Posted on 05/14/2012 5:44:25 AM PDT by KeyLargo
Former Marine Dies After Saving Friend From Burning Plane In Kansas Crash
May 13, 2012 Ashlei King, News On 6
Austin Anderson was a recent Oral Roberts University graduate and served two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps.
According to Aubrey Crawford, Anderson pulled Hannah Luce from the plane, but the smoke from the fire was too much for him. He died the next morning.
Elizabeth was supposed to be on the plane, but backed out because of a "bad feeling" her father had, Crawford said.
Tragic news hit the Oral Roberts University campus this weekend.
A former teacher and three recent graduates were killed when their small plane crashed outside Chanute, Kan., on Friday afternoon.
--- The plane went down in a field, skidded a couple hundred feet, hit a tree and burst into flames.
Pilot Luke Sheets, Stephen Luth and Garrett Coble were all pronounced dead at the scene.
Austin Anderson was rushed to the hospital where he died Saturday morning.
Hannah Luce survived and is in serious but stable condition right now, with burns on 28 percent of her body.
---
Anderson's close friend said he was truly one of a kind.
"My name is Austin Anderson, and I'm a junior at ORU and I'm a sergeant in the Marine Corps."
That quote is just part of a powerful video of Anderson
------
Crawford was a close friend of Anderson's and she describes him as a man who always put others first.
And it shows in his actions by the heroic move he made right after the plane crashed.
"He got out, but he went to get Hannah out as well and that's how his lungs got burned,"
---
(Excerpt) Read more at newson6.com ...
Rest in Peace, Marine.
May they each rest in peace and light perpetual shine upon them. May God bring strength and comfort to all the families and may He bless and watch over Elizabeth in the days and years to come. Amen.
Semper Fi.
God bless Sgt. Anderson and bless and keep his family.
RIP devil dog and clearly a Christian hero.
Just a small quibble with the story - As I have been told, there are no former Marines. Once the title is earned, it is kept for life.
Semper means always - forever.
I wouild think that the only modifier might be in the case of someone like John Murtha, it would be accurate to speak of a Marine who dishonored the Corps and all the military by his disgraceful statements.
As opposed to Sgt Anderson, who upheld the core values of the Corps to the laying down of his life for his friends.
I don’t get the idea that the USMC presumes ownership of a person’s eternal life. Only God has those rights.
Forgive me, but your statement doesn't make any sense at all. What did Don-o's post have to do with "ownership of eternal life"?
I suspect that you don't really understand what he was talking about and I further suspect that you haven't ever been nearer to the Marine Corps than seeing a couple of bumper stickers. Just a guess, mind you.
He’s the lucky one. He died a hero. I can remember talking with a friend of mine and saying I hope I lived to see my kids grown and she said if I croaked early, I’d be a hero always in the minds of my kids.
John 15:13 — Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends.
Oooorah! Marine.
Semper Fi.
RIP.
Someone’s claiming the literal “Semper” in the motto. I live with a Marine (ex Marine if you are of that ilk, it was an honorable discharge) and he’d laugh too at the idea that Marinehood carries into heaven’s streets, as it would have to be if Semper was so literal. I take it as the normal meaning, i.e. while you’re enlisted. They can’t retroactively cancel the service record of a retired or honorable discharged Marine who misbehaves, as shameful as such misbehavior might be (of all people they ought to know it’s wrong).
If you don't understand, you most likely never will.
This is a level of hair splitting in which I decline to participate, thank you.
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