Mccants, Hershel Daniel Jr

Hershel Daniel McCants Jr. was a Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the United States Army. He served as a helicopter pilot with the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), known as the "Night Stalkers," based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. His service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.

On February 18, 2007, McCants was piloting an MH-47E Chinook helicopter on a mission near Qalat in Zabul province, southern Afghanistan. According to U.S. military reports, the helicopter was struck by enemy fire and crashed. McCants and another soldier, Sergeant First Class Chadrick O. Domino, were killed in the incident. No other casualties were reported from the crash.

McCants died during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In 2007, the conflict was characterized by a significant Taliban insurgency, particularly in the country's southern and eastern provinces. Coalition forces, including U.S. Army aviation units, conducted frequent air assault and support missions in these regions.

The Department of Defense announced the deaths on February 20, 2007. McCants was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal with Valor device for his actions. He was survived by his wife and children.

McCants is memorialized on the 160th SOAR(A) memorial at Fort Campbell and on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Veterans Memorial Park in Mesa, Arizona. His unit, the 160th Aviation Regiment, is recognized for its specialized night-time aviation operations in support of U.S. special forces.

CW3 McCants 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.

← Return to the full memorial | Add a memorial record