David Wisniewski

Final Flight on July 02, 2010

David Anthony Wisniewski, Captian, USAF

June 27, 1979 - July 02, 2010

Captain David Anthony Wisniewski

Born June 27, 1979 in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Died July 02, 2010 at Bethesda Naval Hospital, MD.

Capt. David A. Wisniewski of Moville, Iowa, is the son of Chet and Beverly Wisniewski.

Academically minded and a gifted athlete, he graduated in 1998 from Woodbury Central High School. He then entered the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.

In December of 2008 he completed training at the Advanced Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base. David was the pilot of a Air Force Black Hawk Helicopter and had four deployments to Iraq and three to Afghanistan. David had logged more than 1,500 flight hours, flown 289 combat hours and is credited with saving numerous lives, including several during his most recent deployment to Afghanistan, having rescued 240 soldiers.

During the memorial service held at his home base, Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 15, 2010, the Air Force announced they renamed the "HH-60G Outstanding Flyer Award" (which Dave earned in 2008) to the "Captain Dave Wisniewski Memorial Flying Award" for all future outstanding flyers graduates.

His Awards and Decorations include, The Bronze Star Medal for Valor (awarded posthumously) The Purple Heart, The Air Medal with twelve oak leaf clusters, The Air Force Achievement Medal, The Air Force Combat Action Medal and The Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster.

David had been selected to become an instructor at the Advanced Weapons School when his most recent tour was up. He was serving on his fifth tour of duty in Afghanistan and was piloting a Black Hawk helicopter on a rescue mission when it was shot down. He died at age 31 at Bethesda Naval Hospital of wounds sustained June 9, 2001 in a helicopter crash near Forward Operating Base Jackson, Afghanistan.

He leaves his parents, two brothers, Graig and Matthew, and his fiancée, Melissa Sandberg.

Air Force, 66th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia - Section 60 Site 9178

ACADEMY GRADUATE DIES FROM WOUNDS FOLLOWING PAVE HAWK CRASH

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.

An Air Force Academy graduate died July 2, 2011, following injuries received from an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter that crashed in southeastern Afghanistan June 9.

Capt. David Wisniewski, 31, was an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter pilot assigned to the 66th Rescue Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and deployed to Afghanistan.

Captain Wisniewski passed away at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., July 2 from injuries received during the incident. Four other Airmen were killed and two were wounded in the crash. The Airmen were deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and responsible for casualty evacuation.

Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and raised Moville, Iowa, Captain Wisniewski attended Woodbury Central High School before attending the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.

During his eight-year career, Captain Wisniewski had logged more than 1,500 flight hours, flown 289 combat hours and is credited with saving numerous lives, including several during his most recent deployment to Afghanistan.

"In one day, Dave was key in saving 40 people during the largest single mass casualty mission in Regional Command South," said Lt. Col. Thomas Dorl, commander of the 66th RQS. "This was no small feat as he braved enemy action and flew into a hot landing zone three times to save people."

Captain Wisniewski is the 13th Air Force Academy graduate killed while supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, three Air Medals and two Air Force Commendation Medals.

A memorial service will be held at Nellis Air Force Base in honor of Captain Wisniewski at a date to be determined, and he will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

The two injured Airmen from the helicopter mission, both from Nellis AFB, are Capt. Anthony Simone, a helicopter pilot assigned to the 66th RQS, and Tech. Sgt. Christopher Aguilera, an aerial gunner assigned to the 66th RQS. Both Airmen are recovering at Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio.    

"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

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