A U.S. Navy officer from Oregon was lost in a helicopter crash in the Arabian Sea. Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, a native of Oakland, Oregon, was identified by the Navy as the officer who went missing after his helicopter went down during an emergency landing on July 1.
Search Efforts
The Navy conducted a 102-hour search operation covering over 14,000 square miles before suspending the search on July 5. The search involved ships and aircraft from two carrier strike groups.
Cmdr. Edwards was a 20-year veteran of the Navy and was commanding officer of the HSC-5 ‘Nightdippers’ squadron. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca, and two children.
Cmdr. Edwards was a graduate of Norfolk State University and earned his wings in 2008. He had received several awards, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
