October 8, 2019

Name: TSgt Peter Kraines
 

Hometown: Albany, New York

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DOB: December 18, 1985 DOD: October 8, 2019
 

Entered Service: March of 2011
 

Units: 347th Rescue Group, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia; 24th Special Operations Wing, Special Tactics, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

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Education: Combat Diver Qualification Course; Special Operations Terminal Attack Controller Course; Special Forces Qualification Course; Advance Leader Course; Basic Leader Course; Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course; and the Basic Airborne Course.

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Education: Kraines was a military static-line jumper, free fall jumper, an Air Force combat scuba diver and certified as an emergency medical technician. As a Special Tactics pararescueman, Kraines was specially trained and equipped for immediate deployment into combat operations to conduct combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations.

 

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Awards and Decorations: Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Award, Air Force Longevity Service Award, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border, Small Arms Expert Ribbon, Air Force BMT Honor Graduate Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon and NATO Medal.

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Survived By: His Wife, son and daughter, father, mother, and four sisters.

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TSGT Kraines and another climber were clipped to this anchor system as the rappel was being readied. A third climber moved to the bench, rigged his rappel device, and descended to the cliff base. The other climber at the anchor then followed on rappel, with Kraines still secured to the anchor. When this second climber was about 15 feet from the ground, one side of the anchor failed, causing the rappeller to drop a short distance, and then the second piece pulled out, dropping him to the ground. The anchor failure, along with the weight of the climber still on rappel, pulled Kraines from his stance, causing him to fall 53 feet to the ground. The climber on rappel was uninjured, but Kraines sustained traumatic blunt force injuries. His fellow airmen and paramedics performed CPR and a field tracheostomy, but were unable to revive him.