Takatuf

English

Solutions

Marine who tried to save Osprey pilots posthumously awarded top medal

1 day ago

The Marine Corps in a ceremony at the commandants headquarters on Monday presented their highest noncombat medal The Navy and Marine Corps Medal to the parents of Cpl Spencer Collart who died last year after his V22 Osprey crashed in Australia Collart 21 survived the crash but went back into the burning aircraft to try to save the pilots who were trapped Marine Corps Commandant Gen Eric Smith spoke with emotion in addressing the fallen Marines parents Bart and Alexia Collart who are from Arlington Virginia You raised a Marine who in the final moments of his life thought not of himself but of this fellow Marines Smith said He didnt stop to think of the fire or the danger During the ceremony Smith who is the Marine Corps top military officer cried twice The crash in August 2023 was one of four fatal accidents since 2022 that have drawn increased scrutiny of the Osprey which flies both like a helicopter and an airplane The Associated Press has reported on the mechanical and safety issues the program has faced and there are multiple reviews underway to see if the complex aircraft has the resources needed to improve its reliability Bart Collart called his son one of the best knuckleheads you ever wanted to hang out with He said the pilots and Spencer lost their lives while managing to save the lives of every Marine they were transporting and he credited the pilots with leveling out the Osprey before it hit the ground to give the troops they were transporting a better chance of surviving Collarts Osprey was participating in an Australian military exercise when it ended up following too closely behind the lead aircraft and maneuvered to avoid it ultimately putting it in an unrecoverable fall Seconds after the Osprey hit the ground the aircraft filled with smoke and flames According to witness reports in the crash investigation Collart the crew chief had been standing in the tunnel even as the aircraft was going down Most of the 23 troops on board escaped out the back including a commander who told investigators he saw Collart escape out a side door A site team later found Collarts tether what hed use to latch onto the Osprey to move around during flight undamaged outside the aircraft Collart escaped the burning aircraft and immediately began ensuring the safety of the Marines around him Smith said But Capt Eleanor LeBeau and aircraft commander Maj Tobin Lewis were still trapped inside and Collart went back in to try to save them Investigators believe he may have unbuckled Lewis from his restraints before he succumbed to the smoke and flames One of the Marines who was riding in the back and survived is the son of Marine Corps Lt Gen Ben Watson who most recently served as the commanding general of the First Marine Division Watson attended the ceremony to honor Collarts service

Tara Copp

Relevance news