Photo By Brittany Trumbull | WO1 Mason Henderson fulfills lifelong dream 2026 of becoming an Army Aviator on Feb....... read more read more
FORT RUCKER, Ala.– While the dream of flight was instilled at his birth on Fort Rucker in 1997, it was the loss of his brothers-in-arms that truly defined the journey for newly-pinned Apache Pilot, WO1 Mason Henderson. His story mirrors a father's legacy, honors fallen friends, and remains intertwined with the dreams of his best friend, Sgt. Tanner Grone.
Retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kevin Henderson, Mason Henderson’s father and former crew chief in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), was deeply affected by the Battle of Mogadishu, which would shape his unborn son's future. After losing many friends in the 1993 battle, famously remembered in "Black Hawk Down," he made the life-changing decision to become a pilot. He was selected for flight school in 1997 and, despite his desire to fly Black Hawks, was assigned to fly Chinooks, the beginning of the "the Henderson curse,” joked his son.
Growing up as one of six children in an Army family, Henderson's childhood was marked by his father's deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Inspired by his father’s career, he enlisted in the Army at 18 as a 15 Tango, a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic, with the goal of joining the elite 160th Night Stalkers.
He achieved that goal and, by 2017, had become a crew chief. It was then that he met Tanner Grone, a fellow soldier who would become his brother-in-arms, his best friend. Their shared stubbornness, humor, and competitive drive led them together to the regiment's elite C-Company, the only company to fly the MH-60 DAP, a heavily armed variant of the Black Hawk.
"DAPS are unique," Henderson said. "This was the only company in the world with them. And I was like, that's what I want to do. Tanner agreed."
Together with their friend, Sgt. Tyler Shelton, they were selected for the rigorous assessment and began their journey as DAP crew chiefs.
“We did our first deployment together, which was a pretty big one,” said Henderson. “And while we were on the C-17, we were like, let’s put our hammocks together. We were nervous and scared but together so it was fine.”
Henderson and Grone’s bond solidified over five more deployments, where their friendship turned to brotherhood.
"Everybody would complain because they hated deploying with us since we were very much like brothers," Henderson recalled. "People said that deploying with us was like deploying with an old married couple, it’s just too much."
Their world was changed on August 27, 2020, when Staff Sgt. Vincent P. Marketta and Sgt. Tyler M. Shelton were killed in a helicopter crash off the coast of California. The loss was a stark reminder of the dangers of their profession and prompted Henderson and Grone to meticulously document their own lives through photographs.
"We need to start taking photos because Vinny didn't have a lot of photos," Henderson said. "If anything happens to either one of us, you know, at least we'll have all these photos. Hindsight, I’m so glad that we did."
The desire for something more led Henderson to follow in his father's footsteps further. He decided to apply to become a warrant officer and pilot, a path his father had taken years before, retiring as a CW3 Chinook pilot. Grone planned to follow but was determined to be promoted to sergeant first, according to Henderson.
Henderson was accepted into the Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where yet another connection to his 160th past showed up. One of his classmates was WO1 Hunter Major, the best friend of the late Tyler Shelton, who was inspired to pursue flight school after Shelton's death.
WOCS graduation was made even more meaningful with a special fly in of their fellow 160th Night Stalkers. “I texted Tanner to confirm if he knew about it,” said Henderson. “He got involved immediately. Two helicopters came down to Fort Rucker that day, so I got to see Tanner for my graduation. That was the last time I’d see my buddy. It was great, we took photos and we got to cherish that moment."
Grone, now a Sergeant, was finally ready to submit his own flight packet. But he wanted one more deployment. The night of Henderson’s graduation, he called for advice on the application. It was the last time they would speak about their shared dream.
Two months later, Nov. 10, 2023, while in California for his grandfather's funeral, Henderson received the devastating news that Grone and four others had been killed when their MH-60 DAP Black Hawk helicopter crashed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The months that followed were a blur of grief, according to Henderson. The loss of his best friend, coupled with the deaths of his grandfather and his wife's grandfather that Christmas, left Henderson deep in emotions. Yet, just as he was grieving it all, he was told he would be starting the Army's Common Core for flight school just one week later.
"I'm going to see this through for Tanner," Henderson said. "This is what he would have wanted. He would not have wanted me to quit or delay this dream any longer."
After completing common core, the first stage of flight school, it was time for Henderson’s aircraft selection. He said that his preference was for the Black Hawk, the aircraft he knew so well, and the one Grone had been so passionate about flying. But in a repeat of the "Henderson curse," he was assigned the AH-64 Apache instead. Initially devastated, Henderson found solace in his faith and a renewed sense of purpose.
“I was super overwhelmed, a little upset,” said Henderson. “Talking it through with my wife I said that I just feel like this is not what God wanted. What I wanted. But You know, I'm just going to trust in the Lord with this.” The Apache, he discovered, shared the same mission set as the DAP helicopters he had crewed with Grone. The gunnery, the systems, the very essence of the Apache’s mission, reminded him of the good they had done together overseas.
"The moment I got into the Apache course, I was thankful because it's the same mission set as the DAP," he said. "Same gun system, same rockets. Now I know that this is where God had plans for me.”
His first flight in the Apache was full of memories of his friends.
"I was just thinking of Tanner," he said. "I was thinking of how I can fly this helicopter the way that Tanner would want, Tyler would want, and Vinny would want. All of them would want."
Throughout his training, Henderson has remained close to Grone's family, his journey a testament to the enduring power of friendship and the unwavering spirit of service.
Grone’s parents, Steve and Erica Grone, visited Henderson and his wife Jessica several times throughout flight school including graduation day on February 5.
“It means a lot being here because this is where Tanner wanted to be.” Said Erica Grone. “This is Mason’s Day but it’s also living it through Tanner too.”
“We have stayed in touch with a lot of Tanner’s friends,” said Steve Grone. “And we feel the most at peace when we are around them. Being here today is important to us, because in a way he’s fulfilling both of their dreams."
Henderson officially earned his wings during a graduation ceremony at the Army Aviation Museum on Fort Rucker, February 5.
"This for him and, and all of them," Henderson said. "I'm just happy, blessed, to do it. It may be the end of flight school, but it's the beginning because I know that Tanner and the rest of the guys would not want me to give up the dream of flying, just because this happened. They’d want us to keep pushing forward and keep doing good things wherever this takes us.”
| Date Taken: | 02.05.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.05.2026 16:07 |
| Story ID: | 557561 |
| Location: | ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Promise Kept, a Dream Fulfilled, by Brittany Trumbull, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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