DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Airmen, families, and community leaders gathered at Dyess Memorial Park on Oct. 2, 2025, to mark the tenth anniversary of TORQE 62 and honor the six Airmen who lost their lives in Afghanistan on Oct. 2, 2015.
The day began with a sunrise memorial run for members of the 317th Airlift Wing at Dyess Air Force Base. Airmen ran to remember and honor the fallen TORQE 62 crew. The run served as a moment of reflection and unity, symbolizing the wing’s enduring commitment to carrying forward the legacy of those who gave their lives in service to the Nation.
Later that afternoon, the 317th AW hosted a formal ceremony at Dyess Memorial Park. The site was designed to honor Airmen who made the ultimate sacrifice and features a sundial layout where sunlight illuminates each Airman’s engraved name, along with the words Valor, Strength, Discipline, and Excellence, as the sun moves across the sky.
The ceremony commemorated the crew of TORQE 62, a C-130J Super Hercules that crashed shortly after takeoff from Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan, while executing a mission under Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. The mishap claimed the lives of six Airmen, five U.S. civilian contractors, and three Afghan partners.
The Airmen lost in the accident included Capt. Jordan Pierson, Capt. Jonathan “JJ” Golden, Staff Sgt. Ryan Hammond, and Senior Airman Quinn “JH” Johnson-Harris of the 39th Airlift Squadron at Dyess AFB, as well as Senior Airman Nathan Sartain and Airman 1st Class Kcey Ruiz of the 66th Security Forces Squadron at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts.
The memorial brought together current and former Dyess leaders, families of the fallen, and the Abilene community. Among those in attendance were Congressman Jodey Arrington, retired Lt. Col. Mitch Spillers, and retired Col. Steve Hodge, each of whom shared remarks honoring the crew’s sacrifice and the lasting impact of their service.
During the ceremony, Congressman Arrington announced the introduction of a bipartisan resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to honor the TORQE 62 crew and their families for their service and sacrifice.
As the sun reached 1:46 p.m., the exact time of the crash, sunlight illuminated the TORQE 62 monument, marking a solemn moment of reflection. A wreath was laid at the memorial as the sound of “Taps” echoed through Dyess Memorial Park, honoring each Airman.
Col. Justin Diehl, 317th AW commander, reflected on the powerful legacy the fallen Airmen left behind.
“In honoring these six Airmen, we do more than remember their lives; we celebrate their spirit and all they brought professionally and personally to the 317th,” Diehl said. “Their commitment to our Nation was unwavering, and their sacrifice resonates deeply within the Herk, Dyess, and Abilene communities.”
Diehl also spoke directly to the Airmen of the 317th, urging them to carry forward that legacy.
“Let us remember their bravery,” Diehl said. “I see their bravery in each of you as you continue to deploy away from your families and live within a dangerous profession every day so that America’s homeland remains secure.”
As the ceremony concluded, Diehl reaffirmed that the names of the TORQE 62 crew will forever remain etched in the history of the 39th Airlift Squadron and the 317th Airlift Wing.
“We will honor them always, and we will remember them every day,” Diehl said. “Lest we forget.”