By You have just got to feel horrible for this guy who lost his family in a F/A-18 jet crash accident:
A Korean immigrant who lost his wife, two children and mother-in-law when a Marine Corps jet slammed into the family’s house said Tuesday he did not blame the pilot, who ejected and survived.
“Please pray for him not to suffer from this accident,” a distraught Dong Yun Yoon told reporters gathered near the site of Monday’s crash of an F/A-18D jet in San Diego’s University City community.
“He is one of our treasures for the country,” Yoon said in accented English punctuated by long pauses while he tried to maintain his composure.
“I don’t blame him. I don’t have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could,” said Yoon, flanked by members of San Diego’s Korean community, relatives and members from the family’s church. [CNN via reader tip]
It is heartbreaking how young his children were that were killed in the crash:
Yoon named the victims as his infant daughter Rachel, who was born less than two months ago; his 15-month-old daughter Grace; his wife, Young Mi Yoon, 36; and her 60-year-old mother, Suk Im Kim, who he said had come to the United States from Korea recently to help take care of the children.
Fighting back tears, he said of his daughters: “I cannot believe that they are not here right now.”
“I know there are many people who have experienced more terrible things,” Yoon said. “But, please, tell me how to do it. I don’t know what to do.”
I don’t think it gets much worse then this.
Here is video of his statement to the media:
It was pretty heart wrenching when he talked about how he was afraid his father in law would never forgive him for the deaths of his daughter and wife. Just a horrible situation.
Something that kind of bothered me though was this guy was giving his statement to the media and there were jets flying over head. Couldn’t the Marine Corps at least suspend flight operations for a few days after something like this?
2:51 pm on December 10th, 2008 1
A messed up SitRep and I'm sure everyone feels for this guy, but the mission must go on.
1:01 am on December 11th, 2008 2
Maybe the wing did not know of the news conference and would have stopped flying if they had known. However, after this type of accident the A/C should have been grounded until some reason for the crash could have been provided the public. Maybe the Marines should leave the flying to the AF. This guys Christian faith will see him through – and this may be the lasting legacy for his family. Hopefully they will meet again in Heaven.
9:44 am on December 11th, 2008 3
“Maybe the Marines should leave the flying to the AF.”
Yea, lets leave it to the absolutly worst, when it comes to Close Air Support…
This…”lets stop all training mentality” is exactly whatwe do not need.
12:20 pm on December 11th, 2008 4
Wait-a-minute, CalmSeas. What exactly do you now about Close Air Support?
8:27 pm on December 11th, 2008 5
I can't believe there was some sort of halt on flights for a few days. That was disgraceful and classless that there were still flights going on during this guys heart wrenching news conference…Just a few days come on!!
11:17 pm on December 11th, 2008 6
Are the Marines flying A-10s?
2:30 am on December 12th, 2008 7
"..there were still flights going on during this guys heart wrenching news conference"
So every time a news conference is conducted everything should come to a standstill? Get real…
If it was a religous ceremony, etc., related to his loss, then I would agree, but it was a news conference, held near a MCAS…that is what they do at a MCAS…fly airplanes…
"What exactly do you now about Close Air Support?"
I was the guy on the ground controlling it…hoping that it was NOT USAF flying that sortie…next ridiculous question…
"Are the Marines flying A-10s?"
Of course not…
3:50 am on December 12th, 2008 8
@CalmSeas
If by chance you were actually "on the ground controlling it", I would expect a little more intelligence in your response. The AF does what it does best, and the Marines do what they do best. If you are actually a controller then I know you are happy as hell to hear that a B-1B or A-10 is still in your area when you need air support. The Marine Corps in all their glory have NOTHING that can even approach the loiter time offered by AF aircraft. But as a controller…you already knew that right? Back to the story at hand, and leave the service bashing to the civilians.
11:08 am on December 12th, 2008 9
"I would expect a little more intelligence in your response."
Sorry, all out…
Pete started it…
1:29 pm on December 12th, 2008 10
Copy that CalmSeas
@Pete & Capt America
Wings make their money off of flying hours. Don't make your hours, you don't get paid. Don't get paid and the pencil pushers in Washington decide you don't need that money.
F-15's weren't grounded when the first wing broke off…it took a few more to generate a pattern. The B-2's however were grounded immediately after the crash. The difference is in the price and quantity of the airframe.
The only thing the Marines or anyone else need to provide to the public is their best effort! And the pilot did that…staying with the plane and aiming for the trees in a very bad situation. Unfortunately, he couldn't coax the A/C that far.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if the location of the conference was chosen by the press in hopes of it being interrupted by a passing plane.
????? Dong Yun Yoon
9:45 am on December 13th, 2008 11
Here is a thought for all you guys out there that doesn't know. Study close Air Support. (CalmSea is exempt from this.)
Close Air Support was designed, developed, and perfected by none other that the USMC. Oorah. They are the ones that taught the Navy and USAF.
You want to talk about the best Airmen, that would be any Naval Aviator, Marine or Navy. Who else can lad on a moving match box at 175kns? Not the Air Force it's to scary.
I really feel for this guy and I pray for him and his family, but wars don't take a time-out for death. So why should our military take a time out from training. That's like going "TIME-OUT! TIME-OUT! My guns jammed you have to wait!" Cause the because the enemy will wait right? Didn't think so.
I hope I am there when him and his family ARE reunited in Heaven.
Later
Erikk