Missing Marines Identified After Crash

Missing Marines identified, from marinecorpstimes.comMarine Corps officials have identified the four officers and eight enlisted Marines missing after their two CH-53 heavy-lift helicopters crashed off the coast of Hawaii's Oahu late Thursday night.Search efforts for the two heavy-lift helicopters and the 12 men aboard continue to be hampered by a high-surf warning. Rescuers battled waves up to 30 feet Saturday, which dispersed debris and complicated the search."It makes finding things incredibly difficult," Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Scott Carr said.Initial reports from the Coast Guard indicated that the helicopters had collided, but Marine officials say the incident remains under investigation.The Marines and the aircraft are assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 based out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. They 12 missing men have been identified as follows.Campbell, 41, of College Station, Texas, has a wife and four kids, Houston's KHOU reported. His mom, Donna McGrew, said in an emailed statement to the station that, “This is not about us. This is about the families that are suffering and about all the sacrifices that our military members and their families make on a daily basis.”Campbell attended Klein High School about 30 miles northwest of Houston before enrolling at Texas A&M, where he met his wife. He accepted his commission at his graduation and became a Marine Corps aviator.

Drown, 23, of Spring, Texas, graduated from high school in 2011 and immediately enlisted in the Marines. He rose to the rank of corporal and was due to get out in November, but his sister-in-law told KHOU he was planning to re-enlist.In an emailed statement, Drown's family said they anxiously await word of the corporal's whereabouts.“We appreciate your concern for our family and respect for our privacy as we deal with this very difficult situation. Our family would like everyone to know this is not about us. This is about all the sacrifices our military members and their families make on a daily basis. We have to remain hopeful, for Matt's sake and for the lives of the 11 other Marines.”Read the full story here[mwi-cat-listing cat="94" ppp="4" cols="4" desc="false" type="view" btn_color="black" ]