WESTHAMPTON, NY — Rep. Nick LaLota is fighting to secure Purple Heart medals for the seven Airmen — including four assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing based at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach — killed in a helicopter crash on 2018 in Iraq.
LaLota spoke on the floor of the Parliament recently to honor the heroes of what was known as the “Jolly 51,” including Master Sgt. Christopher Raguso of Huntington, Tech Sgt. Riverhead's Dashan Briggs, Capt. Andreas O'Keefe of Center Moriches and Capt. Christopher Zanetis, of Long Island City; seven airmen died in total.
LaLota said he would do everything in his power to ensure the heroes of the Jolly 51 are posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, one of the military's highest honors.
“For too long, the brave men of Jolly 51 have been unfairly denied the recognition they deserve. Despite previous efforts, the Air Force has yet to award them the Purple Hearts they earned through their ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. It is imperative that we honor and commemorate their bravery,” LaLota said.
He added: “Having the honor of speaking at a memorial service on Westhampton Beach to mark the sixth anniversary of the tragic accident, I reaffirm my dedication to the families of the crew of the Jolly 51. I pledge to make every effort to ensure that posthumously awarded Purple Hearts earned by their unwavering commitment to defending the United States against their enemies deserves this recognition. .”
Jolly 51, the lawmaker said, was the call sign of a US Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter that crashed on March 15, 2018, in western Iraq near the Syrian border. The crash resulted in the deaths of all seven military personnel on board, making it one of the deadliest incidents involving US military aircraft in recent years. The helicopter was reportedly on a routine troop transport mission at the time of the crash.
The crew also consisted of Capt. Mark Weber, Master Sgt. William Posch, and Staff Sgt. Carl Ennis.
“It is with great sadness that I report the loss of four of our wing members,” said Col. Michael Bank, the commander of the 106th Rescue Wing, after the crash.
“All four of these heroes served their nation and community. Our sincere condolences and sympathies go out to the families and friends who have been touched by this tragic event,” Bank added.
“Our National Guard family mourns the loss of the seven Search and Rescue Airmen in the HH-60 crash, including four members from the 106th Rescue Wing,” said Maj. Gen. Anthony German, New York's adjutant general. “This loss reminds us of the enormous risks we take in serving our nation every day.”
“We honor their service, their professionalism and their sacrifice as we mourn their loss,” German added.
In the East End, the community mourned the loss of Briggs: A 2007 graduate of Riverhead High School, Tech Sgt. Briggs grew up on Lewis Street with his grandparents. In 2010, Tech. Sgt. Briggs joined the Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing and deployed to Afghanistan as a munitions systems specialist.
The school where he left a long legacy has retired Briggs' football jersey. while attending Riverhead High School, he was a standout football player and member of the lacrosse team, the district said.
At his funeral, inside the firehouse in Westhampton Beach, it was standing room only: Briggs' casket was draped in an American flag. A beautiful American flag made with red, white and blue flowers also stood nearby, a testament to his patriotism, devotion and dedication. Another spray of flowers spelled out the heartfelt words: “This we do, that others may live.”
