Gary (John G. Brown) killed in helicopter crash

CAMP ROBINSON - The U.S. Department of Defense through the Arkansas National Guard confirmed Wednesday that Arkansas National Guard Sergeant First Class John Gary Brown, of Little Rock, a native of Nashville, was among the dead who were killed in the crash of a US UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter in Iraq on Saturday.

The AP reported Thursday that Saturday, the day of the crash, was Brown's first day back on duty after returning to Iraq from family leave in Arkansas. AP reported that Brown had served in Desert Storm, had begun his latest military tour of duty in April, 2006, and was deployed to Iraq in the summer of 2006.

Brown was a 1982 graduate of Nashville High School, but no additional information was available regarding his tenure there Thursday.

“There's no-one here who was here then, and none of his teachers are still here,” a secretary at Nashville High School said Thursday.

Staff of the Nashville News confirmed Thursday that all funeral services for Brown will be arranged and conducted through the military services, and his body will be buried in the National Cemetery in Little Rock.

From the Star