Marines identify four crewmembers who died in Norway crash

The Marine Corps on Sunday identified the pilot and three crew members who died in Norway when their MV-22 Osprey crashed during a NATO exercise.

All four Marines were based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, and were in Norway to support NATO Exercise Cold Response. The deceased are Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Capt. Ross A. Reynolds of Leominster, Massachusetts; Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy of Cambridge, Ohio; and Cpl. Jacob M. Moore of Catlettsburg, Kentucky.

“The Marine Corps assisted the Norwegian-led recovery effort,” II Marine Expeditionary Force said in a statement. “The deceased Marines were successfully removed from the crash site and are in the process of being returned to the U.S. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.”

Maj. Gen. Michael Cederholm, commanding general of 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, wrote in a letter to the Marines’ families that the pilot and crew were “serving a cause greater than themselves.”

“We will continue to execute the mission while keeping these Marines and their service on the forefront of our minds,” he said. “We will never allow these Marines’ sacrifice to go unnoticed or unappreciated. Keep these Marines and their loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.”

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