Ramirez, Thalia Suzanne
Female
Verified Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thalia Suzanne Ramirez, 28, of San Antonio, Texas, was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot. She was killed in a helicopter crash in Pul-e Alam, Afghanistan, on September 5, 2012.
Their Story
Thalia Suzanne Ramirez was a 28-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 from San Antonio, Texas. She served as a helicopter pilot assigned to Troop F, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Her unit, part of Task Force Pegasus, deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
On September 5, 2012, Ramirez was piloting an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior scout helicopter on a mission in the Pul-e Alam district of Logar province, Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the helicopter crashed. The incident was reported as a result of hostile fire. Ramirez and a second soldier, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jose L. Montenegro, 31, of Houston, Texas, were both killed.
Ramirez’s death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. The mission involved counter-insurgency operations and training for Afghan security forces. In 2012, the year of her death, improvised explosive devices and insurgent attacks remained a significant cause of U.S. casualties.
Following the crash, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) launched an investigation. The U.S. Army confirmed the deaths and notified the soldiers' families. Ramirez was posthumously promoted from Warrant Officer 1 to Chief Warrant Officer 2. Her remains were returned to the United States.
Ramirez is remembered on memorials at Fort Bragg and within the 82nd Airborne Division. Her name is inscribed on Panel 27W, Line 74 of the Afghanistan War Memorial at the National Infantry Museum. Fellow soldiers described her as a dedicated and skilled aviator.
Explore Further
Thalia Ramirez 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.
