Navy Calls off Search for USS McCain Sailors, Identifies the Dead and Missing
By Debbie Gregory.
As search and rescue efforts at sea were suspended for the nine missing John S. McCain sailors, the Navy identified the sailor whose remains were located inside the ship’s flooded compartments as Electronic Technician 3rd Class Kenneth Aaron Smith, 22, of New Jersey. Smith was a third-generation sailor.
Divers will continue recovery efforts inside flooded compartments in the ship for the remaining missing sailors. The Navy identified the missing as:
- Electronics Technician 2nd Class Kevin Sayer Bushell, 26, from Maryland joined the Navy soon after graduating high school.
- Electronics Technician 3rd Class Dustin Louis Doyon, 26, from Connecticut was an avid skier and runner.
- Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jacob Daniel Drake, 21, from Ohio recently received a Navy and Marine Corps achievement medal for going above and beyond the call of duty during an inspection.
- Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Timothy Thomas Eckels Jr., 23, from Maryland enjoyed the outdoors, including hiking, kayaking and working out.
- Electronics Technician 1st Class Charles Nathan Findley, 31, from Missouri. His love of computers made his choice of electronics technician a natural fit.
- Electronics Technician 3rd Class John Henry Hoagland III, 20, from Texas was recent high school graduate.
- Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Corey George Ingram, 28, from New York, was, according to friends, very outgoing and always willing to lend a hand.
- Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Abraham Lopez, 39, from Texas. Lopez was responsible for keeping the ship’s communication lines open.
- Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Logan Stephen Palmer, 23, from Illinois enjoyed bass fishing and whitewater rafting.
The McCain has been towed to Singapore’s Changi Naval Base. The other ship, the Alnic MC, a 600-foot, Liberian-flagged oil and chemical tanker, was towed to Singapore’s eastern anchorage for inspection.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of these brave men.
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