Pararescuemen dedicate drop zone to lost Airman Published Jan. 29, 2007 SAN ANTONIO (AFNEWS) -- Airmen at Kadena Air Base, Japan, remembered two of their own during a "Ridout Drop-Zone" dedication ceremony Jan. 29. Pararescuemen from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron and the 31st Rescue Squadron honored the fallen warriors with a pararescue tradition of naming the drop zone and then ceremonially jumping into it. "This jump was in memory of Staff Sgt. Juan Ridout and Master Sgt. (Bill) McDaniel," said Staff Sgt. Robert Thomas. "A while ago, they were killed in a (helicopter) accident and this jump was in memory of them, and (so was the) naming of the Ridout D-Z." Sergeants McDaniel and Ridout were killed in an Army MH-47Chinook helicopter crash in the Philippines in February 2002. They were flying a mission supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. In November 2004, Sergeant McDaniel was honored at Kadena AB when the base professional development center was renamed the McDaniel Center for Professional Development. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) Click here to view the comments/letters page