A Woodruff man is among the missing in the crash of two Marine helicopters off the coast of Hawaii. According to reps from the U.S. Marine Corps, he is 22-year-old Sergeant Jeffrey A. Sempler.
The AP reports the U.S Marine Corps released the names of the 12 missing Marines late Saturday night. They are:
– 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.
Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Timothy Irish says the search continues for 12 Marines missing after their helicopters went down off Oahu late Thursday.
He said Saturday that the search will likely last for several more days.
Three teams of 10 Marines each are combing the shoreline for any debris that may wash up.
Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Scott Carr said Thursday that search and rescue crews found military aircraft debris across a wide section of ocean off Oahu’s North Shore. He says high surf was dispersing the debris.
The Coast Guard initially reported the choppers had collided. Irish says he doesn’t know whether it was a collision because the investigation hasn’t been completed.
