Our family is in mourning today.
When I woke up yesterday to several e-mails informing me of the C-17 crash at Elmendorf, I followed links to news stories with photos hauntingly similar to the ones of Sept. 22, 1995, and the loss of Yukla 27.
Please take a moment to honor the four Airmen lost in that tragedy.
-Farva
RIP Warriors.
When I started fly an old nav told me “Aviation is not inherently dangerous, but it is terribly unforgiving.” Lost a lot of friend over the years and it never gets easier, even when you don’t know them. God bless’em.
Now let’s be careful out there, OK?
I pray their families find peace.
I’m currently stationed at elmo thanks farva
Powerful image, Farva. Good job. Sending thoughts to the family, friends, and comrades of the crewmembers.
Sitting here at Elmendorf.
I also knew one of the crew on Yukla 27.
Thanks for a poignant comic.
I misspoke this morning. Yukla 27 went down due east of the runway. If the map is accurate it appears the C17 went down south east of Six Mile Lake. It looks like it brought back a lot of memories of Yukla 27 to several who were around that fateful morning. I know everyone in the area and more are mourning with the family of those four crew members.
According to a SF member, it went down about 500 yards to the Left of Yukla 27.
RIP To all those Fine airmen
May the light guide their way. Farwell on their final journey.
nicely put! we can always count on you to put a picture to the words, thoughts and feelings we all have!
Amen, brother…
great comic farva. rip warriors
God Bless each one of those guys and pray for their families.
Great comic, Farva, very powerful. RIP to our fellow Airmen, and condolences and prayers to their families.
My friend, TSgt Ernie Parrish, was on Yukla 27. The guy loved his job so much, he’d come out with us Army grunts and help us out…
Great job Farva.
Priceless Farva.
We’re all travelers in this world.
From the sweet grass to the packing house; birth ‘til death; we travel between the eternities.
Robert Duvall as Prentiss Ritter in “Broken Trail
May they rest in peace
Posted on the door in memory…………..
Same here dude.
Farva — what a gift you have to capture our Air Force and its people in just a few drawn panels. You’ve made this old, jaded weapons officer laugh a lot, but today you brought out tears. This one deserves to be on the Pentagon walls with the other iconic art we have in the building. You are truly our Bill Mauldin, with a great eye for what being an Airman means to all of us, and I wish Big Blue would put you to work accordingly.
Godspeed to our four wingmen, and may their families find some peace in the thoughts and prayers of their Air Force family.
You couldn’t have drawn a more beautiful tribute Farva.
God watch over their families during this tough time.
Live on. Dream on. Fly on. With their memory forever in our hearts and minds. Thank you for your service and may you familes and friends find peace in this time of heartache.
Can’t say it any better than John GIllespie McGee in “High Flight”. Creator, Father God, keep their families under your hedge of protection and cover them with Your grace and love and take our fallen brothers and sisters and keep them close to your heart til we be reunited.
One aside, Farva, you just jogged Fredrick Forsyth’s _The_Shepard_ from the recesses of my memory on the slightly eerie side…
Touching tribute Farva. I got to Elmo 3 years after Yukla 27, and dad was assigned to the 962d, and alot of the guys he worked with knew the guys on board that day.
One reason I hate being in maintenance, second a jet goes down everything you’ve done in the last few weeks starts getting second guessed. We lost one of our Aggressors about 2 1/2 years ago, along with the squadron commander, great guy, knew alot of us crew chiefs…was a sad day in Eagle when we lost him and the jet.
Farva–That was perfect. RIP, and prayers to the families.
We lost a pilot here at the Lake a few weeks back. Haven’t heard a definite cause yet, but they had all the Charlies down for the rest of that week checking the O2 systems. Not a good week.
Rest well is fair skies, friends.
Beautiful comic and thought Farva. Sad news. My heart goes out to the families and the community. Rest in Peace Airmen
I can’t say that I ever knew anyone involved with a crash, so for me this affects me less than others. But still I really hate hearing about those lives lost just for the fact that they chose to wear the uniform. I’m not sure what I believe in as far as faith goes, but I would like to think that they are in a better place, free from pain, heartache, and strife. A place where those who have gone are truly happy.
… My god, that’s awful. I wish I could do more for the families than just offer my prayers and condolences… But I know that nothing I can do would be able to replace those lost lives…
I will remember these four Airmen, and I pray that they are now in a place where there is no more war, strife, and sadness.
:]
Thank you for the touching strip, Farva. Rest in Peace Warrior brethren…
Very touching tribute. My son started BLM today, and one of the Student Loads is from Alaska. My heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones, and the members of the squadron who lost dear friends. My heart also goes out to this young Airman who is sitting in TX as this happens back home.
RIP Brothers, Mayblue skies and tailwinds be yours;now and forever.
May God protect the families and friends of our lost heroes. May He take those airmen into His loving embrace. Amen.
Thank you for always finding the right way to portray our feelings, Farva.
We toast our faithful comrades
Now fallen from the sky
And gently caught by God’s own hand
To be with Him on high.
To my brothers: “Here’s a Toast…”
RIP Airmen.
Farva, once you know the history, that makes for a very moving comic.
Salve atque vale. Hail and farewell.
–A grateful civilian
good tribute. A C-17 from Altus (AETC??) showed up at Oshkosh today, did not park at Aeroshell Central, but did several flybys as the announcer asked rememberance.
RobertM, AETC is correct. Spent several years at Altus and got to know many of the crews. Still wondering if I knew them.
Well done Farva. Can’t decide if it makes me think of “High Flight”, or “Eternal Father”, but my thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of our fallen heros.
Great cartoon cum editorial strip Farva. @Flylow: “High Flight” for me. Nice to hear about the Oskosh tribute RobertM. We often take for granted what it is we do or have done without taking time to realize it can end too quickly and too early.
Is it possible to merge the frames…? this is really powerful.
Possible, yes, but I did it on purpose. The last frame is supposed to represent a moment of silence.
Words escape me at the moment, but to lay it out there: I just broke news of this to the members of my aircraft modellers group. We’ve agreed that we’d liek to do a maitched pair for models for Yukla-27 and the recently lost C-17, we just need to know where we can get information to complete the markings. And the Canadians jsut lost a hornet driver earlier this week too…
Rest in peace gents, have no more worries.
correction, thier pilot made it out with serious injuries
He made it out, the video can be found here. Sounds like he only has a few cracked vertebrae and a sore back (obviously).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BScl4pdV1vE
Ah, I understand it. I was looking at it as one big image.
think of it as a triptych.
To all of the men and women in all branches of military service, the civilians that work for the services, and their families, I say very simply: “Thank you.”
First thing, Farva, thank you for all the great things you do in remembrance of our brothers and sisters in arms.
Second, to the families that have lost their airmen, our prayers are with you, I pray you all find the strength to celebrate the lives our fellow airmen and the pain of your loss only last a short while. I pray you find comfort in those that are around you and you know that they still live in all our hearts and memories, although I may not have personnally known them, I am proud to have served with them. May god bring comfort into your hearts.
words have failed me during this time here at elmo………………….thanks farva for this
Beautiful tribute. What a heartbreaking situation.
Sad day. Very moving cartoon. Very well done.
God bless all the men and women who are willing to give so much during their service in the armed forces.
Dude! Fantastic comic this morning. No better word for it.
Farva, you have a way. That hit me like a hammer this morning. I’m sitting here in tears.
Well done Farva.
God Bless the families of the brave airmen.
A Wonderful image and very wonderful thought that Yukla 27 is still guiding aviators when they need to go.
Nice work Farva (I signed up today just so I could tell you to keep up the good work)
For those interested, the a/c callsign was SITKA 44
I must say, well done. god bless those lost and their families and friends who lost the ones closest to their hearts.
Their service made us all stronger, better….Their loss diminishes us all.
“Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon;
and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.” Rossiter Worthington Raymond
Beautifully done Farva. Our prayers go out the those families.
I agree with swo117, this deserves to be printed and displayed far and wide. It is unfortunate that it takes an event of this enormity to remind us of the dangers in our everyday life. With all flight there is risk, and while we do our best to manage that risk, there is always danger.
Families, please know that when your loved ones join the military, your family tree just exploded into the millions. All branches come together in times like these, and I am confident they will be looked after and cared for. While any death is unfortunate, the aid and resources available to the families will comfort them.
RIP Warriors
MSG Cliff, Army Retired
Back in the 80′s the wife and I were stationed at Dyess AFB when we lost the first B1B. We hadn’t been there that long, but it was still crushing. The wife cross trained into Air Crew Life Support and knew everyone on the next 2 that went down, 1 due to the auto pilot in nape of the earth that put the aircraft into the side of a cliff and the one that went down on the north end of the runway due to a bird strike. Never gets any easier….. As it souldn’t.. RIP guys, we will see you on the other side.
There are no military rivalries when it comes to situations like this. Rest in peace, airmen.
no there isnt…. in the end we are all one big family with one mission…
Took me a moment to realize what the comic meant, but when it did, It send a shiver down my spine. Excellent strip, Farva.
May those service men lost Rest in Peace.
Well done, Farva. A touching tribute.
Farva, this is by far your best strip yet. It brought me to tears. Rest in peace, gentlemen, we’re thinking of you.
went to tears myself… first time in a long time too… once again thanks farva
RIP
Thoughts and prayer to the families of these fallen warriors.
/salute
Very classy salute! I’m from Elmo, so i know just how hard this has hit. God bless the service members aboard and their families
Godspeed, Airmen.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Class is all I can say! Thank you and I figured you had done something. My prayers go out to all affected by this tragedy.
Rest In Peace……..
Thanks Farva, I knew you’d do something like this. My prayers are with the family and friends of the crew.
Does anyone know the probable cause yet? Birds again? or, WTF?
Of course, not time to speculate, time to mourn. let them investigate
The Altus C-17 flew again today, as the last performer for the day at Oshkosh, where this years theme is salute to our veterans. Yesterday, a special American Airlines flight took our WWII vets to DC and back, and were treated to a heroes welcome at OSH.
From AFNews
Airmen killed in C-17 crash identified
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS) — Majors Michael Freyholtz
and Aaron Malone, pilots assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th
Airlift Squadron; Capt. Jeffrey Hill, a pilot assigned to Elmendorf’s 517th
Airlift Squadron; and Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo, a 249th Airlift Squadron
loadmaster, were killed in the C-17 Globemaster III crash here July 28.
“We come to work with immense sorrow after four of our fellow Airmen lost
their lives in the C-17 crash at Elmendorf Air Force Base Wednesday,” said
Brig. Gen. Charles E. Foster, the 176th Wing commander, Alaska Air National
Guard. “They were more than valued Airmen. They were our teammates, friends,
family members and fellow Alaskans. We mourn their loss and share the deep
sadness of their families.”
“These fallen warriors embody the pride and professionalism of American
Airmen,” said Col. John McMullen, the 3rd Wing commander at Elmendorf AFB,
Alaska. “They selflessly served their country and will be sorely missed by
our entire (Elmendorf AFB total force) family.”
A board of officers is investigating the accident.
two engines on the right side failed due to taking too sharp of a bank… caused the plane to flip and land upside down. Was training for the air show happening today.
Be careful throwing out info before it’s officially released. I’ve yet to see an article say an official cause I would hate to see someone get in trouble for it. I’ve seen it in the past with facebook so I know that they do watch and punish people for it.
Rest in Peace.
Damn
R.I.P my brothers in arms.. I pray for you and your families
Fair Winds and Following Seas
We toast to our heatry comrades who have fallen from the skies,
and were gently caught by God’s own hands to be with Him on high.
To dwell among the soaring clouds they’ve known so well before,
from victory roll to tail-chase at heaven’s very door.
And as we fly among them there, we’re sure to hear their plea:
“Take care my friends, watch your six, and do one more roll for me.”
—Rest In Peace brothers.
stationed at elmo… was in the middle of coaching my minor’s soccer team game when this happened… thank you for the memorial farva… blessings and peace to the families. May all the airmen “artic warriors” find their way home in peace. Kinda reminds you that you can go at any time.
I spent some considerable time with two of the crew members while visiting Elmo as part of a summer training for my school…Although my interaction was strictly during those three weeks last summer, it’s profound how much of an impact hearing about this accident had on me…I can’t stop thinking about how short life can be, and how it’s always the best who leave us so unexpectedly. Even with the relative little I knew of these airmen, I know that their memory and legacy will stay alive for years to come. My heart aches for their families, squadrons, and friends who lost so much in the people who gave so willingly.
I don’t know what else to say.
Damn, I keep coming back looking at that ‘toon’. Every time it brings tears to my eyes.
Same here….always a sad day when we lose a fellow Airman, or any other brother or sister in arms anywhere across the globe
Farva, Superior remembrance, I honestly gasped when I saw and read it. Good Job, I hope your doing well brother. I’ve been retired for 3 years now, and I honestly miss everybody.
I’m with Richard. Farva – BZ. Rest in eternal peace Warrriors….all of those who have one less landing than take-off under their belt. illo
Somber time on the 17 flightline for sure right now. Thanks for the good strip.
Farva,
I was hoping you could come up with something for the Pave Hawk community. As im sure you know, we lost 5 crew members recently in Afghanistan. As a Pave Hawk Engineer, married to a former E-3 Airborne Radar Tech, I know you could come up with something that our community would cherish. Please let me know if you would like to help.
-Vince
I work on Elmo as well, and I watched as it happened. It was the worst thing I have ever seen in my life and it has been haunting me ever since. When I saw this strip in our Arctic Warrior newspaper, my eyes teared up. Thanks for helping to bring me a little peace of mind. This is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life, and so will your picture above. Thanks again for all you do.