1st Combat Amputee to summit Mt. Everest visits 173rd Fighter Wing Airmen

U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. (ret.) Charlie Linville is fitted with a helmet by U.S. Air Force SSgt Thomas Howard, 173rd Fighter Wing Aircrew Flight Equipment, in preperation for an F-15 familiarization flight with the Nov. 14, 2016 at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Linville, suffered an IED blast in Afghanistan in 2011 and subsequently lost his leg below the right knee. Despite his injuries he went on to become the first combat amputee to summit Mt. Everest, the world’s tallest mountain in May. He visited the Wing to speak to Airmen about his experiences both good and bad during his recovery. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Jefferson Thompson)

1st Combat Amputee to summit Mt. Everest visits 173rd Fighter Wing Airmen

After surviving an IED blast in Afghanistan U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Charlie Linville, who was suffered an amputation, PTSD and a lower spine injury sits aboard the F-15 Eagle at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon waiting to take-off, Nov. 14, 2016. Among his achievements following his recovery, Linville is the first combat injured veteran to summit Mt. Everest in May, the world’s highest peak. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Jefferson Thompson)

173rd FW flies first combat injured veteran to summit Mt. Everest

Published Nov. 21, 2016
By Tech. Sgt. Jefferson Thompson
173rd Fighter Wing

KINGSLEY FIELD, Ore. -- The 173rd Fighter Wing hosted the first combat injured veteran to summit Mt. Everest, Nov. 14, 2016.

Marine Staff Sgt. Charlie Linville, who is medically retired, climbed to the top of the world's highest mountain in May, despite having lost his lower right leg to an IED while stationed in Afghanistan in 2011.

His visit included a briefing for the Airmen of the 173rd Fighter Wing where he described both his injury and eventual recovery.

Following his briefing Linville donned a flight suit and climbed into the back seat of an F-15 Eagle in what would be another first for him.

"Wow, I got more than I'd hoped for," he said. "Experiencing the Gs, the speed, and the capability of the F-15 was a great experience--I mean holy America!"

Those capabilities made a lasting impression on the Marine.

"I've put my body through some hard times, but nothing like nine Gs," he said. "I went wheezy real quick...I have the utmost respect for the guys who fly these and protect us from above."

Linville was in town to speak at a local Marine Corps Ball, Nov. 10 and an instructor pilot with the 173rd Fighter Wing thought it would be good for Airmen to hear a message of resiliency.

"I felt that our Wing needed to hear his story," said Maj. William Sullivan, an F-15 Instructor Pilot for Det. 2, 56th Operations Group at Kingsley Field. "As a training base most of us are not exposed to what can happen in war. We do not see what happens first-hand so the next best thing would be to hear from someone that has been through it and overcome its aftermath."

Sullivan was also the driving force in helping Linville return to 30-thousand feet.

"I felt he deserved an F-15 ride for all that he has done for his country and for showing others that they can dig themselves out of a hole, so I put the paperwork together to get him a ride," he said. "He did great. He was surprised by the G's and loved every minute of it. His stomach got the best of him on final when we came in to land."