Today our walk was dedicated in honor of:
Air Force Maj. Troy Lee Gilbert, Age 34 of Luke AFB, AZ.
MIA/KIA Nov. 27, 2006
Maj. Gilbert was killed in action while flying a combat mission in Anbar Province, Iraq, on Nov. 27, 2006, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was born Feb. 19, 1972, to Ronnie and Kaye Gilbert at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. Major Gilbert was deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq, assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing in U.S. Central Command Air Forces. He deployed to Iraq from the 309th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz., where he was Assistant Director of Operations. Major Gilbert was a career military officer with 13 years of service in the United States Air Force. Upon completion of the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Ala., he served at RAF Lakenheath, England; conducted pilot training at Sheppard AFB, Texas; and was assigned to the 555th Fighter Squadron at Aviano AB, Italy, before becoming an instructor pilot with the 62nd Fighter Squadron at Luke AFB, Ariz. His career included 130 combat flying hours in F-16 aircraft and he has been posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. He was an active member of Desert Springs Community Church in Litchfield Park, Ariz.
It was a great honor to walk 8.74 Miles with Air Force Maj. Troy Lee Gilbert. We started out by heading up to the Veterans Memorial Park down town. We read a few names on the Memorial Wall before heading back towards Sparta Hwy. We continued west and stopped in at the Crossville Memorial Airport where we visited with several people and then we took a 5 mile flight in a Helicopter. We had a great ride and then we visited some more before heading back to the house. We had a great walk. I want to thank everyone who honked, waved, and saluted. We had 383 honks today. It was amazing. Thank you.
Air Force Maj. Troy Lee Gilbert will not be forgotten !
