Navy victims ID’d
Three tristate sailors among lost
The Navy has released the names of a New Jersey sailor and nine other personnel — including an IT worker from Poughkeepsie and a technician from Connecticut — killed or missing after the USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker near Singapore.
The remains of Petty Officer Kenneth Aaron Smith, a 22-year-old radar technician from Cherry Hill, NJ, were recovered a day after the Mondaymorning crash caused flooding in compartments in the ship’s rear left hull.
“Kenneth was a great young man, son, and sailor,” his father, Darryl Smith, said in a statement, NJ.com reported.
“He truly loved his fam- ily, the Navy, and his shipmates. I am incredibly proud of his service to our country. He will be greatly missed and I am thankful we had 22 wonderful years together.”
The Michigan native moved to Norfolk, Va., and later to Cherry Hill when his Navy-officer dad was transferred to Philadelphia. In 2014, he enlisted and became a third-generation sailor.
Meanwhile, Petty Officer Corey George Ingram, 28, of Poughkeepsie, was also declared missing and was remembered by locals for his sacrifice.
“We appreciate the brave men and women who are searching for Corey and his fellow sailors, and we pray they soon bring these American heroes home,” Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said.
Searchers were also still looking for Dustin Louis Doyon, 26, an electronics technician from Connecticut. Doyon’s family said Thursday that it is a very difficult time and they’re still hopeful he’ll be found.
Also identified were electronics technicians Charles Nathan Findley, 31, of Missouri, John Henry Hoagland III, 20, of Texas, Jacob Daniel Drake, 21, of Ohio and Kevin Bushell, 26, of Maryland.
Also missing were interior communications electrician Logan Stephen Palmer, 23, of Illinois, and IT worker Timothy Eckels Jr., 23, of Maryland.
The crash was the fourth accident involving an American warship this year and the second fatal collision.