SSG Ryan D. Hammond

26, USAF

October 2 marks the passing of SSG Ryan D. Hammond, USAF, 26, We honor and remember him, his mother Cathy Hammond and his father Dave Hammond all of Moundsville WV.

Ryan was born on March 29, 1989, in Glen Dale, W.Va. After graduating from John Marshall High School in 2007, he proudly joined the United States Air Force in September 2007 as an F-15 Avionics Technician at Tyndall AFB, Fla. and Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. After six years of service, Ryan cross-trained to a Loadmaster and arrived at Dyess AFB, Texas, in March 2014 as part of the 39th Airlift Squadron. He was serving on his first deployment as a Loadmaster with his crew on TORQE 62.

SSG Hammond died Oct. 2 2015 at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan, when the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft in which he was riding crashed. He was assigned to the 39th Airlift Sq, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

Ryan Hammond was a thrill seeker that took spontaneous trips with his buds, hiked the Grand Canyon…twice, and experienced the happiest day of his life when he married his wife, Holly.

From a young age there was one love he always felt drawn to since a neighbor told him about it when he was just 12…The Air Force. “They talked a lot about the things you could do when you were in the Air Force,” Ryan’s father Dave said. “It was very exciting, some of the jobs and how they get to travel, and I think that’s where it stemmed from.”

So, once he graduated from John Marshal High School Ryan joined the Air Force in September of 2007 where he became a Staff Sergeant in about 5 years when it normally takes around 7 or 8. Once Cathy and Dave realized their son was planning to choose this path in the military though, their reactions were quite opposite. “Well, I felt proud. Proud and honored that he wanted to do that,” said Cathy. “I wasn’t a real big military person just because we’re in so many different conflicts,” Dave said about his son joining the Air Force. “I wanted him to have a job he was relatively safe at.”

Ryan spent eight years in the Air Force where he became a Loadmaster. He had never been deployed, but then 27 days into his first tour of duty in Afghanistan, tragedy struck.

“He told us when he went over that he’d be in areas that were going to be kind of shaky, possible enemy,” Dave said. “I was very worried about where he was going to be and I had a terrible feeling about it.” That terrible feeling became reality once Ryan’s family realized this was the last photo they would ever have of him, one of Ryan and his wife Holly before he was deployed. On Friday, October 2nd, 2015, Ryan was aboard a U.S. C-130J plane that crashed while taking off from Jalalabad International Airport killing 11.

SSG Hammond was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. He leaves behind a wife, Holly in Abilene, Texas, and their dog, Dug.

Let us always remember him and his family and…

Say His Name.

#neverforget

#SayTheirNames

#GoldStarMothers

#goldstarbridgeride

#GoldStar

#goldstarfamilies

#GoldStarDad

#airforce

SFC Jamie S. Nicholas

32, US Army

September 29 marks the passing of SFC Jamie S. Nicholas, 32 of Maysel WV. We honor and remember him and his mother Karen Nicholas of Clay WV.

Jamie enlisted in the Army as an Infantryman in August 1994, following in the footsteps of his father, who served 12 years in the Army. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Following duty with 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, and 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, he graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2006.

SFC Nicholas was assigned as a Weapons Sergeant to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was a senior weapons sergeant and had been in Afghanistan since May. It was his second deployment to the country.

Jamie was born Feb 12th 1976 and was killed on 29 September 2008 in Yakhchal, Helmand Province, Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom when his vehicle struck an enemy Improvised Explosive Device.

“Jamie died doing what he wanted to do. He wasn’t concerned about going over there this time, but I had asked him if he felt we should be there,” said his mother, Karen Nicholas. “He was adamant,” she said. “He said if we are not there, they will be in America. That gives me comfort. We support America.” "I am very grateful there are people like him and the other soldiers with him who are willing to do these things so we can do what we want to do," she said. "Clay County is a very rural area, and he was serving so we can be able to live as we desire here," she said. "I'm very proud of what they do. I pray for our soldiers and their families every day."

This was Nicholas' second tour of Afghanistan. He spent seven months there in 2007, his mother said. "The special forces work with the Afghani army, training and helping them," she said. "They were out among the people. Basically, they were looking for the bad guys." He always knew how dangerous his job was, and so did his family.

According to his mother Karen Nicholas Jamie as a jack of all trades with basic skills in mechanics, welding, computer programs, carpentry. All of which were used on his deployment. His artistic skills were used as he did the camouflage painting of their vehicles.

She also said He was a weapons Sargent that manned the 50 cal on the Humvee. Afghanis, the enemy, called him the “White Devil”. On his last mission he was the liaison between his team and the Afghanistan troops with them. He taught them how to fist bump when greeting them.

There was a large response from the community as news of Jamie's death has spread in his small tight knit community. Jamie was the first Clay County native to die in the Iraq conflict.

Jamie was the second of six children in his family. And he was not the only one to serve in the military. Brother Adam retired in July with 21 years of service. Brother Jesse still serving with 20 plus years of service. Two sisters in laws also served.

He is survived by his wife, Michelle. Two stepdaughters. Sharise Troup and Anna Elliott. His stepson, Brenton Troup has since passed.

Let us remember SFC Jamie Nicholas, his mother, and his family.

And as always…

Say His Name