20th EBS honors fallen by taking flight, continuing mission

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stephen Teel
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AFPN) --  A memorial service was held here July 25 to honor the men of "Raider 21" who lost their lives when the B-52H Stratofortress they were flying crashed off the coast of Guam July 21.

Nearly 2,000 Airmen, friends and family gathered to honor the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron crew and Col. George Martin, 36th Medical Group deputy commander, who took flight and did not return.

Raider 21 was scheduled to participate in Guam's Liberation Day Parade as a symbol of airpower, liberation and freedom. For unknown reasons the flight fell into the ocean killing all six of the crew around 9:45 a.m. and sending Andersen AFB into a state of emergency.

"July 21st was a heartbreaking day for all of us. The memorial service will always be remembered vividly in my mind as we paid tribute to our fallen warriors. They were our family," said Lt. Col. Thomas Hesterman, 20th EBS commander. "We (the men and women of the 20th EBS) know the risk associated with our job, we believe in what we are doing and will continue to serve our nation with our heads held high. The best way to honor these men is to continue to execute the mission to which they were so dedicated."

B-52 flying at Andersen resumed July 28. Col. Damian McCarthy, 36th Operations Group commander, was aboard a B-52 Stratofortress with Colonel Hesterman and its crew as they took flight for a local mission. The bombers' missions and their presence at Andersen are aimed at enhancing regional security, demonstrating U.S. commitment to the Pacific and providing training opportunities for deployed Airmen.

Colonel McCarthy spoke of the symbolic sortie flown with the deployed commander. "The Air Force, the U.S. and our allies rely on us to maintain security and stability in the Pacific region; although we have suffered a great loss we will honor our friends and fellow Airmen by continuing the mission these men were dedicated to," he said.

Brig. Gen. Doug Owens, 36th Wing commander, who offered words of comfort to families and Airmen alike at the memorial and in private, also spoke to the challenges that lay ahead for Andersen and Guam, which is in the midst of military growth unprecedented since World War II.

"We are professional Airmen. We know that we live with risk every day," said General Owens. "The emotion runs high with all of this, but each of the crewmembers of that bomb squadron will climb back into that jet and they will take off and they will still do America's mission."

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