The Marine Corps identified on Thurday the four Marines who died after a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter in which they were flying crashed near El Centro Calif., on Tuesday.
The Marine Corps has identified the four aviators killed in a CH-53E Super Stallion crash Tuesday in Southern California.
The helicopter had departed the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., to conduct squadron training for landings in unimproved zones, the Marine Corps said in a statement Thursday.
It crashed around 2:30 p.m. about 15 miles west of El Centro near the Mexico border.
The four Marines, from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465, Marine Aircraft Group 16,3rd
Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, were:
“The hardest part of being a Marine is the tragic loss of life of a fellow brother-in-arms,” Col. Craig Leflore, commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group 16, said in a Marine Corps statement.
“These ‘Warhorse’ Marines brought joy and laughter to so many around them,” he said. “They each served honorably, wore the uniform proudly and were a perfect example of what makes our Marine Corps great — its people!”
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
In January 2016, two Super Stallions crashed off the northern coast of Oahu, Hawaii, killing all 12 Marines aboard.
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