Hershel Daniel McCants Jr.

Hershel Daniel McCants Jr. (April 2, 1973 – February 18, 2007) was an American soldier in the United States Army and special operations helicopter pilot. A veteran of the 1st Special Forces Group and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, he was killed in action in 2007 during Operation Enduring Freedom when a MH-47E Chinook helicopter that he was co-piloting crashed due to a sudden power loss in Zabul province, Afghanistan. He was posthumously awarded the Air Medal and Meritorious Service Medal (United States).

Early life and family

McCants was born to Goldie Murphy and Hershel D. McCants Sr. on April 2, 1973, in Medford, Oregon. He spent his early life in the Pacific Northwest. His family recalled that he always brought rope and a first-aid kit to family outings on the Oregon sand dunes. He attended Eisenhower Middle School and Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the time of his death, he was married and had two children.

Military career

McCants enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 1991. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Following an initial assignment as a Combat Engineer at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he attended the Special Forces Qualification Course. Upon graduation, he served as an Engineer Sergeant with the 1st Special Forces Group at Fort Lewis, Washington.

In 2000, McCants was accepted into the U.S. Army Warrant Officer program. He graduated in 2001 and completed training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. After qualifying on the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, he served as a Tactical Operations Officer and Aeromedical Evacuation pilot with the 54th Medical Company, 62nd Medical Brigade, at Fort Lewis.

In 2005, McCants successfully assessed for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), also known as the "Night Stalkers." After completing the unit's training, he was assigned to B Company, 2nd Battalion, 160th SOAR(A) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. There, he served as a pilot for the MH-47E Chinook. He was promoted to chief warrant officer in 2006.

Death

On February 18, 2007, McCants was co-piloting an MH-47E Chinook during Operation Enduring Freedom. The aircraft was transit flying from Kandahar to Bagram Airfield at an altitude of approximately 300 feet when it experienced and radioed a sudden, unexplained loss of power and engine failure. Reports indicate the aircraft impacted the ground aft-end first, then bounced on its nose causing the transmission assembly to collapse forward. The crash occurred roughly 50 yards from the Kabul-Kandahar highway. The crash resulted in the deaths of eight U.S. service members and injured 14 others.

McCants' funeral and memorial service was held in Clarksville, Tennessee. His funeral was held at Arlington National Cemetery, attended by family members, friends, and fellow service members. The ceremony included military honors in recognition of his service with the U.S. Army. He was interred at Arlington, section 60, following the service. As of 2009, he was among 14 soldiers from Arizona who have been interred at Arlington since 2003.

Legacy

After his death, his mother became the President of American Gold Star Mothers, Arizona Chapter. In 2010, she advocated for the national recognition of fallen service members through memorial and legislative initiatives. She organized a national project to place wreaths on soldiers' graves annually each December. She also led advocacy for House Resolution 1034, which sought to establish the Honor and Remember Flag as an official national symbol for those killed in military service. In 2022, she participated in a news story event around Memorial Day and Gold Star families. After Osama Bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in 2011, his mother told the The Arizona Republic: "They do care. They haven't forgotten. They support our troops and those who paid the ultimate price."

McCants is a part of the memorial wall for the Green Beret Foundation and the Special Forces Foundation. Joint Base Lewis-McChord's McCants Hangar was dedicated in his honor.

Military awards and decorations

Front of Air Medal
  • Meritorious Service Medal (posthumous)
  • Air Medal (posthumous)
  • Army Commendation Medal (2 awards)
  • Army Achievement Medal (4 awards)
  • Joint Meritorious Unit Award
  • Army Good Conduct Medal (2 awards)
  • National Defense Service Medal (2 awards)
  • Afghanistan Campaign Medal
  • Global War on [...] Expeditionary Medal
  • Global War on [...] Service Medal
  • Humanitarian Service Medal (2 awards)
  • Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (2 awards)
  • Army Service Ribbon
  • Army Aviator Badge
  • Expert Infantry Badge
  • Airborne Badge