Harvell, Andrew William
Male
Verified Staff Sgt. Andrew William Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, California, was a U.S. Air Force combat controller assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron. He was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan's Tangi Valley on August 6, 2011.
Their Story
Andrew William Harvell was a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force, serving as a combat controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron based at Pope Field, North Carolina. The Long Beach, California native was 26 years old and had deployed to multiple theaters, including the Philippines and the Horn of Africa, before his assignment to Afghanistan.
On August 6, 2011, Harvell was one of 30 U.S. service members killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was shot down in the Tangi Valley of Wardak province, Afghanistan. The helicopter, carrying members of an elite Naval Special Warfare unit and other support personnel including Harvell, was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade during a night mission. The incident resulted in the single greatest loss of American life in the Afghan war.
The crash occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. By 2011, the conflict was in its tenth year, with a focus on counter-insurgency and direct action missions against Taliban and Haqqani network forces in eastern Afghanistan.
The Pentagon confirmed the identities of all 30 service members the following week. A memorial service for Harvell and his fallen teammates was held at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. His body was returned to the United States and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Harvell was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Air Force Special Operations Command headquarters in Florida, and he is remembered by his unit and community for his service as a Special Tactics combat controller.
Explore Further
Staff Sgt. Harvell was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
