Four Airmen killed in crash remembered

  • Published
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
Four Airmen from the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, died April 27 when their MC-12 Liberty went down in southern Afghanistan.

Capts. Brandon Cyr and Reid Nishizuka, and Staff Sgts. Richard Dickson and Daniel Fannin were the crew on the aircraft, which went down at approximately 1:30 p.m. in the province of Zabul, approximately 110 miles northeast of KAF.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of these four young Airmen," said Brig. Gen. John Dolan, 451st AEW and KAF commander. "They were part of our family here at Kandahar, and we grieve with you."

Nishizuka, 30, of Kailua, Hawaii, and Dickson, 24, of Rancho Cordova, Calif., were deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif. Nishizuka was assigned to the 427th Reconnaissance Squadron, and Dickson was assigned to the 306th Intelligence Squadron.

Cyr, 28, of Woodbridge, Va., was assigned to the 906th Air Refueling Squadron at Scott AFB, Ill and Fannin, 30, of Morehead, Ky., was assigned to the 552nd Operations Support Squadron at Tinker AFB, Okla.

All of the Airmen were deployed to the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron here. Their remains were recovered and sent to Dover AFB, Del., where they were received with full military honors.

The cause of the incident is under investigation and no enemy activity was believed to have been involved.