Capt. William H. Dubois, 30, an F-16 pilot assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron at Shaw AFB, S.C., was killed Dec. 1 after his fighter crashed “near a coalition air base in the Middle East,” according to a Dec. 2 Air Forces Central Command release. Dubois had taken off on a combat mission around 11 p.m. on Nov. 30 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-led air campaign against ISIS terrorists in Iraq and Syria, but was attempting to return to an undisclosed operating location in the region shortly after takeoff when the aircraft crashed. “Losing Capt. Dubois is sad and tragic. Our most sincere condolences go out to his family, friends, and squadron members during this difficult time,” said Col. Stephen Jost, 20th Fighter Wing commander, in a separate release. “Capt. Dubois was a patriot who was willing to put his life on the line every day in service to his nation. He was a valued airman, pilot, and friend … [and] he will be greatly missed.” Dubois was the first airman killed while supporting OIR. A marine was killed in October after he bailed out of an MV-22 that was experiencing difficulties in the air. The crash was the Air Force’s first announced loss of a combat aircraft supporting OIR since the beginning of the operation in September, according to officials.