SSgt Dylan J. Elchin, U.S. Air Force
June 11, 1993 – November 27, 2018
Dylan grew up in Brighton Township, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Hopewell High School in 2012. He played the horn in the band, competed in school sports, and took part in the wood and metal shop programs. Outside the classroom, he enjoyed building projects, swimming, and hiking—often alongside his grandfather. As a Boy Scout, he developed a lasting love for the outdoors. The events of 9/11 left a deep impression on him at age eight, inspiring a desire to serve his country. By 15, he was reading about elite military units like the Navy SEALs and Army Rangers. Driven by this interest, he trained rigorously—running, swimming, and weightlifting—to prepare for military service.
In August 2012, shortly after graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a Special Tactics Combat Controller. After completing a two-year training pipeline—including airborne, scuba, and combat controller qualifications—he was assigned to the 26th Special Tactics Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. When three years passed without deployment, he extended his enlistment by six years to earn his Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) certification and fulfill his goal of serving in combat. In August 2018, he deployed to Afghanistan with an Army Special Operations team, advising commanders and directing airstrikes in support of ground missions. On November 27, 2018, he was killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Ghazni Province.
Dylan’s legacy lives on through his family, friends, and comrades. In his honor, the Vanport Bridge over the Ohio River in Rochester, Pennsylvania, was renamed the USAF Combat Controller Staff Sgt. Dylan Elchin Memorial Bridge.
