A pilot, crew chief and the manager officer of a Hawaii-based Marine air squadron had been recognized Monday, Aug. 28, as those that died in a fiery MV-22 Osprey crash on a distant tropical island in Australia’s Northern Territory.
Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, a pilot, from Belleville, IL.; Maj. Tobin J. Lewis, 37, the unit’s govt officer and likewise a pilot, from Jefferson, CO; and Cpl. Spencer R. Collart, 21, the plane’s crew chief, from Arlington, VA, had been all a part of the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 based mostly at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
There have been 23 Marines aboard the MV-22 Osprey that crashed on Sunday, Aug. 27, throughout a multi-national coaching train involving america, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor.
The lean-rotor plane – it will probably carry like a helicopter and fly like a aircraft – crashed in a tropical jungle and burst into flames, officers mentioned. The train, which started on Aug. 21 and ends on Sept. 8, is named Predator’s Run and simulates a distant island invasion utilizing air, floor and Naval forces.
The entire injured had been flown from Melville Island about 50 miles to the Royal Darwin Hospital in Darwin, officers mentioned. Three Marines from Camp Pendleton’s third Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment stay within the hospital, one in essential situation and two in secure situation, in accordance with officers. Seventeen different Marines had been taken to the hospital however had been handled and launched with minor accidents, mentioned 1st Lt. Romero Lamar.
“We’re deeply saddened by the lack of three revered and beloved members of the MRF-D household,” Col Brendan Sullivan, commanding officer of Marine Rotational Power -Darwin and regimental commander of 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division from Camp Pendleton, mentioned in an announcement. “Our ideas and prayers stay with the households and with all concerned.”
Sullivan mentioned the Marines will proceed to help the “ongoing restoration and investigative efforts” because the investigation into what occurred continues.
LeBeau was commissioned into the Marines on Aug. 11, 2018, and was promoted to captain in March. She served in Pensacola, FL, Corpus Christi, TX, and Jacksonville, NC,earlier than arriving at Marine Corps Base in Hawaii. She is embellished with the Nationwide Protection Service Medal, International Struggle on Terrorism Service Medal, and Sea ServiceDeployment Ribbon.
Lewis was commissioned on Aug. 22, 2008, and was promoted to the rank of main in 2018. He has served in Pensacola, FL, Corpus Christi, TX, Jacksonville, NC, and Okinawa, Japan, earlier than being despatched to Hawaii. Lewis, additionally an Osprey pilot, is embellished with two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, the Nationwide Protection Service Medal, the International Struggle on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the International Struggle on Terrorism Service Medal, and 4 Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.
Collart enlisted on Oct. 26, 2020, and was promoted to the rank of corporal in February. He served in Pensacola, FL, and Jacksonville, NC, earlier than arriving on the base in Hawaii. His decorations embody the Nationwide Protection Service Medal, International Struggle on Terrorism Service Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
The Osprey plane has had its share of troubles and, since 2012, there have been 5 deadly crashes during which 16 folks died. Most not too long ago was in June 2022, when 5 Marines went down in a fiery crash in a distant desert area close to the Arizona border. An investigation into the trigger decided a tough clutch brought on a mechanical failure – there have been no pilot or upkeep errors discovered, officers mentioned.
The Marines and Navy grounded all their plane for inspections and substitute in February and since then, there have been no reported points, officers mentioned in June.
Items from Camp Pendleton’s 1st Marine Expeditionary Group have been coaching throughout the Pacific Area for weeks now. It’s the base’s largest warfighting command and, in recent times, has centered on the area due to growing tensions with China and curiosity within the Indo-Pacific area.
About 6,000 Marines and sailors have been coaching and dealing with neighborhood teams and leaders in international locations together with Australia, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and the Republic of Palau. The workouts contain coaching on live-fire ranges, non-combatant evacuations, humanitarian help and catastrophe reduction coaching.
Annual Marine Corps coaching in Australia started in 2012; annually, about 2,000 Marines and sailors deploy to Australia’s Northern Territory for six months.
Marines from the 1/3 deployed to Australia in March and can return to Camp Pendleton in October.
