Corona, CA: Airman dies in overseas non-combat incident

A 24-year-old airman was killed during a deployment in a non-combat-related incident.

Senior Airman Michael J. Hinkle II of Corona, Calif., died March 16 while on deployment to the Middle East. He was assigned to the 28th Communications Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The Pentagon did not provide further details about the incident.

Hinkle was a cyber transport systems journeyman who enlisted in December 2005 and arrived at Ellsworth in November 2008, base officials told the Rapid City Journal.

The newspaper reported Hinkle was assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, which is widely known to operate out of Ali al Salem Air Base, Kuwait.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our fellow airman,” the Journal quoted base commander Col. Jeffrey Taliaferro. “Mike will be missed by all of us, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.”