Marines honor troops killed in Nepal in helicopter crash
Jun 3, 2015, 5:12 PM
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Marine Corps held a memorial service Wednesday for six Marines who were killed in a helicopter crash while helping with disaster relief in earthquake-devastated Nepal.
Hundreds of people attended the ceremony at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, to honor the six who were aboard the U.S. military’s UH-1 “Huey” that went down on a steep mountainside near the town of Charikot on May 12. Two Nepalese soldiers were also on board. The wreckage was found three days later.
The ceremony included the playing of taps and a helicopter fly-over in clear, sunny skies.
Capt. Melanie Salinas says it was a beautiful memorial service.
Four of the Marines were part of the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Pendleton. Two other Marines were combat cameramen based in Japan.
An investigation into the cause of the crash continues.
Recent earthquakes in Nepal have killed more than 8,600 people.
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