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Published Tuesday, February 21, 2012 in Local

Special

Capt. Nicholas Whitlock of Newnan, who had been in the Air Force since 2006, died Friday in an airplane accident in the African nation of Djibouti.

Newnan pilot killed: USAF Capt. Nick Whitlock one of four crash victims

By Winston Skinner

The Newnan Times-Herald

Nick Whitlock, who grew up in Newnan and excelled on the playing field and in the classroom at Newnan High School, died Saturday while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Africa.

Nicholas Shade Whitlock, 29, was the son of Jimmy and Clare Whitlock of Newnan. He and his wife, Ashley Oddi Whitlock, lived in Destin, Fla.

Whitlock had left Hurlburt Field -- located near Fort Walton Beach -- about a week prior to the fatal accident.

According to a U.S. Air Force news release, Whitlock and three comrades died in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, located in the Horn of Africa. Whitlock was with the 34th Special Operations Squadron.

In addition to Whitlock, those who lost their lives were Capt Ryan P. Hall from the 319th Special Operations Squadron, 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens from the 34th Special Operations Squadron and Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten from the 25th Intelligence Squadron. No other people were on the flight in the U-28 aircraft.

"The U-28 was returning from a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom," according to the press release.

Whitlock, who was promoted to captain in November 2010, was a U-28A pilot and was on his fifth deployment. He entered the Air Force in 2006, receiving his commission through the Officer Training School. He had been assigned to the 319th SOS and then to the 34th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field since 2008 and had more than 800 combat flight hours.

Hall, 30, was a U-28A pilot on his seventh deployment. He entered the Air Force in 2004, receiving his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at The Citadel. He had been assigned to the 319th SOS at Hurlburt Field since 2007 and had more than 1,300 combat flight hours.

Wilkens, 26, was a combat systems officer on his third deployment. He entered the Air Force in 2009, receiving his commission through the Air Force Academy. He had been assigned to the 34th SOS at Hurlburt Field since April 2011 and had more than 400 combat hours.

Scholten, 26, was a mission systems operator assigned to the 25th IS at Hurlburt Field since 2009. He enlisted in the Air Force in 2007. He had more than 900 combat hours in six different airframes and was on his third deployment.

Hall was from Colorado Springs, Colo. Wilkens' hometown was Bend, Ore., and Scholten was from Upper Marlboro, Md.

"The Hurlburt Field community expresses our deepest condolences to the family of the crew, and we share in their sorrow. Our efforts are focused on helping them through this difficult time," said Col. Jim Slife, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing. "We will never forget the valuable contributions these brave men made to their country and community."

The U-28A is a single engine, manned fixed wing aircraft developed around the Pilatus PC-12 airframe that provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in support of special operations forces.

Camp Lemonnier is a U.S. Naval Expeditionary Base located at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport. Djibouti is a former French holding that has been an independent nation since 1977. Djibouti is in east Africa and comprises 8,958 square miles.

The cause of the crash is unknown at this time. Air Force officials said they are committed to a thorough investigation.

Whitlock comes from a large family that has been in Coweta County for generations. His father, Jimmy Whitlock, works for U.S. Foods in Fairburn, and his mother, Clare Shade Whitlock, is minister to women and minister of member assimilation at First Baptist Church of Newnan.

His paternal grandfather, Wendell Whitlock, was the public works superintendent for Coweta County for decades. The airman's grandmother, Elva Allen Whitlock, is a leader in church and civic activities and comes from a family in Coweta since 1848.

Nick Whitlock was a 2001 honor graduate of Newnan High School. He played football and baseball at Newnan. "He was just an incredible athlete," his brother, James Whitlock, said Monday.

Nick and James Whitlock have been volunteers with Alaska's Healing Hearts, a non-profit organization that offers a year-round nationwide outdoor program that focuses on taking disabled military veterans on hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.

An Eagle Scout, Nick Whitlock earned his private pilot's license while flying at Falcon Field in Peachtree City and at Newnan-Coweta Airport. He was accepted into the U.S. Air Force, assigned to Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., where he was commissioned second lieutenant.

Whitlock was selected for pilot training in the Eruo NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program at Shepard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. He received his wings in May 2008 and was assigned to Air Force Special Operations and is based at Hulbert Field.

Nick Whitlock attended Mercer University where he earned a bachelor of business administration degree. While there he met Ashley Oddi of Savannah. They were married Nov. 20, 2010.

Nick Whitlock also earned a master's of business administration from the University of Florida.

Ashley Whitlock was notified of her husband's death on Saturday at her home. Other family members soon learned the sad news.

Jimmy and Clare Whitlock, Ashley Whitlock and her parents traveled to Dover Air Force Base on Monday morning. Mid-afternoon Monday, the family had received no specific details about when the airman's remains would be brought to Dover, nor have specific funeral plans been made.

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To The Whitlock Family

2/26/2012