On November 29, a CV-22 Osprey aircraft carrying eight Air Force personnel crashed near Japan.
Military officials have identified the service personnel aboard the US Air Force CV-22 Osprey that crashed last week off the coast of Japan’s Yakushima Island.
According to an Air Force official, after days of “intensive, 24/7 search and rescue operations” for the eight Airmen involved in the Nov. 29 crash, the US military has shifted from “search and rescue operations” to “search and recovery operations.” This change occurs when it is determined that finding survivors is unlikely.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends, and peers of all who have been impacted by this mishap and loss of life,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command. “In times like these, when service to our country is more than just a personal commitment, but also a legacy woven into the fabric of our families, the depth of our sorrow is immeasurable.” The valiant service of these eight Airmen to this great nation will not be forgotten, and they will go down in history as giants.”
On Nov. 29, 2023, one body was retrieved and identified as Staff Sgt. Jake Galliher of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, but the identities and statuses of the remaining seven Airmen were unknown.
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The Air Force officially amended their status from duty status-whereabouts unknown to deceased status on Tuesday. Their families were informed.
The deceased were later identified as follows:
- Maj. Jeffrey T. Hoernemann, 32, of Andover, Minnesota, is a CV-22 instructor pilot and officer in charge of training assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base in Japan.
- Maj. Eric V. Spendlove, 36, of St. George, Utah, is a residency-trained flight surgeon and medical operations flight commander assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan.
- The United States Air Force Maj. Luke A. Unrath, 34, of Riverside, California, is a CV-22 pilot and flight commander assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base in Japan.
- Capt. Terrell K. Brayman, 32, of Pittsford, New York, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing, 21st Special Operations Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
- Tech. Sgt. Zachary E. Lavoy, 33, of Oviedo, Florida, is a medical operations flight chief assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing, 1st Special Operations Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
- Staff Sgt. Jake M. Turnage, 25, of Kennesaw, Georgia, is a flight engineer assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing, 21st Special Operations Squadron, Yokota Air Base.
- Senior Airman Brian K. Johnson, 32, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, is a flight engineer assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing, 21st Special Operations Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
On Sunday, military divers from the United States and Japan retrieved the corpses of some crew members as well as wreckage from the crash.
The ongoing recovery effort will concentrate on “locating and recovering all remains and aircraft debris.”
Three of the eight Airmen aboard the tilt-rotor aircraft at the time of the disaster have been retrieved. The remains of three more airmen have been discovered and are currently being collected. The bodies of two airmen have yet to be discovered.
Personnel and assets from five military branches, as well as our Japanese friends, assisted in the search and rescue operations and will continue to do so. The Japanese coast guard, Japan self-defense forces, US Pacific Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet, US Marine Corps Forces, Pacific; Special Operations Command – Pacific; the 353rd Special Operations Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan; the 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan; and the 1st Special Forces Group are among them.
“On behalf of all of the joint U.S. teammates actively involved in the search, we want to extend our sincere gratitude to the Government of Japan’s Self Defense Force, Coast Guard, law enforcement, mariners, and local Yakushima civilian volunteers for their tireless assistance in the search and rescue operations for our Airmen,” said Rear Admiral Jeromy Williams, Special Operations Command’s Pacific Command. “Their selfless dedication in our hour of need exemplifies our nations’ unbreakable bond.” We are determined to find our pilots and return them to their families.”
Families of anyone affected by the crash are asked to contact the Emergency Family Assistance Cell at 850-884-4494 or [email protected].
