A memorial service for the nine members of the Charlie Company, 6th Battalion 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, who passed away in Trigg County on March 29, was held Thursday afternoon.
The service occurred at the newly constructed F&M Bank Arena in downtown Clarksville, Tennessee. United State Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and high-ranking military officials were among the dignitaries in attendance.
During remarks from 101st Airborne Commanders, Major General J.P. McGee, commander of the 101st, said each of the nine soldiers are an irreplaceable national treasure.
Colonel Clint Cody, commander of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, took the time to thank everyone who came together following the crash and those who continue to help out today.
Lieutenant Colonel Tyler Espinoza, battalion commander for the 101st Airborne Division, knew each of the nine killed and said they had left a lasting legacy.
Major Garrett Kuipers, medical operations officer for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, provided other words of comfort for the family and friends in attendance.
The video that followed Major Kuipers’ remarks featured comments from soldiers who worked closely with each of the nine who died in the crash.
During the memorial, Staff Sergeant Patrick McKinzie shared in a bible reading of Psalm 23, which said in part, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.”
Before the nearly hour-and-a-half service, family and friends of the nine who died gathered at McGregor Park, along the Cumberland River, in Clarksville for a missing soldier formation flyover.
The memorial ceremony was not open to the public with several Fort Campbell soldiers in attendance.
The helicopter crash killed all nine servicemembers aboard Black Hawk HH-60 Dustoff #759 and #767. The crash happened just after 9:30 PM Wednesday, March 29, with both aircraft landing in a field between Bobby Light Road and Lancaster Road in western Trigg County.
Up to 150 area emergency personnel were on the scene in the minutes and hours following the incident and numerous military personnel have been on the scene continuing their investigation into the accident.
A media Q&A was planned following the memorial, but the grief was overwhelming, and it was canceled.
The full memorial service can be found here.
