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Cpl. Carl Sampson CW3 Michael Wells LCpl. Justin McLeese Sgt. Jeffrey Lynn Kirk
First Lt. Jeffrey Adams Cpl. Matthew Cole Spc. Russell Kyle Burleson Spc. Christopher Vining
Sgt. Christopher Ramsey Sfc. Michael McNaughton Sgt. John Aaron Blanchard LCpl. Ryan McCurdy
Sgt. Sammy Anderson Sgt. Jonathan Reed Lt. Christopher Barnett Pfc. David Burridge
Cpl. David Bear Stewart Sfc. Kurt Comeaux Spc. Matthew King Cpl. Michael Savoie
Cpl. Jacob Schick LCpl. Hardy Mills IV
CW3 Michael Wells of Slidell, Louisiana was a reservist in the Louisiana Army National Guard and working as a commercial helicopter pilot servicing the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. In February, 2004 he was deployed to Camp Anaconda in Balad, Iraq. On September 21, 2004, as the Blackhawk helicopter he was piloting had just taken off, mechanical failure caused the aircraft to be uncontrollable. The tail section hit the ground, breaking off the tail of the aircraft. Then the helicopter, still airborne, rolled twice and spun around 180 degrees coming to rest. The Blackhawk was unidentifiable by military personnel searching for the wreckage. CW3 Michael Wells was the most seriously injured soldier in the helicopter, sustaining vertebral and spinal cord injuries. He was airlifted to Landstuhl Air Base in Germany, then to Walter Reed in Washington DC, then to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio where he underwent four separate spinal surgeries. He is hoping to rehabilitate from his injuries and be able to walk again. Thank you CW3 Michael Wells, for your sacrifice for our country.