Three USAF servicemen were killed while on patrol in Helmand province on 5th January 2012. Killed were:

34-year-old Technical Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz

23-year-old Senior Airman Bryan Bell

24-year-old Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler


34-year-old USAF Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz, from Michigan, was one of three Air Force servicemen killed in action on 5th January 2012 when their vehicle struck an insurgent bomb in Shir Ghazi, Helmand.

Sgt. Schwartz was a bomb-disposal technician serving with the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, FE Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. His family told local news that this was his sixth combat mission and that he had also served in Iraq. He had served in the US Air Force for 12 years.

Sgt. Schwartz leaves his wife, Jenny, and three daughters.


24-year-old USAF Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler, from Westminster, Maryland was one of three Air Force servicemen killed in action on 5th January 2012 when their vehicle struck an insurgent bomb in Shir Ghazi, Helmand.

Afc Seidler was serving with the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.





23-year-old USAF Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, from Erie, Pennsylvania, was one of three Air Force servicemen killed in action on 5th January 2012 when their vehicle struck an insurgent bomb in Shir Ghazi, Helmand.

Sr. Airman Bell, a bomb-disposal technician serving with the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, was a volunteer firefighter. He graduated from Harbor Creek High School in 2006 and joined the Air Force the same year.

He leaves behind his father, mother, wife and sister.