90th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Wing mourn loss of pilot

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) released more information about U.S. Air Force Capt. Brock McArdle, who was assigned to the 3rd Wing was found deceased in his residence in Anchorage, Alaska, June 21, 2024.

Capt. Brock “Soap” McArdle, 30, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was found deceased in his Anchorage residence on June 21. He was an F-22 Raptor pilot assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron since his arrival at JBER in November 2023.

“Soap was with us at JBER for a short time, and in that time, he accomplished so much,” said Col. Kevin Jamieson, 3rd Wing commander. “My deepest condolences to Brock’s family and friends during this hard time. The 3rd Wing’s top priority right now is to ensure Soap’s loved ones receive the support they need. This is a tragedy for us all, from Brock’s family and friends to his teammates across the 3rd Wing, and we need to come together to honor and preserve his legacy of service.”

Capt. McArdle initially enlisted in the Air Force in June 2012 as a weapons load crew member. During his enlistment, he was stationed at Misawa Air Base, Japan, before being accepted in the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory Program in 2015. In 2016, he began his commissioning program through the Air Force Academy, graduating in May 2020. Upon completion of flight training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, McArdle was stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virgina before joining the Dicemen at JBER.

“We, the Dicemen of the 90th, mourn the loss of one of our own,” said Lt. Col. Dustin Johnson, 90th FS commander. “Soap was our brother, a beloved member of the Dicemen and a skilled fighter pilot whose loss is deeply felt across not only the flying community, but also the weapons load crew community. We continue to receive significant support in honor of Soap’s family and legacy, and express our thoughts and prayers to them, his friends, and Raptor nation during this difficult time.”

Family, friends, and fellow Airmen honored Capt. McArdle during a memorial ceremony and missing-man formation flight June 28 at JBER.

McArdle’s awards and decorations include a Meritorious Service Medal, awarded posthumously; an Air and Space Achievement Medal; Air Force Good Conduct Medal with oak leaf cluster; National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Air and Space Longevity Service Award with oak leaf cluster; and an Air and Space Training Ribbon.

The cause of death of a U.S. Air Force captain with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s 3rd Wing is still under investigation by the Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office.