1st Lieutenant Kenneth Allen: A True Hero

Yesterday we learned an F-15 fighter jet crashed over the North Sea, off the coast of England. We have since found out 1Lt. Kenneth Allen did not survive the crash. This incident is still under investigation.Col. Will Marshall, the commander of the 48th Fighter Wing, released a statement confirming the incident, along with Allen's death. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Lt. Allen, and mourn with his family and his fellow Reapers in the 493rd Fighter Squadron. The tremendous outpouring of love and support from our communities has been a ray of light in this time of darkness,” he said in the statement.Allen was the assistant chief of weapons and tactics for his unit, the 493rd Fighter Squadron. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2017 and had just reported to RAF Lakenheath in February. Allen is survived by his wife, he who married in February as well, in order to bring her to England with him.Shortly after the crash was reported yesterday morning, search and rescue teams deployed to locate the wreckage. The United Kingdom Coast Guard aided the search. Allen was flying an F-15C, which has been in use by the military since the 1970s.While there are reports of sounds going off on a NATO channel just before the crash, the investigation is still pending. No additional details have been released at this time.Allen was only 27 years old when he died. Our hearts go out to the family and new bride of 1Lt. Kenneth Allen as they deal with their loss. We can only hope the investigation provides the answers needed.We will publish additional details if they come to light. Check back to AmericanGrit.com for updates.