HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. Marine Corps on Saturday night released the names of Marines missing after two helicopters crashed off Hawaii. Here are their stories.
The uncle of Minnesota native Sgt. Dillon J. Semolina said the 24-year-old wanted to be a Registered Nurse when he left the Marines.
“He was waiting to hear from a school he had applied and was hoping to hear next week,” said his uncle, Ryan Banchand.
Bachand said Semolina was an impressive young man, respectful and positive. He had been a good football player at Delano, Minnesota, high school.
Bachand said the family still holds out hope that he and others missing will be found alive.
But as hopes dimmed, Bachand said he would cherish memories of spending time with Semolina when Banchand was a fishing guide in northern Minnesota.
“I was able to teach him how to fish,” he said.
A GoFundMe page to raise money to send Semolina’s parents to Hawaii to be near where Semolina went missing had raised nearly $10,000 from 226 people by late Saturday.
———
The family of one of 12 Marines missing after two helicopters crashed off Hawaii is thanking people for their prayers.
The Massachusetts State Police released a statement from Cpl. Christopher Orlando’s family on Saturday.
It says Orlando is a 23-year-old flight crew chief from Hingham, Massachusetts.
The family says it’s monitoring the search effort and is thankful for the hard work of search and rescue crews.
The Coast Guard says the search area has been expanded to include waters off Waianae in addition to Oahu’s north shore.
Two helicopters each carrying six Marines went down off Oahu’s north shore late Thursday.
The Coast Guard initially said the choppers collided. But Marine spokesman Capt. Timothy Irish says he’s not sure they collided because an investigation into the crash hasn’t been completed.
———
The family of Capt. Kevin Roche believes he was one of the Marines aboard the helicopters.
“We believe the Marines and Coast Guard are doing everything they can to bring Kevin and his fellow Marines home safely, and we are grateful to everyone involved in the rescue,” said a family statement distributed by brother-in-law Anthony Kuenzel in St. Louis.
———
The Oregonian reports that a man from Oregon is among the 12 Marines missing after two helicopters crashed off Hawaii.
The newspaper identified the man as 21-year-old Ty Hart from Stayton, Oregon. He reportedly lives on base in Hawaii with his wife.
Family friend Christina Brown described Hart as upbeat and energetic and said he enjoys nature, boating and wakeboarding.
Hart’s former high school football coach and teacher, Alan Kirby, says Hart was a positive kid who always had a smile on his face and called him a quick learner on the gridiron.
———
The official list of the missing Marines is:
— Maj. Shawn M. Campbell, 41, College Station, Texas.
— Capt. Brian T. Kennedy, 31, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
— Capt. Kevin T. Roche, 30, St. Louis, Missouri.
— Capt. Steven R. Torbert, 29, Florence, Alabama.
— Sgt. Dillon J. Semolina, 24,Chaska, Minnesota.
— Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller, 25, Gardners, Pennsylvania.
— Sgt. Jeffrey A. Sempler, 22, Woodruff, South Carolina.
— Sgt. William J. Turner, 25, Florala, Alabama.
— Cpl. Matthew R. Drown, 23, Spring, Texas.
— Cpl. Thomas J. Jardas, 22, Fort Myers, Florida.
— Cpl. Christopher J. Orlando, 23, Hingham, Massachusetts.
— Lance Cpl. Ty L. Hart, 21, Aumsville, Oregon.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
