MSG James W. Ponder III

28 June 2005, Afghanistan

160th SOAR

A native of Franklin, Tennessee, Master Sergeant James W. Ponder III died 28 June 2005 when his aircraft was struck by a rocket propelled grenade near Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

Ponder enlisted in the Army in 1990 as a Heavy Lift Helicopter Repair Specialist, and was assigned to the Republic of Korea. In 1992, he completed Green Platoon and joined the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

MSG Ponder was serving as a Flight Engineer in 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, at the time of his death.