Army identifies soldier killed in Iraq helicopter crash as Arizona native
Aug 21, 2018, 12:25 PM
(U.S. Army Photo)
The Pentagon has identified a Phoenix native as the U.S. soldier who died in a helicopter crash in Iraq this week.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Taylor J. Galvin, 34, was killed Monday. The helicopter crashed in the northern Iraqi city of Sinjar, the Department of Defense said Tuesday.
Galvin was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The elite airborne unit, known as Night Stalkers, worked with the Army’s Delta Force and Navy SEALs, according to Military.com.
The Pentagon provided no details about the helicopter crash, although officials had said on Monday that there were no indications it was caused by hostile fire.
Officials said three others were injured in the crash, which was under investigation.
U.S. Special Operations Command said that Galvin, married and father to two, had deployed nine times.
Twice he went in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, three times for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and four times for Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria.
Galvin’s awards and decorations included an Air Medal with combat “C” device; the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters; the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters; the Joint Service Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster; and the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters.
He also received the Afghanistan Campaign Medal; the Iraq Campaign Medal; the Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal; the Combat Action Badge and the Senior Army Aviator Badge.
Galvin had made his home in Spokane, Washington.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.