Location: 145
Date: 5/9/2003
Rank: Corporal
Branch: U.S. Army
Operation: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Richard P. Carl served with the 571st Air Medical Company out of Fort Carson, Colorado and was posthumously promoted from corporal to sergeant in a ceremony in Iraq. He died May 9th, 2003 when his Black Hawk air medical helicopter snagged a power wire across the Tigris River as it took off during the rescue of a wounded Iraqi child, and flipped over into the water.
“Corporal Carl is a tremendous example of our military’s commitment to risk life and limb to help the innocent Iraqi civilians wounded in the war,” said U.S. Senator Michael Crapo. “He went to the Middle East to fight for our freedom with valor and courage in this time of national crisis and died in defense of his country.”
He leaves behind his wife, a daughter and son.