LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The names of the three US marines killed in a horrific plane crash in Australia's Top End have been released.
On Sunday, a military training exercise went horribly wrong when their Boeing MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft crashed and burst into flames on remote Melville Island, 80 kilometers north of Darwin.
Who was killed during the Oz Osprey crash?
The crash killed US Marine Corps crew chief Corporal Spencer Collart, 21, pilot Captain Eleanor LeBeau, 29, and Major Tobin Lewis, 37.
On Tuesday, their bodies are expected to be recovered from the crash site. Twenty other US marines on board were hospitalized, with one still fighting for his life.
Corporal Collart, 21, of Arlington, Virginia, was the chopper's crew chief during the exercise. Since joining the US Marine Corps in October 2020, he has served in Florida, North Carolina, and Hawaii.
During his three-year tour, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Captain LeBeau, 29, of Belleville, Illinois, was the Osprey's pilot and had received the same honors as Corporal Collart. During her five years of service, she had been stationed in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and Hawaii.
Major Lewis had been in the Marine Corps since 2008, serving in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Japan, and Hawaii. The Major from Jefferson, Colorado, received numerous awards, including two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals.
Among the medals were the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and four Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.
What did Colonel Brendan Sullivan say?
Colonel Brendan Sullivan, commanding officer of the Marines Rotational Force-Darwin, expressed his condolences to the entire Marine Corps Force's 'family' over the tragedy.
He said, "At present, we remain focused on required support to the ongoing recovery and investigative efforts."
He added, "We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Australian Defence Force, Northern Territory Police, Northern Territory Government, CareFlight Air and Mobile Services, NT Health, National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center, and Tiwi Island government, who have come together to assist us in this difficult time."
One local told Nine News, "It was just such a terrible tragedy, so many young lives."
What did US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin say about Oz Osprey crash?
On Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid respect to the dead marines. He wrote on Twitter, "We tragically lost service members during a training exercise in Australia overnight."
The Tweet added, "These Marines served our country with courage and pride, and my thoughts and prayers are with their families today, with the other troops who were injured in the crash, and with the entire USMC family."
What did Joe Biden say about Oz Osprey crash?
US President Joe Biden added, "Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the Marines who lost their lives in this deadly crash. We are praying for those who also suffered injuries," as reported by DailyMail.
