x
Breaking News
More () »

Mountain Home Air Force Base gunfighters grieving loss of airmen killed in crash

"We're hurting pretty bad right now and we're trying to take care of not only the families of our airmen but also their friends in the gunfighter family," Col. Joe Kunkel said.

MOUNTAIN HOME - Three airmen stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base died in a fiery crash on Interstate 84 late Saturday night, the base confirmed on Wednesday.

The airmen were identified as Senior Airman Carlos V. Johnson, Senior Airman Lawrence P. Manlapit III, and Senior Airman Karlie A. Westall.

On Thursday, Mountain Home Air Force Base released photos and more information about the airmen. Here's what we learned:

Johnson was a native of Panama City, Panama, and graduated from Key West (Florida) High School in 2013. He entered the Air Force in February 2015. He has served at MHAFB since June 2015 and was an Operations Management Journeyman assigned to the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron. He enjoyed playing soccer, photography and spending time with "his vast circle of friends."

Manlapit was from Bridgeport, Connecticut, and graduated from Cleveland High School in 2009 and served at MHAFB since January 2015. He was an Avionics Systems Journeyman assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron, and officials said he was responsible for maintenance on 26 F-15E aircraft.

Westall was from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and graduated from Harrisburg High School in 2015. She served at MHAFB since January 2016 and was an Air Traffic Control Journeyman assigned to the 366th Operation Support Squadron.

"I am devastated by the loss of our Airmen," said Col. Joe Kunkel, 366th Fighter Wing commander, in a statement. "The upcoming weeks will be tough on all of us, but I know the Gunfighter family will pull together to support each other as well as the family and friends impacted by this tragic event."

Saturday's crash, which happened near the Cloverdale overpass on I-84, killed four people. The fourth victim has still not been identified.

RELATED: Brothers witness deadly wreck, jump in to help

Idaho State Police say a commercial vehicle and an SUV had slowed down near the Cloverdale overpass due to construction when a second commercial vehicle hit them from behind.

Four other vehicles were also involved the chain-reaction crash, which caused at least one vehicle to catch fire.

"Our initial reaction was shock. It's been a very sad week for the gunfighters," Col. Kunkel told KTVB. "You know, you never expect sudden, tragic news like this."

RELATED: Police looking into construction's possible role in deadly I-84 crash

The fire caused damage to the Cloverdale overpass, which remains closed indefinitely, until repairs can be made.

This was posted on the Mountain Home Air Force Base Gunfighters Facebook Wednesday afternoon:

Leadership says all three will be greatly missed by the entire wing and those who knew them, but they know the MHAFB family will support one another.

Three American flags stand on the torched Cloverdale overpass above Interstate 84 where, below, the fiery seven-vehicle crash took the lives of the three airmen and another person. Meanwhile, flags are at half-staff on the Mountain Home Air Force Base in memoriam.

"These airmen were on their first duty station in the Air Force," Kunkel said. "These individuals were from all different specialties in our wing and from all over. So their absence is going to be felt across the wing. I know they were not only great airmen and great service members, but they were also great friends to the people they were involved with."

Col. Kunkel says they will pull together, like they already have, and get through this.

"As a gunfighter family we bring ourselves together, come together, and the community that we are and we support each other," he said. "I do think incidents like this do bring the Air Force family closer together. Obviously, it's a tragic loss and we're doing our best to get through it right now. We're hurting pretty bad right now and we're trying to take care of not only the families of our airmen but also their friends in the gunfighter family."

From chaplains to mental health services and counselors, Kunkel says the Air Force is trying to help their families, and those whose lives Johnson, Manlapit and Westall touched.

"I know they're hurting. Our condolences go out to the families and we will do our best to take care of them," Col. Kunkel said. "These airmen were not only great airmen, but great Americans. They led a full life and the sacrifices they made by being in the service can never be appreciated enough."

Airmen are showing resiliency and care, we're told, helping each other get through this dark time.

"I would just like to thank the community for their compassion and kindness as we get through this tragedy," Kunkel added. "We'll recover from this. It's been a tough day. It's been a tough time."

The commander tells KTVB they are planning a memorial service for the airmen killed; a date is still to be scheduled and the service will not be open to the public, as it will be an "opportunity for the gunfighter family to grieve and recover".

The Air Force has not released the three airmen's ages or where they're from and, as previously mentioned, the fourth victim in the accident hasn't been identified.

Before You Leave, Check This Out