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Kentucky man among 4 US Marines killed in NATO exercise crash

Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, 24, of Catlettsburg, Kentucky, has been identified as one of the four Marines killed in the NATO exercise crash Friday night.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Marine Corps has identified the four Marines who died when their Osprey aircraft crashed Friday night in a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle during a NATO exercise.

The exercise is unrelated to Russia's war in Ukraine, authorities said Saturday.

The men, all assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing stationed on Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, were identified as:

  • Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  • Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, 27, of Leominster, Massachusetts.
  • Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, 30, of Cambridge, Ohio.
  • Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, 24, of Catlettsburg, Kentucky.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb release this statement about the death of Cpl. Tomkiewicz:

“Janet and I send our sincere condolences to Captain Matthew Tomkiewicz's family and friends, especially in the tough days ahead. We ask all Hoosiers to surround the family with love and never-ending appreciation for all Captain Tomkiewicz gave to our state and nation.”

Credit: U.S. Marine Corps, Capt. Katrina Herrera
Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27 of Fort Wayne, Ind. is one of four Marines who died when their Osprey aircraft crashed Friday night in a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle during a NATO exercise. Cpl. Tomkiewicz served as an MV-22B Osprey pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26.

In a statement issued Sunday night, a Marine Corps spokesman said the bodies were removed from the crash site and were in the process of being returned to the U.S.

RELATED: Four dead after US Marine plane crashes in Norway

The cause of the crash remained under investigation, but Norwegian police reported bad weather in the area.

Officials in Norway said the MV-22B Osprey crashed in Graetaedalen in Beiarn, south of Bodoe.

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