Posted on 06/27/2007 5:08:05 PM PDT by raygun
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Coast Guard has recovered the body of a pilot whose F-15 fighter jet crashed during a training exercise over the Pacific Ocean, officials said Wednesday.
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The remains of Maj. Gregory D. Young, 34, of St. Helens, Ore., were found nearly 40 miles west of Cannon Beach in north Oregon, the Oregon Air National Guard said in a statement.
"He was a very talented young man with many years of dedicated service to the protection of the freedoms we enjoy today," said Col. Steven Gregg, commander of the 142nd Fighter Wing stationed in Portland.
The plane crashed Tuesday afternoon during a training exercise that pitted four F-15s from Oregon Guard against four F/A-18s from a Marine Corps Reserve unit stationed near Fort Worth, Texas. Only seven planes returned.
The exercise was designed to sharpen fighting skills by giving the pilots experience in flying against a different kind of aircraft, officials said.
The sky was mostly clear with some high clouds when plane went down. A fellow pilot told Coast Guard searchers that no parachute was seen.
The cause of the crash was unknown. The Air Guard said an Air Force Safety Board would investigate.
Air National Guard spokeswoman Maj. Misti Mazzia said Young had about 700 hours of flying time in F-15s and more than 1,000 hours in other military aircraft, but had not been on a combat tour. He had previously been stationed in Texas and Idaho and joined the 142nd in Portland in March 2006.
Just, damn
Rest in Peace.
.
R.I.P.
He was doing the job that John Kerry and Terry McAuliffe and Dan Rather called cushy work.
Prayers, Love and Respect
TT
Something similar happened recently with the Blue Angels.
Yup - there is something similar about most aircraft accidents - the lack of altitude at an inopportune time.
Other than that there's not much similar.
My prayers for his family!
High Flight Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
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| Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee No 412 squadron, RCAF Killed 11 December 1941 |
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Thanks for posting that!
That poem always struck a chord with me. I don’t remember where I seen it the first time.
I’m tempted to say that it was included in a reprint of “God is My Co-Pilot”, but I’m uncertain. That was written in ‘43, and I seem to recall it being part of the authors experience flying his P-40 at altitude around Mt. Everest. He tried to fire off a salvo from his guns in salute but they were frozen up.
Dunno.
Very nice sentiment though.
President Reagan read it when he addressed the nation after the Challenger disaster, January 28, 1986.
Just a reminder once again that freedom isn’t free. Prayeers for the pilot’s family.
I have at moments such as this felt that Valhalla should exist for our flying weapons platform operators.
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