Service held for captain at Nellis

Diana Sahagun

Tuesday, Dec. 14, 1999 | 11:34 a.m.

A memorial service to honor Capt. Michael D. Geragosian was scheduled for 2 p.m. today in the Nellis Air Force Base chapel.

He was one of three U.S. airmen killed Friday when the Air Force plane they were flying in made an emergency landing without landing gear at Kuwait International Airport.

Geragosian, 31, was a native of Washtenaw County, Mich., and had been stationed at Nellis for more than three years.

The C-130 from the 61st Airlift Squadron at Jacksonville, Ark., was carrying troops to locations throughout Kuwait, according to reports. The crew declared an in-flight emergency and diverted the plane to Kuwait's airport.

Of the 96 military personnel aboard the plane, 16 were injured, including three other Nellis airmen. Sgt. Gayle Barajas said the Nellis airmen received minor injuries and will continue their missions in the Persian Gulf region.

Geragosian had left Nellis for Kuwait Wednesday to support search-and-rescue missions for the coalition-enforced no-fly zone against Iraq, Barajas said.

He was a member of the 66th Rescue Squadron at Nellis for the last 2 1/2 months and was a fully qualified, HH-60G Pave Hawk pilot and an evaluator in the squadron.

Previously Geragosian had been assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, a helicopter unit at Nellis.

Barajas said she was not sure if his family members would be attending the ceremony.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.