Fairchild airmen who died in crash Friday identified

At least two young children lost parents Friday when a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker crashed in Kyrgyzstan. Fairchild Air Force Base today identified its three airmen who were killed as Capt. Mark T. Voss, 27, of Boerne, Texas; Capt. Victoria A. Pinckney, 27, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Tech. Sgt. Herman Mackey III, 30, of Bakersfield, Calif. Fairchild’s Facebook site notes that Pinckney had a 7-month-old son, Gabriel. Mackey leaves behind a wife and 2-year-old daughter named Payton, Bakersfield media are reporting. He reportedly enlisted in the Air Force immediately after graduating from Bakersfield High School in 2001. Voss and Pinckney were both graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. “We will forever honor Tyler, Tori and Tre as patriots and heroes,” Fairchild commander Col. Brian Newberry said in a news release. “We’re a strong family here and it’s truly heart wrenching when members of this family make the ultimate sacrifice for their nation.” The three airmen from the 93rd Air Refueling Squadron died in the crash of their KC-135 air refueling tanker Friday near Chon-Aryk, Krygzstan. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Spokane Mayor David Condon issued a statement today, offering condolences to the families and colleagues of those killed. “We are reminded of the sacrifice members of the military make every day for all of us, and offer our heartfelt condolences to the entire military family who is grieving their loss,” said Condon, who served in the U.S. Army. “Spokane stands ready to support our Fairchild family.”