Capt Francis D. Imlay
Capt. Francis D. Imlay, 31, of Vacaville, Calif., died March 28 from injuries received in an accident involving
an F-15 aircraft near a base in Southwest Asia. He was assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
Captain Imlay was known among his fellow airmen as ‘Piston’ and ‘Dee’ by his loved ones at home. He was part of the 391st Fighter
Squadron known as the ‘Bold Tigers.’
Burial is at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California – Section 13 Site 1320
Staff Sgt Brian Lee Smith II
Born: April 19, 1981
Died: March 8, 2012 in Camden, Tennessee
Staff Sgt. Brian L. Smith II formerly of Hendersonville, Tn., currently of Bossier City, Louisiana, graduated from Family Christian
Academy. Before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1999, he joined the Civil Air Patrol. Brian was stationed at Shaw AFB and Barksdale, LA.
He proudly served our country in Korea, Kuwait, Guam and Iraq. Brian is preceded in death by his grandfather, Robert Ivan Smith;
grandmother, Lorraine Smith; grandfather, John L. Myers. Survived by wife, Jessica Smith of Bossier City, LA.; step-son,Liam Fox; stepdaughter,
Ava Sermon; father and mother, Brian Lee Smith ,Sr. and Kinney Myers Smith of Gallatin, TN.; brothers, Nicholas James
Smith of Hendersonville, TN. and Nathan James (Nikki) Smith of White House, TN.; father in-law and mother in-law, Robert and Loretta
Sermon of Benton, LA. Brian passed away March 8, 2012 in Camden, Tennessee, the victim of a traffic accident.
Lt. Col. John D. Loftis
Lt. Col. John D. Loftis, 44, of Murray, Ky., died Feb. 25 from wounds received during an attack at
the Interior Ministry, Kabul, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 866th Air Expeditionary Squadron, Kabul, Afghanistan. He served as a
space and missile officer who became a regional affairs strategist in 2008. Known to some as JD or Darin, he entered the Air Force in
1996, receiving his commission through Officer Training School. Prior to deploying in March 2011, he had been assigned to the U.S. Air
Force Special Operations School, Air Force Special Operations Training Center, Hurlburt Field, Fla. Loftis was deployed in support of
OPERATION Enduring Freedom and working in the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of the Interior with the
AfPak Hands program as the chief plans advisor. The AfPak Hands program stood up in September 2009 to develop a cadre of specially
trained U.S. servicemembers skilled in Afghan and Pakistani culture and language. Lt Col Loftis was previously awarded the Bronze Star,
Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.
Capt Ryan Preston Hall
Born: December 10, 1981 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Died: February 18, 2012 in Djibouti, Africa
Captain Ryan P. Hall of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to the 319th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. He died
at age 30 when his U-28 aircraft was involved in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. He entered the Air Force in 2004,
receiving his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corp at The Citadel. Captain Hall was a U-28A pilot serving his seventh
deployment. He had been assigned to the 319th SOS at Hurlburt Field since 2007 and had more than 1,300 combat flight hours.
Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock
Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga. He was assigned to the 34th Special Operations
Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. He died February 18 when his U-28 aircraft was involved in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti,
Africa. He entered the Air Force in 2006, receiving his commission through the Officer Training School. Capt Whitlock was serving his
fifth deployment. He had been assigned to the 319th SOS and then to the 34th SOS at Hurlburt Field since 2008 and had more than 800
combat flight hours. Also killed were: Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo., 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore.,
and Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Capt. Whitlock’s memory to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation,
which gives financial help to severely wounded special-ops personnel and provides scholarships and counseling to children of fallen
special-ops members. The foundation’s address is P.O. Box 13483, Tampa, FL 33681-3483.
Forest Lawn Memorial Park
