STREAM WILL BEGIN @ 10:00 AM HST – Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 holds a memorial service honoring 12 of its Marines aboard Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, today. Two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters were involved in an incident off of the North Shore of Oahu, Jan 14., resulting in a five-day search for the Marines. The Coast Guard suspended the search on Jan. 19.
STATEMENT FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
Please know that the thoughts and prayers of all Marines and the American people are with you. Our Corps’ priority is to help the extended Pegasus family and MAG-24 through this challenging time.
The loss of any Marine is a tragedy. As the squadron and families deal with this loss, I want you to know that help is available as we transition through our sadness and grief.
We all know that what we do as Marines is dangerous. The men and women in our ranks today, much like the generations of Marines before, are absolutely committed to each other, to our Corps, our country, and our mission. They are courageous, determined, and focused on success. These twelve Marines embodied those same qualities and traits. We will miss them, but we will never forget them.
On behalf of all Marines, I want to thank the U.S. Coast Guard, our Navy partners, military and civilian first responders, and members of the local community in Hawaii. I’ve heard nothing but positive comments coming from our team in Hawaii about the outpouring of support.
Thank you.
