Tribute To CW4 Chester Troxel "ICY 33"

"ICY 33 Coming around on your left!" Those were the last words anyone heard from CW4 Chester Troxel before the massive Black Hawk ship went down. On Janurary 7th at 1828 hours ICY 33, departed Q-West Base Complex on a combat mission with four Alaskan Aviation Soldiers. She never came home.

CW4 Chester Troxel of B Company, 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, Alaskan Army National Guard was pilot of a two ship night mission providing support the 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagles" when the crew and passengers of the UH-60L, Black Hawk, ICY 33 crashed in the desert of northern Iraq near Tal Afar. The crew of four were part of the Alaska Army National Guard, a close cohesive unit. The deaths were the first Alaska Army National Guard combat losses since WWII.
"Black Hawk pilot CW4 Chester Troxel's personal call sign, ICY 33 is now officially retired," company commander Major Anderson commented that, "it was truely a privilege and an honor to work with CW4 Troxel. The night of January 7 will not be forgotten as we suffered a great loss when the crew of ICY 33 did not come home. Chet was a technical expert in his field with an impeccable work ethic. I could always count on him to help and I could always count on him to fly as Chet loved to fly and would voulnteer for any and every reason if you let him. He has left an immeasurable impact on this unit and he will be sorely missed by all."

When learning more about Chester Troxel one will recognize a man of integrity and courage. His intense aviator career a combined service of 26 years in the Army, and Army National Guard profiles a person of stamina and character, traits embodied as a husband and father in the private life of this special Alaskan Artic Cowboy.


CW Charles Hosack decribed Troxel as a dedicated family man, married for 23 years. Hosack went on to say that "despite a knee injury which would likely have prevented him from deployment, he went to great lenghts to recuperate quickly so he could leave with his unit."

A crew member, SFC Brad Quigley has worked with Chester for 13 years and had this to say about him, "I have been his crew chief on countless missions in both Hueys and Black Hawks. I have served with him all over Alaska and overseas in places like Japan, Honduras, Guatemala and here in Iraq. He was an outstanding pilot who knew the aircraft better than most. In his civilain job, he was a helicopter mechanic. This experience gave him a perspective which many pilots do not have. Often, long after the other pilots had gone off to the bar or to bed, he would show up with a stack of pizzas for us crewchiefs who were working late to ready the birds for the next day's mission. While there were no pizzas in Iraq, he did come by and check on me late at night to see if I or my mechanics needed anything. It's this kind of professionalism that makes a mechanic bend over backward to make sure his crews have the best aircraft possible for their next mission. However I don't think this is why he did it, I think he did this because he knew how it felt busting your knuckles, late into the night and how a simple thank you can make you feel. Chester was an outstanding aviator with all of the skills needed to get the job done in any circumstance. Not being able to crew behind him in a Hawk ever again just will not hold the same luster as it once did."

Tom Blake, a retired Army National Guard pilot and long time friend and neighbor said, "His whole world revolved around his wife and kids. " Blake added, "the last time he saw Troxel, he was jogging in their South Anchorage neighborhood. His wife and daughter are disabled, and when he ran he would push her in a little sort of a bicycle with mulitple wheels on it. They would just spend that time together."

The Troxels are a close knit family. His wife, attempted to minimize the disability she and her daughter share with this explanation, "As far as we have, it is called HSP, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. This affects our muscles from the waist down. We are just like ya'll, except we walk like ducks. But we do it with a smile!"
Summer the spunky teenage daughter of Chester Troxel, has spent her school break recovering from still another extensive surgery to both of her legs. Her goal is to walk without crutches when she returns to high school in the fall. She said, "My Dad has taught me to respect other people and to always be mindful of their feelings. He always encouraged me that I can do whatever I want when I grow up. He also taught me to count my blessings, such as my family and those who love me and for God's hand on my life." Summer went on to say, "I am not a frilly lacy type girl and that was fine with my Dad. He enjoyed showing me how to fish or to shoot a gun or change a tire."
Chester's son is also well known as a cross country champion runner. A quote from the Anchorage Daily News had this to say about this competitive teen, "When Hollis, a junior at Anchorage Christian School, came up from behind to win the small-schools state cross country running championship, he fought back the tears as he stated, I run for everyone in my family." Hollis said, "my Dad and I were really close. He was always responsible for his actions and has lived this before me. This is a part of him that I want to carry on in my life. Dad taught me that if I made a mistake to do whatever it takes to fix it and to not lay the blame on someone else."

A quote from FDR aptly describes Chester's personna as a father, "We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." One need not search hard to find in these two teenagers many of their father's traits. Chester Troxel has left his son and daughter a legacy of tenacity and strength to boldly face whatever their future holds.


We are forever indebted to Chet's wife for baring her soul with these intimate thoughts to her husband, a true American hero.

"My Darling Chet, One of the hardest things about this whole thing was leaving you so far away in Arlington. But I am comforted by the fact that you are not really there. You are with your Lord. And you are in my heart and in the face, eyes and actions of your amazing children. I love you so very much and miss you so. I have peace, because I know you are at peace. I will see you in my thoughts and dreams. You are my Hero. Not just because you gave your life for your country, because you also gave yourself to our children and I for 23 years. You have been my Hero for 23 years and you will be my Hero forever.

May the God of all comfort be close to the Alaska National Guard and their familes united in pride and united in grief.