Ransom, Charles Anthony
Male
Verified Major Charles Anthony Ransom, 31, of Midlothian, Virginia, was a U.S. Air Force officer assigned to the 83d Network Operations Squadron. He was killed in a hostile incident in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 27, 2011.
Their Story
Major Charles Anthony Ransom was a 31-year-old communications officer from Midlothian, Virginia. He served in the U.S. Air Force's 83d Network Operations Squadron, based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. His service reportedly included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.
On April 27, 2011, Ransom was killed at Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. According to U.S. military reports, he was one of eight U.S. Air Force personnel and a U.S. contractor shot by an Afghan pilot during a meeting in an operations room. The incident was classified as an insider attack, or 'green-on-blue' event.
Ransom died during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. His death occurred during a period of increased U.S. troop presence, known as the surge, which aimed to stabilize the country before a planned drawdown of forces.
The shooting was widely reported by international media. The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed the identities of the nine Americans killed. The Afghan pilot, who was also killed during the incident, was identified as an officer in the Afghan Air Force.
Major Ransom was posthumously promoted from captain to the rank of major. He is memorialized on military casualty lists and by veterans' organizations. His squadron continues its mission of operating and defending Air Force networks.
Explore Further
Major Ransom 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.
