DOD ANNOUNCES NAMES OF SERVICEMEMBERS KILLED IN HELICOPTER ACCIDENT
October 21, 2001

The Department of Defense announced today the names of two servicemembers killed in Friday’s helicopter crash in Pakistan. Killed were Spc. Jonn J. Edmunds, 20, of Cheyenne, Wyo. and Pfc. Kristofor T. Stonesifer, 28, of Missoula, Mont.

The two Army Rangers were passengers in a Blackhawk helicopter that crashed while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Hostile fire has been ruled out as a cause of the crash, which remains under investigation.

Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered his condolences to the families of those killed.

“They and all who are participating in Operation Enduring Freedom are heroes. They put their lives on the line on behalf of freedom and on behalf of America, and they do it each and every day. I’m so very proud of them and their comrades in arms,” he said.

“As the president has said,” added Myers, “they did not die in vain.”