Virginia National Guard Honors Fallen Airmen at 25th Anniversary Memorial

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Virginia Air National Guard’s 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers Squadron (RED HORSE), 192nd Wing, held a memorial ceremony on March 3, 2026, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of a plane crash that claimed the lives of 18 VaANG Airmen and three Florida Army National Guard aviators.

The 2001 Crash

On March 3, 2001, a C-23 Sherpa aircraft carrying 18 members of the 203rd RED HORSE crashed in a cotton field near Unadilla, Georgia. The Airmen were returning home after completing a two-week military construction project at Hurlburt Field, Florida. This tragic event marked the largest loss of life in the Virginia National Guard since World War II.

Remembering the Fallen

During the ceremony, former and current 203rd RED HORSE Airmen, along with friends and family members, gathered to remember the fallen service members and placed a wreath at the 203rd RED HORSE memorial site at the State Military Reservation. Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia, attended the ceremony, and Col. Andrew M. Weidner, commander of the 192nd Wing, delivered remarks.

Col. Weidner expressed gratitude and emphasized the enduring connection within the 192nd Wing, stating, “I seek to express my gratitude from the 192nd Wing, and let you know that we are all your family.”

A Legacy of Support: Charlie’s Club

Debbie Turlip, the widow of retired Col. Thomas Turlip, who commanded the 203rd at the time of the crash, also spoke at the ceremony. Following the 2001 crash, she played a key role in establishing Charlie’s Club, a RED HORSE family support group that continues to provide support to this day.

“We knew that what we were doing was profound. Supporting the families, supporting unit members, supporting each other. We were trying to meet that moment,” Turlip shared. “There’s times that maybe you don’t believe you require a support group like that, but what’s important to realize is that any time you do need it, Charlie’s Club is there.”

Turlip reflected on the emotional significance of speaking in the Col. Turlip Auditorium, expressing gratitude and acknowledging the layered emotions associated with the memorial.

Honoring History and Tradition

The 203rd RED HORSE maintains traditions to honor the memory of those lost. New members are welcomed with a red hat symbolizing their inclusion in the RED HORSE family, and are also presented with a dog tag containing a missing piece, representing the fallen Airmen.

“At the 203rd, we add another tradition by giving the new member a dog tag with a missing piece in remembrance of the members we lost on March 3, 2001,” said Lt. Col. Carlos R. Nixon, the current commander of the unit. “This tradition is internal to the squadron and honors our history and those that shaped it.”

Lt. Col. Nixon emphasized that despite the passage of time, the impact of the crash continues to shape the identity of the 203rd. “A quarter‑century is long enough that some people in the unit today weren’t even born when the crash happened, yet the impact still shapes the identity of the 203rd,” he added.

The 203rd RED HORSE Mission

The 203rd RED HORSE provides a highly-mobile civil engineering response force to support contingency operations worldwide. More information about the unit can be found here.

Fallen Airmen and Soldiers

Virginia Air National Guard

• Senior Master Sgt. James Beninati of Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. Paul Blancato of Norfolk, Virginia
• Master Sgt. Ernest Blawas of Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. Andrew H. Bridges of Chesapeake, Virginia
• Senior Master Sgt. Eric Bulman of Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. Paul Cramer of Norfolk, Virginia
• Master Sgt. Michael East of Parksley, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. Ronald Elkin of Norfolk, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. James Ferguson of Newport News, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. Randy Johnson of Emporia, Virginia
• Staff Sgt. Mathrew Kidd of Hampton, Virginia
• Senior Master Sgt. Michael Lane of Moyock, North Carolina
• Master Sgt. Edwin Richardson of Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Master Sgt. Dean Shelby of Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. John Sincavage of Chesapeake, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. Gregory Skurupey of Gloucester, Virginia
• Tech. Sgt. Richard Summerell of Franklin, Virginia
• Maj. Frederick Watkins of Virginia Beach, Virginia

Florida Army National Guard

• Chief Warrant Officer 4 Johnny W. Duce of Orange Park, Florida
• Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric P. Larson of Land-O-Lakes, Florida
• Staff Sgt. Robert F. Ward Jr. Of Lakeland, Florida