Levens, Donnie Leo Ford
Male
Verified Sgt. Donnie Leo Ford Levens, 25, of Long Beach, Mississippi, was a U.S. Marine assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464. He was killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan on February 17, 2006.
Their Story
Donnie Leo Ford Levens was a 25-year-old sergeant from Long Beach, Mississippi, serving in the United States Marine Corps. He was a crew chief assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 (HMH-464), part of Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
On February 17, 2006, Sgt. Levens was one of ten U.S. service members killed when a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crashed in the Ghazni province of eastern Afghanistan. The aircraft was on a routine mission in support of combat operations when it went down near the village of Qal-e-Gaz. The Department of Defense stated there was no enemy fire reported in the area at the time of the crash.
The crash occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2006, the conflict had entered a phase of intensified counterinsurgency operations against a resurgent Taliban. The use of large transport helicopters like the CH-53E was critical for moving troops and supplies across Afghanistan's rugged terrain.
In the aftermath, the Marines held a memorial service at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for the ten personnel lost in the crash. Sgt. Levens's remains were returned to the United States, and he was buried with military honors. His death was reported by national news outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, which listed the names of all ten service members killed.
Sgt. Levens is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the National Museum of the Marine Corps and on online veterans' memorials. His squadron, HMH-464, continues to operate the CH-53E, and the 2006 crash remains one of the deadliest single incidents for U.S. forces in Afghanistan from that period.
Explore Further
Sgt. Levens 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: Santos, Dave Michael Maliksi, Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif.
