SSgt Andrew W. Harvell

On August 6, 2011, Technical Sergeant Daniel L. Zerbe, Technical Sergeant John W. Brown, both pararescuemen, and Staff Sergeant Andrew W. Harvell, a combat controller, assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, 724th Special Tactics Group, were killed when their coalition CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed in Maiden Wardak Province in eastern Afghanistan. They were among twenty-five Special Operations Command operators who died in the crash, which also took the lives of five Army Reserve Soldiers, seven Afghan commandos and one civilian interpreter.

Technical Sergeant Harvell was born in Long Beach, California and graduated from Millikan High School. Following graduation in June 2002, Harvell enlisted in the Air Force, graduated basic training, and immediately entered the combat control training pipeline.

Upon graduation Harvell was assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, where he completed four combat deployments in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM, as well as numerous joint exercises and training events.

In May 2009, he was reassigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron.

Harvell’s military awards included the Bronze Star Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Air Force Combat Action Medal.

To learn more & to leave a memory, please visit his CCT memorial page.