Clayton Carpenter

Major Clayton O. Carpenter of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment died on January 15, 2014, while flying his Blackhawk helicopter on a training mission near Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on March 5, 2014.

Major Carpenter was born in Brooklyn in 1983, and his family relocated to Cortlandt Manor, where he spent his childhood. In 2001, Major Carpenter accepted an appointment into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, with nominations from former Vice President Al Gore and U.S. Representative Sue W. Kelly. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2005.

Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant, Major Carpenter was assigned to Fort Rucker, Alabama, for Initial Entry Rotary Wing Training. After completing the Aviation Officer Basic Course, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment at Wheeler Army Airfi eld, Hawaii, and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in June 2008. He also served in Iraq as a Headquarters and Headquarters Company Commander, and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in September 2011. He arrived at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) in September 2012 for Officer Green Platoon and served as an MH-60M Platoon Leader in C Company, 3rd Battalion, 160th SOAR(A).

Major Carpenter’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Air Medal (w/Numeral 2), Army Commendation Medal (w/Valor Device), Meritorious Unit Citation (w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (w/Bronze Service Star), Iraq Campaign Medal (w/3 Bronze Service Stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (w/Numeral 3), and NATO Medal. At the time of his death, Major Carpenter was a Captain. He was posthumously promoted by the Army to Major and awarded another Meritorious Service Medal.