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Nine years ago, four Airmen died near Chabelley Airfeld near Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti: U.S. Air Force Capt. Ryan Hall, Capt. Nicholas Whitlock, 1st Lt. Justin Wilkens and Senior Airman Julian Scholten. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Nicholas Wabeke, friend of Capt. Whitlock and Capt. Hall, led a ceremony and honor ruck march in their honor on Thursday, Feb 18, 2021, nine years after the day of their passing.
“Ryan taught me to fly the U-28 and the finer points of Short Field takeoffs. He was a mentor, and despite there being an air of bravado about being in Special Operations, he always added a certain levity to a situation, he was so very funny. Nick was a man of faith, dedicated to the mission and fiancé Ashley. He wanted to be the best husband he could be -- and often asked me for advice.
Nearly 50 service members on duty now at Chabelley hiked the rugged road out to the crash site on Thursday afternoon where the four Airmen died aboard Ratchet 33 a U-28A “Draco” surveillance plane.
On Feb. 18, 2012 at approximately 1357, Ratchet 33 left Camp Lemonnier. At that time their mission was to keep watch over the battlefields of Afghanistan, Iraq and other areas engaged in the war on terrorism, with the primary mission of keeping people on the ground safe. The crew executed their daily work and headed home. According to the Air Force Accident Investigation Board Report, the pilot had unrecognized spatial disorientation while approaching Ambouli International Airport.
“What should have been an uneventful return to base (RTB), and one that I had flown many times myself, ended in tragedy as their U-28 impacted that ground 1 mile north of here. In that moment, worlds change as they always do in response to tragedy. An entire community of aviators literally were looking at each other asking, how this could happen, we all literally have done what they did since 2009 and no one had a bump, not even a blip.”
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Wabeke dedicated four newly built huts honoring the crew, saying “All who sleep at CADJ will remember their sacrifice.”
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Katrina Ware was there for the ceremony as well as the hike to the crash site. "The ceremony was very moving. Lt Col Wabeke sharing personal stories about the Air Commandos made the ceremony touching. The audience got to learn that Ratchet 33 was more than just an Air Crew. The ceremony made you realize that we all need to appreciate the moments we get with our fellow military members, because you never know when someone will have to make the ultimate sacrifice."
| Date Taken: | 03.04.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2021 01:33 |
| Story ID: | 390531 |
| Location: | CAMP LEMONNIER, DJ |
| Web Views: | 86 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A March to Remember, by Randi Brown, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
