DOVER, Del. — The bodies of four Marines, including one from Indiana, who died in a military aircraft crash during a NATO exercise were transferred back to the U.S. Friday.
The U.S. Marine Corps said an Osprey aircraft crashed on March 18 in a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle, killing the four Marines. Officials with the Marines said Saturday that hundreds of U.S. Marines, sailors, service members and civilians rendered final salutes to the fallen Marines in Bodø, Norway, early Friday.
Among those killed was Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana. His family released a statement after his death that said, "Matthew provided the most selfless, patient and calming presence. He was his wife's best friend, protector and peace."
In the statement, the family added that he was "without a doubt the world's biggest Purdue and Colts fan."
The crash also killed Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, 27, of Leominster, Massachusetts; Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, 30, of Cambridge, Ohio; and Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, 24, of Catlettsburg, Kentucky.
The bodies of the Marines were then placed on board an Air National Guard military transport aircraft and flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Marine Corps officials said.
The remains of the Marines will ultimately be moved to their final resting places according to their families' wishes, officials said in a statement.
Gallery: Bodies of Marines killed in NATO exercise returned to US
The men were all assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.
They were taking part in a long-planned NATO exercise called Cold Response, which authorities said was unrelated to Russia's war in Ukraine.