Chad Regelin, Navy EOD, Sailor of the Year, Killed in Afghanistan

KRCRTV  January 3, 2012

Northstate sailor was killed in Afghanistan on Monday.According to Defense Department documents obtained by KRCR News Channel 7, 24-year-old Petty Officer Chad Regelin of Anderson was killed Monday, January 2nd while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

This is a huge loss for the Navy.

Regelin was named Sailor Of The Year last November.

Chad’s parents, Shirene and Scott, traveled from Anderson to the nation’s capitol last November to accept the award on his behalf

Regelin received the award for personally locating and destroying 24 explosive devices and preventing an insurgency attack against his team.

He served a tour of duty in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.He was stationed at Explosive Mobile Unit Three out of San Diego, Ca

From Fallen Heroes

24-year-old US Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad R. Regelin, from California, was killed in action during a combat operation in Helmand on 2nd January 2012. He died after being caught in the blast of an insurgent bomb.

PO Regelin served as a bomb disposal technician with Marine Special Operations Company Bravo. He was stationed at the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, San Diego, California.

PO Regelin’s family told local news that he was killed just an hour after he’d spoken to his family by telephone. His parents, Shirene and Scott Regelin of Anderson, were notified of his death shortly after 2 p.m.

“He called us while he was on watch,” PO Regelin’s brother, Justin, said. “He was really upbeat because he had just gotten his orders to come back stateside on Feb. 15. He told us that he had about a week to go (in Kandahar) before they could helicopter in the replacement team.”