30th Anniversary Antelope Island Monument Remembrance and Rededication Ceremony
- Oct 29, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 29
GREAT SALT LAKE, Utah — A group of Air Force and Army nonprofit organizations hosted the Antelope Island 30th Anniversary Memorial at Antelope Island State Park, UT on October 29 at 1000 hrs. local time.
This memorial was held to commemorate the 12 lives lost in the helicopter crash near Antelope Island 30 years ago. The hosting group includes the Combat Control Foundation, Air Commando Association, Combat Control Association, 75th Ranger Regiment Association, Three Rangers Association and US Army Ranger Association.
On Oct. 29, 1992, at 8:46 p.m., four MH-60G Pave Hawk choppers took off from Hill Air Force Base (HAFB), heading into torrential rains, lightning, and heavy cloud cover on their way to Michael Army Airfield's Dugway Proving Ground in Tooele.
Only three of those choppers made it to base. Around 13 miles away from HAFB, one of the helicopters crashed 100 yards off the northeast corner of Antelope Island with 13 men onboard at 9:15 p.m. Around an hour later, search and rescue crews found a single survivor. Rain, lightning, and strong winds hampered the search all night long, forcing responders to stop at around 4 a.m., waiting for the sun to come up and for the weather to break.
Found dead were a total of five U.S. Army Rangers, including:
SGT Blaine A. Mishak, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
COL John T. Keneally, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
LTC Kenneth W. Stauss, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
1SG Harvey L. Moore Jr., 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
SPC Jeremy B. Bird, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
Also, three U.S. Air Force helicopter crew members:
LtCol Roland E. Peixotto Jr., 55th Special Operations Squadron
SSgt Steven W. Kelley, 55th Special Operations Squadron
Sgt Philip A. Kesler, 55th Special Operations Squadron
And four U.S. Air Force Combat Controllers:
SrA Derek C. Hughes, 23rd Special Tactics Squadron
Capt Michael L. Nazionale, 24th Special Tactics Squadron
Sgt Mark G. Lee, 24th Special Tactics Squadron
TSgt Mark Scholl, 24th Special Tactics Squadron
Found alive was the pilot, Air Force Maj. Stephan J. Laushine, then 27 years old. Laushine was assigned to the 55th Special Operations Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Laushine suffered cuts on his right leg and over his left eye, in addition to some minor fractures. He also suffered from hypothermia from being in the lake for so long.
It took rescuers an hour to paddle Laushine to shore in inflatable Army Ranger kayaks before he was airlifted to a local hospital.
The ceremony celebrated the lives of the 12 Special Operators who died in this tragic crash and rededicated the memorial in their honor. The presentation included an opening prayer, followed by a description of the operation, guest speakers and the unveiling of the updated memorial. The ceremony concluded with a 21-gun salute, ceremonial taps and a benediction.
