SMITH, MARK
 
QUINLAN   RATLIFF   REEDER   REYES   RICHARDS   RIECKE   RILEY   RINEY   RIOPEL   ROBINSON   ROCKEL   RODRIGUEZ   ROOT   ROSTEN   ROUSSEAU   ROY   RUANE   RUNNINGER   RUNYON   RUSSELL   SAGOR   SAIKKONEN   SALEM   SANDUSKY   SANTOS   SAUNDERS   SCARFF   SCHAETZLE   SCHATTE   SCHOECK   SCHUMACHER   SCHUMAN   SCOTT   SEALY   SEAMAN   SEVERNS   SHACKLEFORD   SHARPE   SHEA   SHER0W   SHOBERT   SHUMOSKY   SILVA   SLATTERY   SMALLWOOD   SMITH, KENDALL   SMITH, MARK   SMITH, SAMUEL   SMITH, WINIFRED   SMITHAM   SNIDER   SOLARI   SORRENTINO   SOUTHWORTH   SPARKS   STEIN   STEPHENS   STEPHENSON   STEVENS   STOVER   STRINGER   STURGES   SUMMERHILL   SWINDELLS   SWORD   TACKAS   TASSIE   TATSCH   TAUZIN   TAYLOR   THOMAS, DAVID   THOMAS, WILLIAM   THOMPSON   THORBURN   THORSON   TORRES   TOUCHETTE   TOVAR   TRAVIS   TREAGER   TRUITT   VALLIMONT   VARGAS   VAUGHN   VIGARE   VOAS   VON PHUL   WALDECK   WALLS   WALT   WARREN   WASHINGTON   WATERS   WEBB   WEILAND   WEIMER   WELK   WERBER   WEST   WHITE, EUGENE   WHITE, SAWYER   WHITNEY   WILLIAMS   WILSON, HERNAND   BLANK   WINSLOW   WITHINGTON   WOMACK   WOOD, CARL   WOOD, WENDELL   WOODSON   WOODWARD   WOOLVERTON   WOTEN   WURZBURG   YEAST   YESTNESS   YONTECK   YORK   YOUNG, KELLY   ZDENEK   ZEHNDER   ZERBE  



Mark A. Smith

Final Flight on August 05, 2013




Mark A. Smith, TSgt., USAF (Fallen)

1983 - August 05, 2013


 

NEWS RELEASE



Team Kadena mourns loss of downed helicopter crew member


Posted 8/10/2013 Updated 8/10/2013

by 18th Wing Public Affairs


8/10/2013 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Officials confirmed today the death of a technical sergeant assigned to the 33rd Rescue Squadron here following Monday's crash of a helicopter in the Central Training Area, Okinawa.

 

Tech. Sgt. Mark A. Smith, 33rd RQS flight engineer, died when the HH 60G Pave Hawk helicopter in which he was flying went down during a training mission. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

 

"Smitty was a total professional and true warrior," said Lt. Col. Pedro Ortiz, 33rd RQS commander. "He led by example and was wise beyond his young age of 30. In combat or out, I am proud to call him my brother."

 

Smith, originally from Bakersfield, Calif., joined the Air Force on July 5, 2000, after graduating high school.

 

"He was a quiet guy outside the aircraft, but in the aircraft, a totally different person," Ortiz said. "In the aircraft, he was blunt and told you how it was. I loved that. His ever-present drive was to make you better and to take care of everyone in combat."

 

During Smith's 13 years of service, he advanced as a structural maintenance specialist before entering flight engineer upgrade training in 2008. Since arriving here in the fall of 2011, Smith deployed twice to Afghanistan with the 33rd RQS, where he participated in numerous missions to save the lives of service members on the ground.

 

"One that stands out is the rescue of a commando in the Kamdesh," Ortiz said. "They were under fire by rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns. Smitty was rock solid with his hoist despite the imminent and close threats."

 

During this rescue, a photo was taken by a combat photographer who was nearby in an overwatch position, Ortiz said. The photo has since gone viral in the rescue community. Upon returning from this deployment, Smith was presented the Air Force Commendation Medal by then-18th Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Matt Molloy in a ceremony here.

 

Off the battlefield, Smith is remembered as a caring father, mentor and friend.

 

"Smitty was a mentor to all the young Airmen and pilots; he was a father figure to those that didn't have one," Ortiz said. "He and his wife took care of those in need. They always had lots of single Airmen over to his house."

 

He is survived by his wife, Jessica, also from Bakersfield. The couple has two daughters.

 

"Team Kadena has lost a hero," said Brig. Gen. James Hecker, 18th Wing commander. "Our hearts are with Smitty's family, friends and loved ones. We all suffer through the loss of one of our precious own."

 

Hecker urged anyone needing assistance at this difficult time - or who knows someone who may need assistance - to ask for help by contacting their supervisor or any Team Kadena chaplain.

 

The other three crew members involved in the mishap were rescued by emergency responders and received medical care at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa.

 

Here in Japan, the 33rd Rescue Squadron is most recently known for its role in providing disaster relief and search and rescue functions during Operation Tomodachi following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that devastated mainland Japan.

 

The Pave Hawk's primary mission is to conduct day or night personnel recovery operations. It also supports civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response and humanitarian assistance.

 

More details will be released as they become available.




Saturday, August 10, 2013


Airman killed in Okinawa helicopter crash identified

 

Air Force finds remains at helicopter crash site on Okinawa

 

Air Force officials have identified the airman killed when an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed Monday during a training mission on Okinawa.

 

Tech Sgt. Mark A. Smith was a flight engineer assigned to the 33rd Rescue Squadron, according to a release issued Saturday by the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base.

 

The other three crew members on the helicopter when it crashed and burned in a forest on Camp Hansen were found soon after the crash Monday and treated at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa.

 

Smith, of Bakersfield, Calif., joined the Air Force in 2000. He was posted to Kadena in 2011 and deployed twice to Afghanistan with the 33rd Rescue Squadron, the release said.

 

“Smitty was a total professional and true warrior,” Lt. Col. Pedro Ortiz, 33rd commander, said of Smith, according to the release. “He led by example and was wise beyond his young age of 30. In combat or out, I am proud to call him my brother.”

Smith is survived by his wife, Jessica, and two daughters, the release said.



       



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