Philadelphia Man Among Marines Missing After Helicopter Crash In Hawaii
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has identified the 12 marines who went missing after a helicopter crash in Hawaii last week. Among them is a 31-year-old Delaware Valley man.
"Captain Brian T. Kennedy from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been identified as one of the marines that is still: Duty Status - Whereabouts Unknown," explained Capt. Timothy Irish, Public Affairs Officer at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Another missing Marine, Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller, 25, is from Gardners, Adams County, Pennsylvania, just north of Gettysburg. Both of their families and the loved ones of the others who are missing are being kept in the loop.
"The Marine Corps does an excellent job of getting a Marine representative out to each and every family of a missing Marine to let them know what the process is, what's being done to find them, and then keep them informed," Irish said. "Several briefings go on everyday and there are multiple marines assigned to each family to fulfill this duty."
The release of the names comes as rescue crews expand their search for the marines who went missing after their two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters collided and went down off Oahu's north shore late Thursday night. Search teams located debris, but officials say it is spread out over a large area because of the high surf.
"This is a search and rescue operation," Irish explained. "About two Coast Guard Cutters and two helicopters with the assistance of a Coast Guard C-130 and there are even two U.S. Navy destroyers out there on the water helping with the effort."
The Missing Marines have been identified as:
- Maj. Shawn M. Campbell, 41, College Station, Texas.
- Capt. Brian T. Kennedy, 31, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Capt. Kevin T. Roche, 30, St. Louis, Missouri.
- Capt. Steven R. Torbert, 29, Florence, Alabama.
- Sgt. Dillon J. Semolina, 24,Chaska, Minnesota.
- Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller, 25, Gardners, Pennsylvania.
- Sgt. Jeffrey A. Sempler, 22, Woodruff, South Carolina.
- Sgt. William J. Turner, 25, Florala, Alabama.
- Cpl. Matthew R. Drown, 23, Spring, Texas.
- Cpl. Thomas J. Jardas, 22, Fort Myers, Florida.
- Cpl. Christopher J. Orlando, 23, Hingham, Massachusetts.
- Lance Cpl. Ty L. Hart, 21, Aumsville, Oregon.