Governor Kathy Hochul ordered flags on all New York state government buildings to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on July 31 in honor of Angel S. Rampersad. The tribute marks the death of a Queens soldier who was killed on July 17 during an attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
Hochul said, "My heart is with the family, loved ones and the soldiers who stood beside Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad as they grieve this unimaginable loss," and added that, "Staff Sergeant Rampersad lived a life of courage and selflessness." She also said, "New York, and our nation, are safer because of brave Americans like her who answer the call to serve."
Ozone Park in Queens
Rampersad was a lifelong resident of Ozone Park in Queens and served with the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, part of the 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade based in Germany. She graduated from Forest Hills High School and earned a criminal justice degree from John Jay College.
The state tribute also reflects the record of a soldier whose service was marked by the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. New York's order makes the recognition visible across all state government buildings for one day, giving residents a clear public marker of the loss.
Department of Defense
The Department of Defense said Rampersad was among U.S. personnel killed during an enemy attack on the Jordanian air base. The Department of Defense also said the attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base remains under investigation.
That leaves the core facts of the death fixed, but not the full sequence of what happened inside the attack. New York's order answers the public memorial part of the story on July 31; the military investigation is the piece still expected to explain the circumstances of the attack itself.
