Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Chad R. Regelin

Died January 2, 2012 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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24, of Cottonwood, Calif.; assigned to Marine Special Operations Company Bravo and was stationed at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, San Diego; died Jan. 2 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.

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IED kills sailor on patrol in Afghanistan

By Gidget Fuentes
Staff writer

SAN DIEGO — A 24-year-old California-based sailor died Jan. 2 while on a patrol in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province, according to the Navy.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Chad R. Regelin, a bomb expert with EOD Mobile Unit 3 based at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, was operating with Marine Corps Special Operations Company Bravo when an improvised explosive device detonated, killing him.

“He was doing a presence patrol in that area,” said Lt. Dave Bennett, an EOD Group 1 spokesman in San Diego.

Regelin, of Cottonwood, Calif., enlisted in 2006 and was named the USO’s “Sailor of the Year” for 2011 for his EOD work during his first combat deployment to Afghanistan from August 2010 to March 2011, according to his hometown newspaper, the Anderson Valley Post. The honor was presented to his parents, Scott and Shirene Regelin, at the USO Gala in Washington on Oct. 6, because he was again deployed to Afghanistan.

Regelin’s military decorations included the Bronze Star medal and Combat Action Ribbon, according to Navy Personnel Command. He joined EODMU 3 in February 2008 after completing EOD training.