The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died April 19, in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when their Black Hawk (UH-60) crashed. The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.
Killed were:
Chief Warrant Officer Nicholas S. Johnson, 27, of San Diego, Calif.
Chief Warrant Officer Don C. Viray, 25, of Waipahu, Hawaii.
Sgt. Chris J. Workman, 33, of Boise, Idaho.
Sgt. Dean R. Shaffer, 23, of Pekin, Ill.
For more information related to this release, media may contact the 25th Infantry Division public affairs office at 808-655-6351.
CORRECTION: April 24, 2011 -- The unit name is corrected from 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.
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Chief Warrant Officer 2 Johnson joined the Army September 18, 2003 and became a UH-60 Pilot December 12, 2008.
Johnson was a 2002 graduate of Chino High School in San Bernardino County, said Chino Valley Unified School District Spokeswoman Julie Gobin. Public records show he lived in San Diego County between March 2003 and September 2008.
This was Johnson’s first deployment.
He was married with one child.
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Chief Warrant Officer 2 Viray joined the Army June 26, 2007 as a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot.
Viray attended Waipahu High School before transferring during his junior year to Roosevelt High in November 2002. He participated in ROTC at Roosevelt until graduating in June, 2004. Viray worked as a helicopter mechanic with the Hawaii Army National Guard, and later joined the Army where he fulfilled his dream of serving his country as a pilot. Viray's father Leo Viray is a retired Army veteran with more than 25 years service.
This was Viray’s second deployment.
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Sgt. Shaffer’s awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and the Aviator Badge. Posthumous awards include Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, NATO Medal and the Combat Action Badge.
Sgt. Shaffer joined the Army June 12, 2007 as a UH-60 Black Hawk Repairer.
Shaffer, who served in JROTC and joined the Army after graduation, was in his second tour of duty in Afghanistan after previous service in Iraq when he was killed in the crash that apparently was caused by bad weather.
This was Shaffer’s second deployment.
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Sgt. Workman joined the Army November 24, 2009 as a chemical operations specialist.
The family of Sergeant Workman have requested privacy at this time but released the following statement.
“Chris was a highly energetic, self reliant man. He was very outgoing and had many friends from throughout Idaho, to include his college friends from Idaho State University. He came from a large Greek and Italian family and had many family members from around Idaho and the Northwest. He loved his family very much, especially his wife Camille and his stepson Cole Hayes. He also loved his dog, a beagle named Lucky. While stationed with the Army in Hawaii, he loved to go to the beach, swim and climb the volcanoes there. He was very fit and his favorite thing to do was fitness and bodybuilding. We want the world to know he will be missed by his loving family and by all who knew him.”
While he joined the Army in 2009 when he lived in Boise, where he was working at the time, Sgt. Workman grew up in the Rupert area of Idaho and graduated from Minico High School in Minidoka County. Workman was pusthumously promoted to Sergeant.
This was Workman’s third deployment.
He was married and had one child.
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“Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of our fallen heroes,” said Maj. Gen. Kurt Fuller, commanding general, 25th Infantry Division. “Although the 25th Combat Action Brigade family has suffered a huge loss, they still continue their mission with the utmost courage and resolve.”
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Hawaii's senior senator on Capitol Hill issued a statement on the identification of the soldiers. Once again, the tragedies of war have taken four from our Tropic Lightning Division, all of them Hawaii heroes; one of them, Hawaii born. These brave Army airmen must never be forgotten, said Sen. Daniel Inouye. Their contributions to our nation and to our world’s security are beyond measurement. Having watched the death and injury of my brothers in arms, I understand, too well, what this loss means to their fellow soldiers and families. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
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