1st SOW honors fallen Airmen

  • Published
  • By Amy Oliver
  • 1st SOW Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Two Air Commandos who made the ultimate sacrifice nearly six years ago have been memorialized at Hurlburt Field. The 1st Special Operations Wing rededicated two streets in honor of Tech. Sgt. Sean Corlew and Staff Sgt. Anissa Shero Feb. 22.

Sergeants Corlew and Shero were killed June 12, 2002, in an MC-130H Combat Talon II crash in Afghanistan. The two were loadmasters assigned to the 15th Special Operations Squadron deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

On a mission to exfiltrate a three-person U.S. Army Special Forces Team, the sergeants quickly uploaded the team and thousands of pounds of equipment. The aircraft's engines, however, could not maintain enough thrust to keep it airborne, and it crashed shortly after take-off. An Army Special Forces member was also killed in the crash. Five crew members and two Army Special Forces members survived.

Wing leadership, friends and family, including Sergeant Corlew's wife and two children, and Sergeant Shero's husband attended the ceremony to see the names Corlew and Shero permanently etched into Air Commando Heritage.

"We're here to remember their dedication, their professionalism, their warrior spirit, their honored place in our heritage and ultimately why we exist as a military today -- to protect our nation, and if called upon, to lay our lives down for the cause," said Lt. Col. Tony Bauernfeind, 15th SOS commander.

Retired Chief Master Sgt. "Taco" Sanchez, former loadmaster and former member of the 15th SOS, worked alongside both sergeants. As the guest speaker at the ceremony, he remembered his two fellow loadmasters fondly.

"What's special about special ops are the people in special ops," Chief Sanchez said. "Sean was definitely one of those special people. He made things happen. He was 100 percent committed to the mission."

On that ill-fated night in June 2002, Sergeant Shero advised the Army Special Forces team to ensure they were buckled securely because it was going to be a rough flight.

"Anissa knew her job, and she did it well. Because of what she did, two of those guys survived," Chief Sanchez said.

Corlew Road, formerly Marina Road, is located on the Soundside. Shero Circle replaced Tupelo Circle located in the Live Oak Terrace base housing area.

Chief Sanchez said the purpose for dedicating the streets to Sergeants Corlew and Shero is to honor them as our true warriors and to remember history so we don't repeat it.

"It's honorable, very honorable, that the base named a street for Sean," said Amy Corlew, Sergeant Corlew's wife.