Chief Warrant Officer 3 Taylor J. Galvin was on his ninth combat deployment when he died on Monday from injuries he received when his helicopter crashed in Sinjar, Iraq, defense officials announced.
- Galvin, 34, was an MH-60M Black Hawk helicopter pilot assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky – the same unit that reportedly flew Navy SEALs into Pakistan for the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
- Since joining the Army in 2003, Galvin had deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, three times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and four times as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, according to a news release from his unit.
- Several other service members were injured when Galvin’s helicopter went down on Aug. 19 during a counter-terrorism mission with Iraqi forces. The crash is under investigation but there are no indications that the helicopter was downed by hostile fire.
- Galvin originally served as a CH-47 Chinook aircraft mechanic from 2003 to 2007 before being accepted to Warrant Officer Candidate School. He went on to serve as a UH-60 Black Hawk instructor pilot and in 2015 he was assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
- His military awards include the Air Medal (C device); Air Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Joint Service Air Medal); Army Achievement Medal; three Meritorious Unit Awards; Army Good Conduct Medal; two National Defense Service Medals; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War On Terrorism Service Medal; NATO Medal; Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon; three Army Service Ribbons; Overseas Service Ribbon; Combat Action Badge and Senior Army Aviator Badge.
WATCH NEXT: