Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, a Marine from Guernsey County was among four killed during a NATO training exercise Friday night.
Speedy, 30, of Cambridge, Ohio, served as an administrative specialist with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing stationed on Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.
According to the Marine Corps., Speedy joined the Marines in June 2009 and his decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars, the Marin Corps Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and several other decorations.
In addition to Speedy, the three other Marines who died in the accident were:
Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana
Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, 27, of Leominster, Massachusettes
Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, 24, of Catlettsburg, Kentucky
The plane was a V-22B Osprey that belongs to the U.S. Marine Corps, Norway’s armed forces said.
The aircraft had a crew of four and was out on a training mission in Nordland County” in northern Norway, according to a statement.
In a statement released Sunday, the Marine Corps said the deceased will be reunited with their families through a dignified transfer in the coming days.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.