Camp Pendleton, California – Military officials identified a U.S. Marine Corps from California as one of the people killed on Sunday when a plane signed by the U.S. military crashed in a rice field in southern Philippines.
Jacob M. Durham, 22, of Sgt. Long Beach, died Thursday in a plane crash on a conventional mission, “at the request of our Philippine allies,” providing intelligence, surveillance and Reconnaissance support,” Camp Pendleton, California., said in a statement. Officials said the cause of the crash is under investigation.
Military officials said three defense contractors were also killed in the crash.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines confirmed a crash in a light aircraft in Maguindanao del Sur province. Ameer Jehad Tim Ambolodto, security officer at Maguindanao del Sur, said the bodies of the four were retrieved from the wreckage of Ampatuan town.
For decades, U.S. forces have been deployed in a Philippine military camp in the southern part of the country to help provide training and advice to Philippine forces fighting Muslim militants. The area is home to a few Muslims in the Roman Catholic country.
Provincial disaster official Windy Beaty told the Associated Press on Thursday that she received reports that residents saw smoke coming out of the plane and heard explosions, then the plane crashed from a group of farmhouses The ground is about half a mile.
Durham was trained as an electronic intelligence/electromagnetic warfare analyst assigned to the first radio battalion and I was the Maritime Expedition Information Group, officials said. He joined the Marine Corps in January 2021 and was promoted to his current ranking on February 1.
Officials said Durham’s awards include Navy and Marine Corps Recognition Medal, Marine Corps Good Behavior Medal, Department of Defense Medal, meritorious mast and Navy crew badge.
“Sergeant. Durham embodies the highest traditions of the Marines – embodying calmness, wisdom and selfless leadership. “He is deeply respected and loved by the Marines. ”
