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Former Cannon Airman killed in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Staff Report
  • 27th Special Operations Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  An Airman recently stationed here died March 15 supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Eastern Afghanistan. 

Staff Sgt. Timothy Bowles. 24, was killed when an improvised explosive device destroyed his vehicle while he was on a four-vehicle patrol checking on a local school. 

Sergeant Bowles' first assignment following technical school was here, where he was assigned to the 27th Logistics Readiness Squadron, remembers Tech. Sgt. Rick Ramirez, who is assigned to the 27th Special Operations Contracting Squadron. The two NCOs knew each other when they were both assigned to the 27th Logistics Readiness Squadron. 

"Tim was really a good guy," said Sergeant. Ramirez. 

When he heard his friend had been killed, he posted his condolences to Sgt. Bowles' parents via the Tucson Citizen newspaper Web site. 

"I had the privilege of serving with time while he was stationed out here. You raised a fine young man," he wrote. "His Air Force family here at Cannon has been deeply saddened by the news of his passing."   

Sergeant Bowles was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and grew up on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., where his father was stationed. He graduated from Tucson High School in 2002. 

Sergeant Bowles deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan in November from his home station at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and was assigned to the 755th Air Expeditionary Group's Nangarthar Provincial Reconstruction in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
At Elmendorf, where he arrived after PCSing from Cannon in 2007, he was a fire truck mechanic assigned to the 3rd Logistics Readiness Squadron. 

"The 3rd Wing and all of Team Elmendorf feel the pain of losing Sergeant Bowles, " said Col. Richard Walberg, the 3rd Wing vice commander. "He was always ready to go beyond what was merely expected of him. Raised in a military family, he knew the cost of freedom, He did not falter and he did not fail. Our prayers are with Tim's family, friends and professional colleagues."

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