The Marine Corps has identified four Marines who were killed Friday when their Osprey aircraft crashed in a storm while on a training flight in Norway.
They were identified as Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, 27, of Leominster, Massachusetts; Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, 30, of Cambridge, Ohio; and Cpl. Jacob W. Moore, 24, of Catlettsburg, Kentucky. They were assigned to the Marine Corps’ Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, part of the 2nd Marine Air Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
The Marines were in Norway as part of Exercise Cold Response, a large biannual NATO drill. They were the only people aboard the MV-22 Osprey at the time of the crash, officials said.
The Osprey was reported missing about 6:30 p.m. Friday after it was late for a scheduled landing at the Norwegian Air Force Base in Bodo, Norway — located north of the Arctic Circle, officials said.
Local authorities located the wreckage the next morning.
“My thoughts go to the crew’s family, friends and colleagues. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the search and rescue operation,” Gen. Eirik Kristoffersen, Norway’s chief of defense, said in a statement.
The Marine Corps assisted the Norwegian-led recovery effort. The crew will be returned to the United States in the coming days, officials said.
“The pilots and crew were committed to accomplishing their mission and serving a cause greater than themselves,” Maj. Gen. Michael Cederholm, commander of the 2nd Marine Air Wing, said in a statement. “We will continue to execute the mission while keeping these Marines and their service on the forefront of our minds. We will not allow (their) sacrifices to go unnoticed or unappreciated.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, officials said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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