Staff Sergeant Ray Rangel, 29, of San Antonio, Texas was a firefighter assigned to the 7th Engineering Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base. On February 13, 2005, he was sent on a rescue mission to the city of Balad, Iraq. A multipurpose Humvee had overturned into a canal and several soldiers were trapped. Rangel and three other soldiers died attempting to rescue those men.

SSgt. Rangel was a 1994 graduate of South San Antonio High School, where he played defensive back on the football team and earned the nickname “Crazy Ray”. That name fit his image perfectly because he was always playing jokes, and he got along with everyone.

SSgt. Rangel earned a number of awards and decorations. He also has two awards named in his honor: Staff Sgt. Ray Rangel Award and the Ray Rangel Noncommissioned Officer Award which is given to fellow airmen in the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing that epitomize the selfless courage that he displayed. An American Legion was also renamed to Ray Rangel Post 399.

He leaves behind his wife, Selena and four children.