The U.S. military has released the names of the eight U.S. Air Force crew members on board an Osprey aircraft that crashed off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan on Nov. 29 and has transitioned from search and rescue operations to search and recovery operations.
According to an Air Force release, the remains of three of the eight airmen have been recovered, the remains of another three airmen have been located and are in the process of being recovered and the remains of two Airmen are still being located.
Staff Sgt. Jake Galliher’s remains were recovered on Nov. 29. Galliher, 24, was from Massachusetts and was assigned to the 43rd Intelligence Squadron as a direct support operator.
On Tuesday, the names of the other seven were released. They are:
Maj. Jeffrey T. Hoernemann, 32, of Andover, Minnesota, was a CV-22 instructor pilot and officer in charge of training, assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
Maj. Eric V. Spendlove, 36, of St. George, Utah, was a residency-trained flight surgeon and medical operations flight commander assigned to the 1st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
Maj. Luke A. Unrath, 34, of Riverside, California, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
Capt. Terrell K. Brayman, 32, of Pittsford, New York, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
Tech. Sgt. Zachary E. Lavoy, 33, of Oviedo, Florida, was a medical operations flight chief assigned to the 1st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
Staff Sgt. Jake M. Turnage, 25, of Kennesaw, Georgia, was a flight engineer assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
Senior Airman Brian K. Johnson, 32, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, was a flight engineer assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
“In times like these, where service to our nation is not just a personal commitment but also a legacy woven into the fabric of our families, the depth of sorrow is immeasurable,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, Air Force Special Operations Command commander. “The honorable service of these eight Airmen to this great nation will never be forgotten, as they are now among the giants who shape our history.”
The Osprey had been on a routine training mission when it went down, according to the Air Force.
The transition from a rescue operation to a recovery operation occurs when the determination is made that survivors are unlikely, the Air Force said. The recovery operation will now focus on locating and recovering all remains and aircraft debris.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.