Ander Crenshaw Honors Marines Killed in Nepal Helicopter Crash

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., a co-chair of the Congressional Nepal Caucus, included a tribute to the six Marines and two Nepali soldiers killed on May 12 in a helicopter crash as they were helping out in the aftermath of the April 25 earthquake that impacted Nepal, killing more than 8,000.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as the co-chair of the Congressional Nepal Caucus and as an ardent supporter of the U.S. military, to express my deepest condolences to the families of the six U.S. Marines and two Nepali soldiers who died in the helicopter crash last Tuesday, May 12, 2015 in Nepal, Crenshaw said. As we all know, Nepal suffered from the catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Saturday, April 25, 2015, as well as many large aftershocks, including a 7.3 magnitude aftershock on May 12, 2015. Reports indicate that more than 8,000 people have been killed and 17,000 people have been injured in this poor and fragile country.

Among the first responders to this crisis were our dedicated men and women of the U.S. Marine Corps, Crenshaw added. America has a long and honorable history of humanitarian assistance during worldwide disasters and conflicts, and our men and women in uniform have consistently put themselves in harms way to protect America and to protect our allies during times of need.

On this occasion, the eight were aboard a UH-1Y Huey helicopter that disappeared over northern Nepal during a trip to fly relief materials to stricken villages, Crenshaw continued. Capt. Dustin R. Lukasiewicz of Nebraska; Capt. Christopher L. Norgren of Kansas; Sgt. Ward M. Johnson IV of Florida; Sgt. Eric M. Seaman of California; Cpl. Sara A. Medina of Illinois, and Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Hug of Arizona have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the Nepalis, and they make me proud, once again, to be an American.

I am grateful for the leadership and dedication of Ambassador Bodde, the U.S. Embassy team in Nepal, the Department of Defense, and our service men and women for their efforts and their sacrifices to aid Nepal, Crenshaw said in conclusion. To the people of Nepal, the United States stands with you during this difficult time. To the families of the six Marines, we thank you for paying the ultimate sacrifice, and our prayers are with you during this time of loss and immeasurable sadness.