Spc. Garbs distinguished himself as a member of the Army's premier light infantry unit, traveled to all corners of the world in support of the global war on terrorism and fought valiantly to "uphold the prestige, honor and high 'esprit de corps' of the Ranger Regiment."
He was a two-time veteran of the global war on terrorism deployed in support of operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
SPC Ryan C. Garbs from Edwardsville, Illinois
SPC Garbs served with: C Company 3rd Ranger Battalion
Born in 1986, Ranger Garbs was 20 years old at the time of his death in 2007.
Complete biography is below the photo gallery
SPC Ryan C. Garbs 's Biography
Spc. Garbs distinguished himself as a member of the Army's premier light infantry unit, traveled to all corners of the world in support of the global war on terrorism and fought valiantly to "uphold the prestige, honor and high 'esprit de corps' of the Ranger Regiment."
He was a two-time veteran of the global war on terrorism deployed in support of operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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Published in Edwardsville Intelligencer from Feb. 24 to Feb. 25, 2007
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/goedwardsville/obituary.aspx?pid=86588120#sthash.Lzm34lJE.dpuf
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Spc. Ryan C. Garbs, age 20, of Edwardsville, was mortally injured in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan while executing operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was assigned to Company B, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Ga. He was born Oct. 17, 1986, in Maryville, the son of Douglas and Jill Anne Burkard Garbs, who survive in Edwardsville.
He is also survived by his sister: Melanie Neely, and husband Staff Sgt. Matthew Neely, U.S.A.F, of Fairfield, Calif.; his paternal grandfather, Lawrence Garbs of Edwardsville; his paternal grandmother, Geneva "Jean" Garbs of Edwardsville and his maternal grandmother, Vera M. Burkard of Springfield. He was preceded in death by a maternal grandfather A.A. "Bill" Burkard. He was a member of Glen Carbon New Bethel United Methodist Church.
After graduating from Edwardsville High School in 2005, Spc. Garbs entered the U.S. Army. He completed basic training and advanced training in the military occupational specialty of Infantryman at Fort Benning, Ga. He continued his military training and graduated from the U.S. Army Airborne School in February, 2006. Following graduation from the Ranger Indoctrination Program, he was assigned to 1st Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in March, 2006.
Spc. Garbs was a two-time veteran of the global war on terrorism deployed in support of operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, he served as a grenadier and rifleman. His awards and decorations include the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Combat Infantryman's Badge and Parachutist Badge.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal. He was promoted from Private 1st Class to Specialist. As a Ranger, Spc. Garbs distinguished himself as a member of the Army's premier light infantry unit, traveled to all corners of the world in support of the global war on terrorism and fought valiantly to "uphold the prestige, honor and high 'esprit de corps' of the Ranger Regiment."
An online condolence and funerary guest book may be found at www.kallalandschaaf.com. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/goedwardsville/obituary.aspx?pid=86588120#sthash.Lzm34lJE.dpuf
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Killed Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter he was in crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer Hershel D. McCants Jr., Chief Warrant Officer John A. Quinlan, Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman.
Pentagon identifies 8 killed in helo crash
By Sean D. Naylor Staff writer at Army Times
http://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-pfc-ryan-c-garbs/2571338
Sunday’s crash of a Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan killed eight special operations personnel, seven from the Army and one from the Air Force.
The helicopter was an MH-47E from the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment’s 2nd Battalion, according to a source in the special operations community.
According to a Defense Department release, killed in the crash were:
* Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, 20, of Edwardsville, Ill.; B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.
* Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, 21, of Naples, Fla.; B Company, 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.
* Chief Warrant Officer 3 Hershel D. McCants, Jr., 34, of Arizona; B Co., 2nd Battalion, 160th.
* CW3 John A. Quinlan, 26, of New Jersey; B Co., 2nd Battalion, 160th.
* Pfc. Kristofer D. Thomas, 18, of Roseville, Calif.; B Co., 3rd Battalion., 75th Ranger Regiment.
* Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, 26, of Reinbeck, Iowa; B Co., 2nd Battalion, 160th.
* Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, 23, of Miskayuna, N.Y.; B Co., 2nd Battalion, 160th.
* Air Force Tech Sgt. Scott Duffman, of La Cueva, N.M., was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.
According to a press release posted on the Army Special Operations command web site Tuesday night, 160th Commander Col. Kevin W. Mangum said, "The aircraft was crewed by an exceptionally qualified team of professionals and was flying in a formation of other aircraft in performance of this mission. It is unclear at this time as to exactly what caused the aircraft to crash onto a high plain in southeastern Afghanistan.
"While it is important that we investigate and determine what caused this tragic event, which we will, our immediate and lasting concern is for the families and friends of the extraordinary men who served their country with distinction," Mangum said.
Fourteen others were wounded in the crash when the helicopter reportedly had a sudden, unexplained loss of power and control before crashing in southeastern Afghanistan.
A combat search and rescue operation was launched immediately to secure the site and recover the passengers, the release said, adding that wounded personnel were transported to coalition medical facilities for treatment.
The 160th, the Rangers and the 24th STS all support Joint Special Operations Command, which is headquartered at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and is in charge of the most sensitive special operations missions. The 160th is headquartered at Fort Campbell, Ky., and the 24th STS is headquartered at Pope.
The helicopter was carrying 22 personnel, and while some of the survivors "did walk away," several others are very seriously injured, the source said.
The helicopter was flying from Kandahar to Bagram at about 300 feet above the ground when it experienced a sudden loss of power, the source said. Initial speculation about the cause of the loss of power has centered on the possibility of engine icing, he said. But whatever caused the loss of power, "at 300 feet you don’t have a lot of space to recover," the source added.
The helicopter appears to have come down aft end first, then bounced on its nose, causing the transmission assembly to come down on the cockpit, crushing the personnel at the front of the helicopter, according to the source.
The Chinook crashed in Zabol province about 50 yards away from the main Kabul to Kandahar highway, according to press reports.
The helicopter is at least the fifth MH-47 that has crashed or been shot down worldwide since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The 160th is the only unit that flies the MH-47.
The 160th will hold a memorial ceremony for those killed on Wednesday.
Walter Sokalski, spokesman for USASOC, had no comment when reached by phone Tuesday.
A U.S. military statement said details of the crash or the helicopter’s mission would not be released until "completion of recovery operations."
Thousands of U.S. forces are deployed in southeastern Afghanistan, including in Zabul, where they have a base under NATO command.
The province has long been a hotbed for militant supporters of the former Taliban regime who have stepped up attacks over the past year.
In May 2006, another U.S. CH-47 Chinook crashed attempting a nighttime landing on a small mountaintop in eastern Kunar province, killing 10 soldiers.
In 2005, a helicopter crashed in Kunar, after apparently being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, killing 16 American troops.
Another crash of a civilian helicopter last year in southeastern Khost province killed up to 16 people, including the wife and two daughters of a U.S. civilian worker.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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