th
For the second week in a row, an Air Force Special Operations
Command Pararescueman was laid to rest at Arlington National
Cemetery just outside Washington, DC. Tech. Sgt. John Brown, with
family roots in Arkansas and Florida, was buried Aug. 30, one week
after his teammate and friend Tech. Sgt. Daniel Zerbe.
Tabitha Brown Accepts A Flag From Lt.
Gen. Erick Fiel
Both Brown and Zerbe were on a CH-47 helicopter Aug. 6 when it
went down in the Wardak province of eastern Afghanistan. Another
teammate who died, Air Force combat controller Staff Sgt. Andy
Harvell, was laid to rest September 10th. They were among 25 U.S.
Special Operations Command operators who died in the crash, which
also took the lives of five U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers, seven
Afghan commandos and one civilian interpreter.
Family, friends, senior leaders and past teammates attended
Brown's funeral, including former Secretary of the Air Force James
Roche, AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel and the AFSOC command
chief, Chief Master Sgt. William Turner. The 3rd United States
Infantry's "The Old Guard" led a procession through Arlington
National Cemetery, pulling Brown's flag-draped casket on a caisson
led by a team of six white Lippizan horses. More than 100 of
Brown's teammates followed, marching in silence.
A missing-man formation of four A-10s from Moody Air Force Base,
GA, Brown's former base, broke the silence, followed by three-rifle
volleys, a flag-folding ceremony and the playing of "Taps."
During a memorial service for Brown held Aug. 16, his youth
pastor, Ray Fritz said: "One word that sums up John is kind. He was
kind to a fault and would do anything for anyone." Many who grew up
with Brown said they remembered him as a dedicated, courageous
family man who was an example for everyone and a man of character.
At 6 feet 2 inches tall, Brown was nicknamed "the gentle giant." A
former teammate of Brown's said he was a big man, but his heart was
even bigger. He said Brown had a belief in something higher and
believed in a justness and goodness that would shine through. He
said everyone in attendance could take away some life lessons from
"big John Brown" to live harder, fight stronger and live better
than the common man.
Each of Brown's teammates and friends nailed a pararescue badge
into the top of Brown's casket, a tradition signifying he will
never be forgotten among his team. "He was a man who would not quit
and only needed a family behind him and an enemy in front of him,"
one of Brown's former team-leads said.
Brown is survived by wife Tabitha, his father Dan, his mother
Elizabeth Newlun, and brothers Danny and Lucas.
ANN Salutes Maj. Kristi Beckman, Air Force Special Operations
Command Public Affairs