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The United States Navy connected Tuesday identified Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards arsenic the missing sailor who was aboard a chopper that went down successful the Arabian Sea connected July 1.
Edwards, the commanding serviceman of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5, was missing erstwhile 3 members of the four-person MH-60S Sea Hawk chopper unit were rescued astatine oversea aft what the U.S. Navy said was an exigency h2o landing.
"The thoughts and prayers of each subordinate of the Carrier Strike Group 10 squad are with the Edwards family. While we are acold from home, our heartfelt enactment remains astatine your side," Carrier Strike Group 10 commandant Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata said successful a connection Tuesday.
Cimicata remembered Edwards arsenic a "fearless leader" whose bequest volition ne'er beryllium forgotten.
U.S. Navy identified Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards arsenic the sailor who went missing aft a MH-60S Sea Hawk chopper made an exigency landing successful the Arabian Sea past week.
U.S. Navy
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said successful a connection that helium has directed that Edwards beryllium posthumously promoted to his selected fertile of captain.
"I americium profoundly grateful to each sailor and airman who took portion successful the hunt and who proceed to enactment his family, friends, and shipmates," Cao said.
Edwards was an Oakland, Oregon, autochthonal who had served for 20 years aft earning a Bachelor of Science grade successful physics and being commissioned done the Naval ROTC.
He earned his aviator "Wings of Gold" successful 2008 arsenic a chopper aviator and served with HSC-22, HSC-84, Naval Special Warfare Group (NSWG) 4, HSC-85 and assumed bid of HSC-5 successful July of past year, according to the Navy.
The hunt for Edwards was suspended aft much than 102 hours, the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said Sunday. The cognition covered much than 14,000 quadrate miles and progressive aggregate craft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, chopper squadrons, anti-submarine squadrons and U.S. Air Force aircraft, according to the Navy.
Edwards is survived by his woman Rebecca and 2 children, the subject said.
"We are profoundly grateful to each Sailor, aviator, and Airman who devoted countless hours, bonzer skill, and unwavering determination successful the effort to bring Gabe home," Rebecca Edwards said successful a statement. "Gabe has dedicated his beingness to serving his state with honor, courage, and commitment. He led with humility, integrity, and compassion, ever putting his radical earlier himself. To those who served alongside him, helium was a respected person and mentor. To our family, helium is the emotion of my life, an bonzer begetter to his children, and the instauration of our home. His top joyousness was ever his family."
The 3 unit members who were rescued were returned to the USS George H.W. Bush, to which the chopper was assigned.
The origin of the exigency landing is nether investigation, the Navy said. There was "no indication" that the chopper was changeable down by hostile action, according to the military.
Emily Mae Czachor and Mark Osborne contributed to this report.
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Navy: U.S. chopper goes down successful Arabian Sea
U.S. chopper goes down successful Arabian Sea, unit subordinate missing, Navy says
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