Flights for Fallen Families

08/31/2021

RIP to these American Heroes - all of them. Our hearts ache for all of their families and friends.

03/10/2020

See attachment and below - two more warrior heroes lost in combat - just two days ago!. Many of us back home forget that we still have many brave warriors over-seas sacrificing their lives for our freedoms - and what a shocking reminder. May their families find peace in the love they shared with their hero. RIP gentlemen.

03/09/2020

Flights Family! Happy Monday! I am proud to announce that we have been able to assist another family in need! Lawrence Jerry Anderson, Jr. passed away last month unexpectedly at the age of 66. He was in the Marine Corps, and attained the rank of 1SGT during his service. His grandson Tyler Brown, who is currently attending the Air Force Academy, contacted us in hopes that he would be able to fly home to Florida for the funeral. Tyler is on track to join the Air Force as an officer after he graduates, and we are so glad that he was able to go home and be with his family as they laid his grandfather to rest.

We are humbled to be able to serve not only Gold Star Families in need, but also families of Veterans who have proudly and selflessly served our country! Thank you 1SGT Anderson for your service and sacrifice. RIP.

-Hannah Wykstra
President and Founder

02/11/2020

Terrible news - rest in peace to these two heroes and we pray for the six who were injured.

The Pentagon has identified two Army Special Forces soldiers who were killed on Saturday in Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province. The soldiers, assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, were Sgt. 1st Class Javier Jaguar Gutierrez, of San Antonio, Texas, and Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Rey Rodriguez, of Las Cruces, Nex Mexico. Both were 28 years old.
Gutierrez and Rodriguez, who were both posthumously promoted, were killed in an apparent "insider attack" carried out by an Afghan soldier who opened fire on a combined U.S.-Afghan special operations team that was meeting with district leaders in Nangarhar.

RIP

02/08/2020

Another hero lost too early. We must never forget. Rest in peace sir!

~ Honoring US Army SPC “Mitch” Mayfield ~

Specialist Henry “Mitch” Mayfield Jr., 23, from Evergreen Park, Illinois, was killed Jan. 5, 2020, during an attack in Manda Bay, Kenya. Mayfield was assigned to 1st Battalion, 58th

Aviation Regiment, 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group, Fort Rucker, Alabama. The incident is under investigation. (Department of Defense News Release)

A native of Chicago, Mitch joined the Army in 2018. "He loved his family and spending quality time with his siblings," Carmoneta, Mayfield's mother, told the Chicago station. "I last spoke with him New Year's Day via FaceTime. We discussed him not having to go to Somalia and he told me everything was good and safe at his base. He told me everything would be OK. Those were his last words to me," she said.

To be updated

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Photo: DoD via WVTM 13
Source: Department of Defense | taskandpurpose

02/04/2020

Another brave and dedicated soldier lost in combat. In today's world we hear too much about celebrities, sports, politicians, etc. - and not enough about the true heroes who sacrifice everything for our freedoms. Rest in peace soldier - you will never be forgotten.

~ In Tribute Of US Army SSG Ian McLaughlin ~

Staff Sergeant Ian P. McLaughlin, 29, of Newport News, Virginia, was killed in action 11 JAN 2020 when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Bravo Company, 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. McLaughlin was conducting operations as part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission. The incident is under investigation. (Department of Defense News Release)

The bomb blast occurred close to Kandahar Air Field in the early morning hours. Two other U.S. soldiers, who remain unidentified, were wounded in the attack.

McLaughlin joined the Army in 2012. His first assignment was with the 62nd Engineer Battalion at Fort Hood, Texas, as a horizontal construction engineer. In 2016, he was reassigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, where he ultimately became a squad leader. This was his first combat deployment.

His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with “C” device, the Combat Action Badge and the Basic Parachutist Badge. He was also a 2018 graduate of the Advanced Airborne School Jumpmaster Course. (armytimes)

“These paratroopers represent the very best of our nation and our Army," Maj. Gen. James Mingus, the 82nd Airborne Division Commander said in a separate statement.

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Photo: FB.com/82ndAirborneDivision
Source: Department of Defense | armytimes

02/04/2020

Two more heroes lost. We must forever remember their sacrifice. Honor, teach, remember.

~ Honoring US Army CW2 David Knadle ~

Chief Warrant Officer 2 David C. Knadle, 33, from Tarrant, Texas, died Nov. 20, 2019, in Logar Province, Afghanistan, when his helicopter crashed while providing security for troops on the ground. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.(Department of Defense News Release)

He joined the Army in April 2013 and was assigned to 1-227th as an Apache pilot in April 2015, officials said. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Army Achievement Medal and Combat Action Badge. (Military.com)

~ Honoring US Army CW2 Kirk Fuchigami Jr ~

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk T. Fuchigami Jr., 25, from Keaau, Hawaii, died Nov. 20, 2019, in Logar Province, Afghanistan, when his helicopter crashed while providing security for troops on the ground. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. (Department of Defense News Release)

Fuchigami entered active duty in May 2017 and was assigned to 1-227th as a pilot in October 2018. He had earned the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal and Combat Action Badge, among other awards. (Military.com)

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Photo: Task & Purpose
Source: Department of Defense

02/03/2020

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Fox presented this tribute to America ahead of Super Bowl LIV in Miami.

09/24/2019

Another lost hero - another broken family. Our hearts go out to them in this tragic time. RIP Sir

~ Honoring US Army SFC Jeremy Griffin ~

Sergeant 1st Class Jeremy W. Griffin, 40, from Greenbrier, Tennessee, was killed in action Sept. 16, 2019, by small arms fire when his unit was engaged in combat operations in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. Griffin was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The incident is under investigation. (Department of Defense News Release)

Griffin was born in Cristobal, Panama, on Dec. 7, 1978, and enlisted into the U.S. Army on April 6, 2004, according to an Army Special Operations Command press release. His resume, provided by the command, indicated that he was one of the Army's most highly trained noncommissioned officers.

He had deployed with the 82nd Airborne Division to Iraq in 2006 and Afghanistan in 2009. He deployed again to Afghanistan in 2016 with 1st Group, as well as served on an overseas rotation to Korea in 2018. This was his fourth combat deployment.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters; the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three campaign stars; the Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars; the Korea Defense Service Medal; the Parachutist Badge; Master Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge; Combat Infantry Badge; Combat Action Badge; Ranger and Army Special Forces Tabs. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.

De Oppresso Liber

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Photo: Army Times
Source: Department of Defense | Army Times

09/09/2019

We salute this hero - and our hearts go out to his family. God Bless and RIP

~ Honoring US Army SFC Elis Barreto Ortiz ~

Sergeant First Class Elis A. Barreto Ortiz, 34, from Morovis, Puerto Rico, was killed in action 5 September 2019, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The incident is under investigation. (Department of Defense News Release)

He joined the Army in August 2010 and completed basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Eustis, Virginia. He graduated from Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was ultimately assigned to 82nd Airborne Division in January 2018.

His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Combat Action Badge, the Basic Parachutist Badge and the Army Driver and Mechanic Badge.

SFC Barreto is survived by his wife and children back home in Cameron, North Carolina.

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Photo: FB.com/82ndAirborneDivision
Source: Department of Defense | Army Times