Firefighters retire memorial plaque

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tong Duong
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) --  More than 60 Airmen and Soldiers attended the retirement ceremony of an Airman's memorial April 6 at the fire station here.

Staff Sgt. Ray Rangel, a 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, died Feb. 13, 2006, while trying to rescue two Soldiers trapped in a Humvee that had overturned in a canal.

Sergeant Rangel, who was deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, led a team of five others during the rescue when he disappeared from sight. His body was found downstream a few hours later. Sergeant Rangel was the first Airman from Dyess AFB to die in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

"The plaque on the memorial is being removed so that it can be shipped to Sergeant Rangel's home base," said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Yelencich, the 332nd ECES NCO in charge of fire prevention. "As we transition from the base, I believe that it is important to all members of the Air Force fire protection community that his memory be preserved."

A cousin of Sergeant Ray Rangel, Tech. Sgt. Jason Rangel, of 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group quality assurance, said he believes it's a nice gesture to take the memorial plaque back to Dyess AFB.

"His kids still live in the area and it would make it available for them to go and see," he said. "I would also like to thank all the (332nd ECES firefighters) for the love and kind words they have provided over the years. I now know why Ray loved being part of the fire department; they truly are a large family of brethren."