Hornsby, Brian Daniel
Male
Verified Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian Daniel Hornsby, 37, of Melbourne, Florida, was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot killed in Shah Wali Kot, Afghanistan, on August 16, 2012.
Their Story
Brian Daniel Hornsby was a 37-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 3 from Melbourne, Florida. He served as a helicopter pilot with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii. The unit was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force.
On August 16, 2012, Hornsby was piloting a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on a mission in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. The aircraft was reportedly struck by enemy fire and crashed. The incident killed Hornsby and six other American service members: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Suresh A. Krause, Staff Sergeant Luis O. Rodriguez- Colon, Staff Sergeant Steven P. Blass, Staff Sergeant Gregory T. Copes, Sergeant Richard A. Essex, and Specialist Brian K. Leonhardt.
The crash occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In 2012, the war was in its eleventh year, with coalition forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations and training Afghan national security forces. The Shah Wali Kot district was a known area of insurgent activity.
Following the crash, the International Security Assistance Force confirmed the loss of the helicopter and the seven fatalities. The soldiers' remains were recovered and returned to the United States. A memorial service was held in Hawaii for the fallen members of the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade.
Hornsby's name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the National Infantry Museum in Georgia and on Panel 8W, Line 117 of the Afghanistan Conflict Memorial Wall at the National Museum of the United States Army. He is remembered by his unit and community as a dedicated pilot and soldier.
Explore Further
Brian Hornsby 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.
