Airman From Hudson, NH Killed In Plane Crash In Afghanistan
HUDSON, NH (CBS/AP) — The Pentagon on Wednesday released the names of two Air Force officers killed in the crash of their Bombardier E-11A electronic surveillance plane in Afghanistan.
They were identified as Lt. Col. Paul K. Voss, 46, of Yigo, Guam, and Capt. Ryan S. Phaneuf, 30, of Hudson, New Hampshire. Voss was assigned to Air Combat Command headquarters at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia. Phaneuf was assigned to the 37th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.
Phaneuf was in the JROTC program when he was a student at Alvirne High School in Hudson. Classmates tell WBZ they idolized him as a leader and a friend and they knew he would do big things with his career.
"I had to break the news to some people, and they knew Ryan really well, and it really did impact them," said Superintendent of Schools Larry Russell.
According to his high school yearbook, his dream was to be an Air Force pilot.
His sister sent a letter to the school ROTC community, saying: "He was the proudest Airman you'll ever meet and the absolute greatest brother/son/partner/friend anyone could ever wish for," Christine Phaneuf Larsen said. "Ryan got to live his dream and have a wonderful life as short as it was."
The news of Captain Phaneuf's death comes one week after another Alvirne High Graduate, Katie Thyne, was killed in the line of duty in her role as a police officer in Virginia.
"It was horrible because of on top of losing Ryan, we lost Katie last week," Russell said.
The school community, finding healing in knowing the two graduates loved to serve. "To say that we are producing these people that go out and contribute to these communities makes us all proud," Russell said.
The cause of Monday's crash is under investigation, but officials have said there is no indication the plane was downed by hostile action.
"I'm pretty confident there was no enemy action involved. Aircraft mishaps happen," Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, told reporters Wednesday at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
The remains of the two airmen were recovered from the crash site in Ghazni province by American forces on Tuesday. The car carrying Phaneuf's body will drive by Alvirne High School Thursday in a procession for students and police.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)