Kimberly Hampton

Kimberly Nicole Hampton (August 18, 1976 – January 2, 2004) was a captain in the United States Army and the first female military pilot in United States history to be shot down and killed as a result of hostile fire. She was also the first woman from South Carolina to die in the Iraq War. Biography Early life Hampton was born on August 18, 1976, in Greenville, South Carolina, the only child of Dale and Ann Hampton. She was childhood friends with former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie. Growing up in Easley, South Carolina, she graduated from Easley High School, where she had served as the student body president, CO of the NJROTC unit, and captain of the tennis team. Hampton began her college career playing tennis for Furman University. She went on to be an honors graduate and champion tennis player at Presbyterian College. Hampton led the school team, the Blue Hose, to three consecutive South Atlantic Conference women's tennis tournament titles. She was undefeated in three years of conference singles play. She won the SAC awards for Women's Tennis Player of the Year in 1997 and 1998, and Female Athlete of the Year in 1998. Military career Hampton joined the United States Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) while in college. As a senior, she became only the second woman to serve as the school's ROTC battalion commander. Upon graduation, she attended flight training and Aviation Officer Basic Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where she completed the training with honors. She served two years in South Korea, and also in Afghanistan as part of the United States forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. Hampton was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina before becoming the commander of Delta Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment prior to the unit's deployment to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in September 2003.