The U.S. Marine Corps has officially identified the 16 service members killed in the recent crash of a KC-130T transport plane in Leflore County, Mississippi. The aircraft, which belonged to the VMGR-452 squadron based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York, experienced a catastrophic structural failure mid-flight.
The victims included 15 Marines and one Navy Corpsman. They have been identified as:
The Flight Crew & Personnel
Maj. Caine M. Goyette: A highly experienced pilot with over 15 years of service.
Capt. Sean E. Elliott: The co-pilot, originally from Orange, California.
Gunnery Sgt. Mark A. Hopkins: A resident of Chesapeake, Virginia.
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Gunnery Sgt. Brendan C. Johnson: A 20-year veteran from Chittenden, Vermont.
Staff Sgt. Joshua M. Snowden: A flight engineer from Dallas, Texas.
Sgt. Julian M. Kevianne: Of Dallas, Texas.
Sgt. Owen J. Lennon: A resident of Rockland, New York.
Cpl. Daniel I. Baldassare: Of Monmouth, New Jersey.
Cpl. Collin J. Schaaff: A native of Pierce, Washington.
Special Operations Personnel (MARSOC)
The aircraft was also transporting several members of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion from Camp Lejeune:
Staff Sgt. Robert H. Cox: Of Ventura, California.
Staff Sgt. William J. Kundrat: Of Frederick, Maryland.
Sgt. Chad E. Jenson: A resident of Los Angeles, California.
Sgt. Talon R. Leach: Of Callaway, Missouri.
Sgt. Joseph J. Murray: Of Duval, Florida.
Sgt. Dietrich A. Schmieman: Of Benton, Washington.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan M. Lohrey: A U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman from Middletown, Indiana.
Incident Summary
The Mission: The KC-130T was traveling from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., to Naval Air Facility El Centro, California, transporting personnel and equipment.
The Crash: The aircraft vanished from radar over the Mississippi Delta. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the plane spinning toward the ground while “twirling through the air” after an apparent mid-air explosion.
Investigation: Early findings suggest a propeller blade may have detached, causing a chain reaction that resulted in the fuselage breaking into multiple sections.
The Marine Corps has offered full support to the families of the fallen, and flags have been lowered to half-staff at several military installations in honor of those lost in what is the deadliest Marine Corps air disaster in decades.
