Names of all 7 airmen killed in crash in Iraq released, 4 from LI

<p>The Defense Department has released the names of seven airmen, including four Long Islanders, who were killed Thursday when an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed in western Iraq.&nbsp;</p>

News 12 Staff

Mar 16, 2018, 2:59 PM

Updated 2,254 days ago

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The Defense Department has released the names of seven airmen, including four Long Islanders, who were killed Thursday when an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed in western Iraq. 
Those who were killed include Capt. Mark K. Weber, 29, of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was assigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.
Four of the airmen were assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing at the Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach. 
-Capt. Andreas B. O'Keeffe, 37, of Center Moriches, New York.
-Capt. Christopher T. Zanetis, 37, of Long Island City, New York.
-Master Sgt. Christopher J. Raguso, 39, of Commack, New York.
-Staff Sgt. Dashan J. Briggs, 30, of Port Jefferson Station, New York.
Two were assigned to the 308th Rescue Squadron, Air Force Reserve, at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida:
-Master Sgt. William R. Posch, 36, of Indialantic, Florida.
-Staff Sgt. Carl P. Enis, 31, of Tallahassee, Florida.
Officials have said there were no indications the helicopter had been shot down. In their initial statements, officials said the helicopter, which is used by the Air Force for combat search and rescue, was in transit when it went down Thursday afternoon near the town of Qaim in Anbar Province.
The Commack Fire Department posted online that volunteer firefighter Christopher Raguso was killed in the incident. It shared pictures Thursday night of Raquso on Facebook.
"Last night the Commack Fire Department and this great nation of ours lost a great American Patriot, friend and brother," the post reads.
"Chris served as a lieutenant in Commack Fire Department's Company 4 and for the FDNY. Chris was always there to help anyone with anything, he would never say no. Please keep Chris and his family in your thoughts and prayers."
Raguso, 39, was a husband and father to two little girls. He was a flight engineer with the 106th Rescue Wing.
The grandfather of 29-year-old Dashan Briggs tells News 12 that members of the military arrived at Briggs' home in Port Jefferson Station Thursday to inform his wife Rebecca that he was killed in the crash.
Eli Briggs, 82, says Dashan Briggs joined the 106th in 2010 and is survived by his wife and two young children. He says Dashan Briggs graduated from Riverhead High School in 2007 and was a star football player there, playing outside linebacker and running back. The grandfather says he plans on spending Saturday with Dashan Briggs' wife and kids at their Port Jefferson home.
Christopher "Tripp" Zanetis lived in Hampton Bays for a time and was also part of the 106.
President Donald Trump tweeted about the crash, saying "their sacrifice in service to our country will never be forgotten."
Associated Press Wire Services were used in this report. 


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