Billings, Randy Lee
Male
Verified Chief Warrant Officer 2 Randy Lee Billings, 34, of Heavener, Oklahoma, was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot. He was killed in action on December 17, 2013, when his AH-64 Apache was shot down in Now Bahar, Afghanistan.
Their Story
Randy Lee Billings was a 34-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 from Heavener, Oklahoma. He served as an AH-64 Apache pilot with Company B, 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kansas. His unit deployed to Afghanistan in 2013.
On December 17, 2013, Billings was piloting an Apache on a mission in the Now Bahar area of Afghanistan's Zabul province. According to U.S. military reports, the helicopter was struck by enemy fire and crashed. Billings and his co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua B. Silverman, 35, were both killed in the incident.
The crash occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By late 2013, the mission was focused on training Afghan forces and conducting counterinsurgency operations. The Taliban claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter.
Billings's death was announced by the Department of Defense. He was posthumously promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 3. A memorial service was held at Fort Riley, and he was buried in Heavener, Oklahoma.
He was survived by his wife and children. The 1st Infantry Division stated his loss was deeply felt by his fellow soldiers. In 2014, the Army named a street at Fort Riley's Custer Hill in his honor.
Explore Further
Billings was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
