On Friday, the Navy identified the serviceman who was killed in the crash of an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye in the waters off Virginia on Wednesday night.

The Navy said that Lt. Hyrum Hanlon was aboard the aircraft when it went down during routine flight operations near Wallops Island and Chincoteague, Virginia, attached to the Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 120 in Norfolk.

Hanlon graduated from Arizona State University in May 2017 and was commissioned as a naval officer. On January 31, 2021, he joined the VAW-120.

“It takes a courageous and patriotic person to devote their life to the selflessness of serving in the armed forces,” said Cmdr. Martin Fentress Jr., commanding officer of VAW-120.

“Hyrum embodied those characteristics and will be truly missed by his family and the Hawkeye community. We sincerely appreciate the public respecting the family’s privacy during this difficult time as they mourn his loss.” 

Two more crew members were recovered from the wreckage, although their injuries were not life-threatening.

The cause of the accident is still being investigated. The Navy stated that there was no pollution or fuel release in the vicinity of the crash site.

Four Marines perished in a plane crash in Norway during a NATO drill in March. Their MV-22B Osprey crashed during a practice run for Operation Cold Response, which involves 220 planes, 30,000 troops, and 50 ships from 27 countries.

This week, an Army soldier was killed in an incident involving two helicopters at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Image Credit: Getty

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