On this date, 31 years ago, Sept. 21, 1981: 2nd Ranger Battalion CDR Lt. Col. William E. Powell, and Rangers Cpt. Gregory E. Gardner, Sgt. 1st Class Jimmie D. Bynum, Spc. John P. Critselous, Pvt. Kevin E. Langley, Pfc. Lonnie J. Furr paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
These Rangers were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Infantry, and died as a result of injuries sustained when the Air Force C-130 they were on, crashed while conducting a combat training mission at Indian Springs Air Force Base, Nevada. Also killed, was Chief Warrant Officer 3 John Williams from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
The Air Force C-130 cargo plane crashed and exploded "like a bomb" during night-time military maneuvers near a desert runway, killing seven soldiers and injuring 61 others. The troops who survived the crash escaped from side exits in the rear just before fire reached the fuel tanks, turning the craft into an inferno on the Nevada desert. "The plane missed the field. It hit the ground, sheared off its undercarriage and skidded several hundred feet before coming to a stop," said Air Force Col. Mike Wallace.
"The fuel was seeping and it caught fire. Not until the fire spread did the pyrotechnics catch on fire." "That gave the troops in the back an opportunity to escape through the side exits. If it had been a normal crash the plane would have been a fireball," Wallace said.
The fuel fire triggered a series of smaller explosions inside the aircraft led by pyrotechnics, flares and smoke grenades. The C-130 hit the ground one mile short of the darkened Air Force landing strip. Wallace said it was common for the air base to be dark and without landing lights during night training.
The troops undergoing were assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash. A few army observers from Fort Campbell, Ky., were on board, according to a Fort Lewis Air Force spokesman said. All of the C-130 Texas-based crewmen survived, but were hospitalized at nearby Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for observation suffering from sprains and bruises.
The Army identified the six Rangers killed as:
Lt. Col. WILLIAM E. POWELL, 42, from Annandale, Va.
Capt. GREGORY E. GARDNER, 34, from Huntsville, Ala.
Pvt. KEVIN E. LANGLEY, 19, from Pampa, Texas.
Pfc. LONNIE J. FURR, 22, from Rixeyville, Va.
Spec. 4 JOHN P. CRITSELOUS, 20, from Knoxville, Tenn.
Staff Sgt. JIMMIE D. BYNUM, 34, from Waxahachie, Texas.
The seventh Officer killed was from the 160th SOAR
Chief Warrant Officer 3rd Class JOHN WILLIAMS, 32, Yelm, Wash.
~S~
2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
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- centermass
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2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
RS 8-81
Mentor to Rock2/75
US Army Retired 1977-1999
Remember, always be yourself....unless you're Batman. In that case, be Batman.
Mentor to Rock2/75
US Army Retired 1977-1999
Remember, always be yourself....unless you're Batman. In that case, be Batman.
Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
RIP Rangers & Warriors alike.
~S~
Amazing anyone survived.
~S~
Amazing anyone survived.
RLTW
Steadfast
4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
Steadfast
4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
RIP
Evergreen Chapel, JBLM
"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."
-- Dave Barry
-- Dave Barry
Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
N. -/&@?1;94,1?./"
Ryan
RLTW!
Ryan
RLTW!
B co.3/75 99-02
OEF Vet
Mala Malis Facimus
OEF Vet
Mala Malis Facimus
Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
Blue Skies - RIP
~S~
~S~
RLTW
Steadfast
4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
Steadfast
4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
- garyedolan
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Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
Grip Hands...though it be from afar
Gary "28"
Co C (RGR), 75 Inf (ABN) '70-'71
USMA 69; RGR 4-70; RHOF-2011
http://oftheirownaccord.com
"Duty, Honor, Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be." Douglas MacArthur
Co C (RGR), 75 Inf (ABN) '70-'71
USMA 69; RGR 4-70; RHOF-2011
http://oftheirownaccord.com
"Duty, Honor, Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be." Douglas MacArthur
Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
Never Forget!
Ranger Class 13-71
Advisor, VN 66-68 69-70
42d Vn Ranger Battalion 1969-1970
Trainer, El Salvador 86-87
Advisor, Saudi Arabian National Guard 91, 93-94
75th RRA Life Member #867
Advisor, VN 66-68 69-70
42d Vn Ranger Battalion 1969-1970
Trainer, El Salvador 86-87
Advisor, Saudi Arabian National Guard 91, 93-94
75th RRA Life Member #867
Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
Blue skies Rangers. Prayers out for their families.
HHC 2/75 (1998- 2000)
Duty a mountain; Death a feather.
One of these days I'll start off slow...
Duty a mountain; Death a feather.
One of these days I'll start off slow...
Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
I just saw this post, thanks Centermass for putting it up. I was a member of the Jump Clearing team that day and I still remember as we were airborne, flying towards the target, when we were told there had been a fire on one of the other birds and that the mission was aborted. It was not until we were on the ground again that we were told what actually happened. I went and visited the Evergreen Chapel during the 2nd Battalion's anniversary to see the stain glass window that they had put up. I had hurt my elbow on a jump prior to this and that day I had convinced CPT(Doc) Gardner to let me jump if I wore an elbow pad. He told me to come see him after the jump, to get it rechecked. I didn't know I wouldn't see him again. RIP brothers. RLTW
Ranger Class 8-82
C Co 2/75 80-83-HCMTC 83-85
Drill Sgt 85-87-Sapper Instructor 87-89
A Co 2/75 89-90-G3 I Corps 90-91
I Corps LRSC 91-93-7th RTB RI 94-95
Retired 95
"I'd rather spend 10 seconds in the saddle, than a life time of watching from the stands." Chris Ledoux
C Co 2/75 80-83-HCMTC 83-85
Drill Sgt 85-87-Sapper Instructor 87-89
A Co 2/75 89-90-G3 I Corps 90-91
I Corps LRSC 91-93-7th RTB RI 94-95
Retired 95
"I'd rather spend 10 seconds in the saddle, than a life time of watching from the stands." Chris Ledoux
Re: 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry 9-21-1981
A gentleman I hold in the highest respect was involved in this.
God bless the survivors, and God keep those who went home to be with him.
God bless the survivors, and God keep those who went home to be with him.
A/3/505 PIR, 82nd 96-98
B/2/121 Inf, 48th BCT Iraq 05-06
B/1/118 Inf, 218th BCT Afghan 07
I'm not stupid, I'm crazy...there is a difference.
B/2/121 Inf, 48th BCT Iraq 05-06
B/1/118 Inf, 218th BCT Afghan 07
I'm not stupid, I'm crazy...there is a difference.