[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 117 (Wednesday, August 4, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6728-S6729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING THE CREW OF SITKA 43

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, late last month I had the honor and the 
privilege to be in Sitka, AK, to honor the crew of a U.S. Coast Guard 
helicopter that went down in the waters off of the State of Washington. 
That helicopter was based at the Coast Guard Air Station Sitka.
  On Monday, it was my sad duty to attend yet another memorial service. 
A service to honor the crew of the Air Force C-17 Globemaster that 
crashed on Thursday evening shortly after takeoff from Elmendorf Air 
Force Base. Quite coincidentally, that C-17 aircraft bore the call sign 
``Sitka 43.''
  The C-17 crash took the lives of four of Alaska's finest airmen. MAJ 
Aaron Malone, age 36, who went by the nickname ``Zippy.'' MAJ Michael 
Freyholtz, age 34, CAPT Jeffrey Hill, age 31 and SMSgt Tom Cicardo, age 
47.
  Major Malone, Major Freyholtz and Senior Master Sergeant Cicardo were 
members of the 249th Airlift Squadron of the Alaska Air National Guard. 
Captain Hill was active duty Air Force. He served with the 517th 
Airlift Squadron at Elmendorf.
  The C-17 mission at Elmendorf is operated as an active Air Force/Air 
National Guard association.
  As our colleague Senator Begich noted on the floor, each was 
exemplary in his own right.
  Zippy Malone was the unofficial morale officer. Michael Freyholtz 
began his career in the C-17 right out of pilot training. He was known 
as the best C-17 demonstration pilot around. But that is hardly his 
greatest accomplishment. Major Freyholtz flew 608 combat missions in 
Iraq and Afghanistan.
  Jeffrey Hill began his career as an enlisted man at Elmendorf. He was 
known as a phenomenal airman and maintainer. He earned his commission 
in 2002 and was a top instructor pilot. Yet he never forgot from where 
he came. An inspiration to the enlisted airmen, he reinvigorated the 
booster club and motivated young airmen to get and stay fit.
  Tom Cicardo gave more than 28 years in the service of his Nation. He 
was a soldier, a marine, and an airman. His peers described him as 
``old school.'' He was one of the Air Force's premier loadmasters. 
During his first 11 years in the Alaska Air Guard he was involved in 58 
search and rescue missions in the State of Alaska where he was credited 
with saving 66 lives. He also flew combat search and rescue missions in 
Afghanistan and personnel recovery missions in the Horn of Africa.
  And each of these exemplary servicemembers lived their lives in 
Alaska to the fullest. Major Malone and Major Freyholtz coached Little 
League. Captain Hill was always traveling off-road, hunting and 
fishing, camping and hiking. They leave behind children, spouses, and 
loved ones.
  Sitka 43 went down Thursday evening while on a training mission.

[[Page S6729]]

They were preparing to participate in the Arctic Thunder air show--an 
open house at Elmendorf Air Force base that draws hundreds of thousands 
of Alaskans, which was scheduled for last weekend.
  After consulting with the families, the Air Force decided that Arctic 
Thunder would go on as scheduled. Alaskans rewarded that decision with 
a recordbreaking turnout. About 200,000 Alaskans came out to the base. 
Many stopped to pay their respects to the crew of Sitka 43 at a 
makeshift memorial erected next to a static display of a C-17 aircraft.
  They were guardsmen, airmen, wingmen, leaders, and warriors. But 
above all else that they were aviators. This fact was driven home to 
all of us at Monday's memorial service by a poster erected between the 
photos of our fallen airmen and the memorial wreathes. That poster 
read, ``To most people the sky's the limit. To those who love aviation 
the sky is home.''
  On behalf of all of our Senate colleagues, I extend our Nation's 
gratitude to the crew of Sitka 43. To their loved ones and to their Air 
Force colleagues, we extend our deepest sympathies.

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