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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, August 14, 2004

Afghanistan copter crash kills Schofield soldier

Schofield soldier lived his dream

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Sgt. Daniel Lee Galvan became the third Schofield Barracks soldier killed in Afghanistan this year when the helicopter he was in crashed Thursday, the Army said yesterday.

Galvan
Galvan, 30, of Moore, Okla., was a helicopter mechanic assigned to the 2nd Battalion (Assault), 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (Light).

The Army is planning a prayer service early next week.

Fourteen other soldiers, including three from Galvan's unit, were injured when their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter developed mechanical problems and crashed near the Pakistan border. Four of the more seriously injured soldiers were sent to Bagram Air Field's hospital. Their condition was not known.

Officials ruled out rebel fire, but the crash highlighted the dangers for troops still hunting Taliban and al-Qaida militants nearly three years after the start of America's war on terror.

The Army said the helicopter was destroyed in the crash but did not burn.

Galvan was a helicopter mechanic who enlisted in the Army in June 1996 and was assigned to Schofield Barracks in June 2002. He was born in Fort Ord, Calif., and left a wife, Sonya, and two children, Audrey, 13, and Joseph, 10.

Galvan's father, Blas Ernest Galvan, told the Daily Oklahoman newspaper his son joined the reserves after leaving high school, but eventually decided to enlist full-time. "He was restless in his (high school) classes and just wanted to start working," his father said.

Blas Galvan said his son loved working on Black Hawk helicopters and planned to attend flight school.

Schofield officials said Galvan's wife would have no comment.

Advertiser staff writer Anna Weaver and the Associated Press contributed to this report.