MacDill airman dies after attack in Iraq

First Lt. Joseph Helton

By The Tampa Tribune
Published: September 10, 2009

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TAMPA --

First Lt. Joseph Helton has been identified as the airman who died Tuesday in Iraq.

Helton, 24, of Monroe, Ga., was traveling in a military vehicle near Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated. He died from his wounds, the U.S. Department of Defense said.

Helton, a member of the Air Force, was assigned to the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

He is the fourth member of the 6th Air Mobility Wing who has died in action since Sept. 11, 2001.

Helton graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. He has been based at MacDill Air Force Base since 2007, and was deployed to Iraq in fall 2008, said 1st Lt. Rebecca Heyse, a spokeswoman at MacDill.

"Joe was an amazing airman and defender who volunteered to lead our best in Iraq," Col. Lawrence Martin, the 6th Air Mobility Wing commander, said in a statement.

"We are deeply saddened by his loss and very proud of his service."