Air Force Combat
Rescue Officer Joel Gentz was killed in action on
June 9th, 2010, along
with three other members of a pararescue team,
when their helicopter
was shot down by Taliban missiles
during a mission over
Helmand province in Afghanistan.
Joel lived by the
words "That Others May Live," putting his own life
in danger on
countless rescue missions to save not only American
troops in harms way,
but Afghan civilians, especially children.
Joel was a POC for
The Ships Project, and at the time of his death,
had asked us for help
with a special project he was planning,
which he called "kid
bombs" - dropping toys to the Afghani children.
Though he didn't live
to complete that mission himself,
the toys were sent to
his unit in Afghanistan, and we know his
legacy will live on
through the children who received them.
He was a graduate of
Purdue University, and leaves behind his wife of two
years, Kathryn, as well as his parents, Judy and
Steve, and his brother Jared and sister Rachel.
