Luke Airman makes ultimate sacrifice in freedom fight
by Deborah Marie Gibson
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
7/13/2007 - LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The Defense Department announced Wednesday the identity of a Luke Airman who recently died in Afghanistan, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Master Sgt. Randy Gillespie, 44, of Coaldale, Colo., died Monday due to wounds sustained from small arms fire encountered outside Camp Stone, a forward operating base near Herat.
"The 56th Fighter Wing extends heartfelt condolences to the Gillespie family for such a tragic loss," said Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, 56th Fighter Wing commander. "The deep sense of sorrow we feel should serve as a reminder to Americans, about the sacrifices borne by the men and women of our Armed Forces. Sergeant Gillespie was helping to rebuild a nation and its people after years of its suffering and oppression. He was an outstanding senior NCO and friend to many at Luke."
Sergeant Gillespie was assigned to the 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron and served as Fuels Management Flight preventive maintenance NCO in charge. Lt. Col. Michael Washington, 56th LRS commander, described Sergeant Gillespie as being an intricate part of the fuels flight success.
"He contributed to the flight garnering the American Petroleum Institute trophy, which recognized our fuels flight as the best in the Air Force," Colonel Washington said. "Randy Gillespie was a man of purpose who wanted his life to count. He wanted to help others both personally and professionally."
Always driven to help others, Sergeant Gillespie was also an acting first sergeant who was well liked and respected for his character.
"He was my supervisor and mentor and the most honest person you would ever meet," said Tech. Sgt. Ryan Fookes, fuels resource control center technician. "You could talk to him about anything; he wanted to make a difference."
To many, Sergeant Gillespie was like a living hero. Staff Sgt. Jason Jablonowski, fuels preventive maintenance technician, said he knew right away that Sergeant Gillespie was a special person.
"He was a hero not only to this country -- he touched so many lives at home and afar," said Tech. Sgt. Walter Contreras, fuels distribution NCO in charge.
According to Chief Master Sgt. Michael Smith, fuels manager, Sergeant Gillespie was a man who volunteered for everything, even Afghanistan. In April, he deployed with the 755th Air Expeditionary Group to support the Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, a collection of Army National Guard units that train the new Afghan national army. Sergeant Gillespie was teaching fuels procedures to Afghan soldiers; a job he performed with passion and patriotism, according to his wife, Lisa Gillespie.
"My husband deployed 16 times in his career," she said. "He loved God, loved his family and he loved his country. That's why he was over there."
Husband and father of four, Sergeant Gillespie was a 24-year veteran and a part of Luke's family for seven years.
"The Luke family is close-knit and this news greatly affects us all," General Jones said. "Sergeant Gillespie served with courage and commitment and believed in duty, honor nd country. We are fortunate to have such a devoted, strong and compassionate team of friends and co-workers from our base community, to support the family in this difficult time."
Fighter Country Partnership, a local community support organization for the men and omen of Luke, is establishing a sub account for the Gillespie family under the Arizona Servicemen Memorial Fund which is a nonprofit foundation. People interested in making a tax deductible donation to assist the family, may write a check to "The Gillespie family" and drop it off at any Credit Union West branch, or mail it to Fighter Country Partnership at 500 North Estrella Parkway, Suite B2, PMB #479, Goodyear, AZ 85338.
For more information, call Steve Yamamori at (623) 882-2191 or e-mail yamamori@fightercountry.org.
"Sergeant Gillespie will be remembered here as a beloved husband and father, patriot, warrior and a proud American who volunteered to serve in his nation's Air Force." General Jones said.
Fallen Colorado airman 'believed in the mission'
Coloradan killed in Afghanistan remembered for his compassion for others
Justin Coons, Rocky Mountain News
Published July 12, 2007 at midnight
PUEBLO - Master Sgt. Randy Gillespie always looked out for others, his brother Roger Gillespie said Wednesday.
When the church bus broke down, he rebuilt the engine block. When a comrade felt uneasy about taking on a task, Gillespie would volunteer to take his place.
Gillespie also adopted a 6-year-old girl who was abused by her biological father.
"He always said he wanted to meet her father, just so he could tell him how much he loves her," Roger Gillespie said.
Roger Gillespie will fly to Vermont today to greet his brother one last time. From Vermont, Roger Gillespie will accompany Randy Gillespie's casket to Colorado.
Randy Gillespie, 44, of Coaldale, was killed Monday in Herat, Afghanistan, 75 miles from the Iranian border.
He and an interpreter reportedly were shot by a small group, believed to be Iranian militants, a few hundred feet outside the walls of the U.S. military base there.
He had served 16 tours of duty in his 24-year Air Force career, traveling twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. He was about eight months from retirement at the time of his death, Roger Gillespie said.
Randy Gillespie, an avid outdoorsman who loved Colorado's wildlife and hiking areas, had planned to return home to the area with his wife, Lisa, and four children.
"He supported the Air Force and the military whole-heartedly," Roger Gillespie said. "He knew that if we kept the war over there, it would never cross our borders.
"Randy knew what he was doing, and he always said that somebody has got to pay a price for freedom."
Randy Gillespie was a mechanic, and working close to jet engines had left him deaf in one ear, but his brother said that he handled it with good humor.
"He laughed about it all the time," Roger Gillespie said. "He would always have to turn to hear what you said."
Gillespie was good-humored about a lot of things, his brother said. He could laugh at just about anything, and almost nothing cracked his cool demeanor.
He also had a knack for helping others. In Afghanistan, Gillespie made deep connections with the locals.
"He always said they were decent people who couldn't fight for themselves," Roger Gillespie said. "They were wonderful people who wanted something a lot better."
There, he met a young Afghani boy who walked around town barefoot.
When Gillespie offered to have his family send him a pair of shoes, the boy vehemently refused, because, he was afraid he would be killed by militants if they saw him wearing the shoes.
Determined to help in any way possible, Gillespie instead snuck the boy chocolate bars.
"He was the type of guy who would give you the shirt off his back," Roger Gillespie said.
Gillespie is survived by his mother, JoAnn; his father, Edwin; his wife, Lisa; four children; and three brothers.
Service dates have not been set, but the family says it plans to hold memorials in Pueblo and Phoenix, where he was stationed.
Comments/Citation
Road warrior: Airmen honor fallen comrade
by Capt. Michael Meridith
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
1/3/2008 - BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- One Airman's commitment to a fallen comrade came full circle with the dedication of "Master Sgt. Randy Gillespie Way," here Jan. 1. The road was dedicated in honor of Sergeant Gillespie, a career fuels specialist who died July 9 from wounds sustained during small arms fire near Herat, Afghanistan.
The newly-named road owes its existence to the efforts of Tech. Sgt. Blaine Arsenault of the 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. Sergeant Arsenault once worked for Sergeant Gillespie, a career fuels specialist who died July 9 from wounds sustained during small arms fire near Herat, Afghanistan.
"Sergeant Gillespie was my first supervisor," Sergeant Arsenault said. "When I heard he died, I took it personally."
Shortly after the news reached him, Sergeant Arsenault found himself deployed to Afghanistan.
Following a conversation with another of Sergeant Gillespie's co-workers, Senior Master Sgt. Dean Abbott, Sergeant Arsenault had an idea.
"After Sergeant Abbott and I talked, I was walking down Disney Drive (named after the late Army Spc. Jason Disney) and I thought about the road being named for a fallen Soldier. I knew they were building a new road by the fuel farm and thought there was no better way to honor Sergeant Gillespie's memory than to name it after him."
After weeks of research and coordination, Sergeant Arsenault's efforts resulted in the naming of road, including the Jan. 1 unveiling of a sign proclaiming "Gillespie Way" during a ceremony in the fallen Airman's honor.
"Master Sergeant Gillespie's memory will live on," Col. Barry Mines, the 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander, told the group gathered for the
ceremony. "As our trucks drive around this fuel farm the drivers will remember one of their very own fuels specialists who gave his life in the service of his country."
Sergeant Abbott, who knew Sergeant Gillespie for 14 years, said he would have appreciated the efforts on his behalf.
"He would've loved it. He was a people person," said Sergeant Abbott. "We as a people, a profession and an Air Force have lost a great human being. He was the whole package. He was all about helping and he volunteered to come back to Afghanistan because he wanted to make a positive difference."
Admiring the new road after the ceremony, Sergeant Arsenault summed up the legacy of his fallen comrade, "He was a mentor, a wingman, a leader and a warrior. He will not be forgotten."
Camp Eggers Dedicates Building to Fallen Airman
By Seaman Timothy Newborn, USN
Special to American Forces Press Service
CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan, March 3, 2008 â?? Fellow airmen, as well as soldiers, sailors, Marines and civilians, gathered to dedicate the Gillespie House here yesterday to honor a fallen airman.
Air Force Master Sgt. Randy Gillespie, a fuels specialist assigned to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., was deployed as the embedded training team senior mentor with the Afghan National Armyâ??s 207th Corps at Camp Zafar in Herat. He died July 9, 2007, of wounds suffered from enemy small-arms fire.
The 44-year-old Colorado Springs, Colo., native joined the Air Force in 1983 and filled more than eight different mission-critical assignments during his career, including Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal, where he was recognized as the Fuels Flightâ??s noncommissioned officer of the year for 1999. During his last assignment at Luke Air Force Base, Gillespie and his crew were named the Air Forceâ??s best fuels management flight for 2005.
â??As you can see, Master Sergeant Gillespie lived the Air Force core value of service before self,â?? Army Maj. Gen. Robert Cone, commander of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, said at the dedication ceremony. â??His fellow airmen have described him in a word as â??awesome,â?? a professional in every sense of the word. He took incredible pride in mentoring Afghan National Army personnel.â??
During the ceremony, Air Force Capt. Jennifer Mack sang the national anthem and the Air Force Song. â??It was an honor to take part in his remembrance,â?? she said.
A plaque displaying Gillespieâ??s biography, accomplishments and names of his family members will adorn the new Gillespie House, which serves as living quarters for servicemembers stationed here.
Over the years, Gillespie earned a collection of medals and awards, and he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Air Force Combat Action Medal.
Cone read a letter from Gillespieâ??s widow, Lisa Gillespie, who wrote, â??He truly was a special man, â?¦ and I so very much appreciate the remembrances and the tributes you are putting in place for him.â??
â??Randy was a very nice, approachable guy. He definitely had an impact beyond his rank,â?? said Air Force Col. Frank Heinsohn, who trained alongside Gillespie at Fort Riley, Kan., while preparing for his recent deployment.
â??He will be remembered for his service to his country and his contributions to a democratic Afghanistan,â?? Cone said.
(Navy Seaman Timothy Newborn serves with the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan Public Affairs Office.)
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