The DOD Firefighter community mourns the loss of a great man, along with six others. Christopher Raguso sadly was killed when his helicopter crashed early in the morning on March 15th. Before becoming a Flight Engineer for the 106th Rescue Wing, Christopher started his military career with the New York Air National Guard as a Firefighter with the 106th Rescue Wing and again for the State of New York as a Firefighter for the Division of Military and Naval Affairs before joining the ranks of the FDNY working his way up to a Lieutenants position assigned to Battalion 50 in Queens NY. The FDNY stated that on six different occasions Chris was cited for bravery and Lifesaving actions as an individual firefighter or part of a team. In addition to his fire service career, Christopher Volunteered with the Commack Fire department where he held the rank of Lieutenant in Company 4. This is a man whose core values truly where to help people, and lived up to the motto “That Others May Live.” God Bless him and his family
"You are only forgotten when you are no longer remembered - and we will never forget."
Orginal Story:
All seven service members on board a U.S. helicopter died on Thursday, March 15th, 2018 when it crashed in western Iraq, according to the Department of Defense (DoD). The department said in a statement that the crash “does not appear to be a result of enemy activity,” and is being investigated.
The DoD said the HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed at about 6:45 p.m. local time, and the scene was subsequently secured by Iraqi and coalition service members. Reports from the crew of an accompanying helicopter said the HH-60 crashed after striking a power line, ABC News reported.
The names of the deceased will be released after next of kin have been notified, according to the DoD.
President Donald Trump posted condolences on Twitter, saying, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the brave troops lost in the helicopter crash on the Iraq-Syria border yesterday. Their sacrifice in service to our country will never be forgotten.”
Vice President Mike Pence also posted on Twitter, saying he was “deeply saddened” by the loss and that “the U.S will fully investigate the cause of this accident.”
According to the Pentagon, there are approximately 5,262 U.S. service members in Iraq. Two Americans have died in non-combat related incidents in Iraq this year, ABC News reported.
Line of Duty Memorial Page
LATHAM, NY, UNITED STATES
03.17.2018
Story by Eric Durr
New York National Guard
Four New York Air National Guard members assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing, stationed at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, died in Iraq on Thursday, March 15, the Department of Defense announced today.
The four New York Air National Guard Airmen were part of a seven-member team who died when the HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopter they were flying crashed near the city of Al-Qa'im in western Iraq. There is no evidence of enemy action involved in the crash and the incident is under investigation, according to the Department of Defense.
Killed were:
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| Christopher Zanetis,, age 37, a resident of Long Island City, N.Y., is one of four members of the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard who was killed in an HH-60 helicopter crash on March 15, 2018 in Iraq. |
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Capt. Christopher Zanetis,(za-NEH-tis), age 37, a resident of Long Island City, N.Y., who was an HH-60G Pave Hawk pilot. He joined the 106th Rescue Wing in 2008 and was assigned to the wing's 101st Rescue Squadron. Zanetis was a member of the New York City Fire Department in civilian life and had recently joined the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City as an associate. He previously deployed to Iraq in 2011, supporting another HH-60G squadron, and Afghanistan with the 101st.
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| Capt. Andreas O'Keeffe, age 37, a resident of Center Moriches, N.Y., is one of four members of the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard who died in an HH-60 helicopter crash in Iraq on March 15, 2018. |
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Capt. Andreas O'Keeffe, age 37, a resident of Center Moriches, N.Y., who was an HH-60G Pave Hawk pilot. He was a full-time federal civilian employee and an Air Guardsman with the wing's 101st Rescue Squadron. He joined the 106th Rescue Wing in 2013, after serving as an armament systems specialist with the 113th Wing, District of Columbia Air National Guard, and RC-26 pilot with the 174th Attack Wing, Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Syracuse, N.Y. He deployed to Iraq three times, and to Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and Texas during Hurricane Harvey.
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| Master Sgt. Christopher Raguso,, age 39, a resident of Commack, N.Y. is one of four members of the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard who was killed in an HH-60 helicopter crash in Iraq on March 15, 2018. |
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Master Sgt. Christopher Raguso,(ra-GOO-so), age 39, a resident of Commack, N.Y., who was an HH-60G special mission aviation flight engineer. He joined the 106th Rescue Wing in 2001 and was a member of the New York City Fire Department. He was assigned to the wing's 101st Rescue Squadron. He previously deployed to Iraq as a fire protection specialist with the 106th Civil Engineering Squadron, twice to Afghanistan with the 101st, once to the Horn of Africa, and to Texas and the Caribbean for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
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| Staff Sgt. Dashan Briggs, age 30, a resident of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y. is one of four members of the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard who died in Iraq on March 16, 2018 in a HH-60 crash |
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Staff Sgt. Dashan Briggs, age 30, a resident of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., who was an HH-60G special mission aviation flight engineer. He joined the 106th Rescue Wing in 2010. He was a full-time military member with the wing and assigned to the 101st Rescue Squadron. He previously deployed to Afghanistan as a munitions system specialist with the 106th Maintenance Group, and to Texas and the Caribbean for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma as a member of the 101st.
The 106th Rescue Wing specializes in worldwide personnel recovery of pilots, military personnel and civilians, by air, land, and sea, during combat and peacetime. The 106th Rescue Wing personnel were operating in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the American-led coalition operation to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
"It is with great sadness that I report the loss of four of our wing members," said Col. Michael Bank, the commander of the 106th Rescue Wing.
"All four of these heroes served their nation and community. Our sincerest condolences and sympathies to the families and friends that have been touched by this tragic event," Bank added.
"Our National Guard family mourns the loss of the seven combat search and rescue Airmen in the HH-60 crash, including four members from the 106th Rescue Wing," said Major General Anthony German, the Adjutant General of New York. "This loss reminds us of the tremendous risks we take in serving our nation every day."
"We honor their service, their professionalism, and their sacrifice as we mourn their loss," German added.
The 106th Rescue Wing operates the HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopter, which is a modified version of the Army's UH-60 Blackhawk. The wing also flies the HC-130 search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
Airmen from the 106th Rescue Wing have deployed regularly to Afghanistan and Iraq and other areas in support of American and coalition combat missions since Sept. 11, 2001.
Airmen from the wing also recently responded to Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in 2017. The members of the 106th are credited with rescuing 546 Houston area residents from flood waters with boats and their HH-60 Pave Hawks. They played a key role in evacuating 1,500 Americans from the Dutch Island of St. Maarten following Hurricane Irma.
The four Airmen killed on March 15 brings the total number of New York National Guard members who have died in a combat zone since Sept. 11, 2001, to 39. Of those, seven have been members of the New York Air National Guard.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, 27 members of the New York National Guard - including these four Airmen - have died in Iraq. These four are the first New York Air National Guard Airmen to die in Iraq. The others were killed supporting operations in Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Todd J. Lobraico Jr., a member of the 105th Airlift Wing's 105th Base Defense Squadron was killed while operating in the vicinity of Bagram Air Base on Sept. 3, 2013.
On Dec. 21, 2015 Tech Sgt. Joseph G. Lemm and Staff Sgt. Louis Michael Bonacasa died when a suicide bomber attacked their patrol in a village outside Bagram Air Base in Parwan Province. Both Airmen were also members of the 105th Airlift Wing's 105th Base Defense Squadron.
