Phaneuf, Ryan Scott

Capt. Ryan Scott Phaneuf was a U.S. Air Force officer assigned to the 37th Bomb Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing, at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. The squadron operates the B-1B Lancer long-range strategic bomber. Phaneuf, a native of Hudson, New Hampshire, was 30 years old at the time of his death.

On January 27, 2020, the U.S. Air Force E-11A aircraft on which Phaneuf was a passenger crashed in the Dih Yak district of Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. The aircraft, a modified Bombardier Global Express business jet used for battlefield communications, reportedly went down in a Taliban-controlled area. All five U.S. service members aboard were killed. The U.S. military stated there was no indication the crash was caused by enemy fire, and an investigation was launched.

Phaneuf died during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan that succeeded Operation Enduring Freedom in 2015. The mission involved counter-terrorism operations and support for Afghan security forces against the Taliban insurgency. The war, which began in 2001, was the longest in U.S. history.

Following the crash, the Taliban claimed to have shot down the aircraft, a claim the U.S. military said was false. Phaneuf's remains were recovered in a subsequent military operation. The Air Force released the names of the deceased on January 29, 2020. Phaneuf was posthumously promoted to the rank of major.

Phaneuf was remembered by his squadron commander as a dedicated officer and a skilled aviator. The 28th Bomb Wing honored his service, and his name is inscribed on a memorial at Ellsworth Air Force Base. He was survived by his wife and other family members.

Maj. Ryan Phaneuf was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (ongoing since 2015). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael, Ruiz, Pablo Allende Iii, Mckenna, Peter Andrew Jr.

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