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CW4 Mike Montgomery

Killed in Action October 26, 2009


CW4 Michael P. Montgomery, 36, transferred to the active Army after serving as a long-time member and instructor pilot with the 1-168. CW4 Montgomery had been assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., and died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter he was aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

Low visibility has been blamed for the crash, which happened about 3:30 a.m. when the soldiers and federal agents lifted off in the helicopter after an operation to disrupt arms smuggling and drug trafficking in the Darreh-ye Bum Village in Qadis District, according to information from the International Security Assistance Force.

Thick dust stirred up from the initial takeoff overwhelmed the visibility of the crew, according to ISAF. When the crew tried to correct the aircraft's movement, it struck a tall structure and crashed.