Last Monday, the U.S. Navy honored two pilots who died when their jet crashed near Mount Rainier. Both of the women were 31 years old and lived in California. People know them for being fearless, hard-working, and doing great things at work.
The crash happened during a training flight for an EA-18G Growler. The pilots were Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans, who was a Mission Officer in the Navy, and Lt. Serena N. Wileman, who was an Aviator in the Navy. The “Zappers” were the name of Electronic Attack Squadron 130. Their main office was at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington.
Navy sources say the accident happened last Tuesday during a regular training flight. Search crews began looking for the wreckage the next day, some 6,000 feet above sea level in a remote, wooded area of the Cascade Mountains. The search was especially arduous because the weather was terrible and the land was rocky. The Navy formally changed its mission from search-and-rescue to recovery on Sunday, saying that both pilots had died.
Timothy Warburton, who is in charge of the Zappers, issued a real message:
“We are really sad to have lost two of our most beloved squadron members. Right now, our top focus is to keep our workers and the Growler community safe and aid their families. Thanks to everyone who helped us securely get their bodies back.
People thought that Lt. Cmdr. Evans was going to be a big deal in Navy aviation. He came into the world in Palmdale, California. She was one of the women that flew over Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023. This was 50 years after women first started going to Navy flying school. Her accomplishments inspired other women to join the military and made them feel like they could do more.
In 2018, Serena Wileman joined the Navy and was put in charge of the Zappers squadron. She is also from California. She got a lot of awards when she was in the service, like the Combat Action Ribbon, the Navy Unit Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. People who worked with her said she was dedicated, brave, and honest, just like the Navy taught her to be.
The Navy asked Washington’s National Guard to help keep the area around the accident scene safe, according to Governor Jay Inslee. He agreed, which meant that the recovery efforts could keep going.
There is still an investigation going on to find out what caused the crash. The Navy hasn’t revealed anything about what they think happened yet, but they have pledged to perform a thorough and thorough investigation to figure out what went wrong and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
The EA-18G Growler is very important to the Navy’s mission. In 2008, the F/A-18F Super Hornet was manufactured for the first time as a modified version for electronic warfare. There is a pilot and an electronic warfare officer on each jet. The goal is to stop enemy radar and communications, which makes it safer for other planes in battle. Each Growler costs about $67 million and has been used for important missions all over the world.
The Navy claimed the plane was
“The Navy’s first line of defense in dangerous areas and the most advanced tool for electronic attacks from the air.”
Since the event, a lot of individuals have paid their respects. Senator Patty Murray from Washington said she was really sad. She had met Lt. Cmdr. Evans when she went to Whidbey Island and praised her for being bold and dedicated.
Murray said, “She was a trailblazer who made history.” “I am pleased of both women and the fields they work in that pushed the limits. They’ve made it easier for the next batch of women who want to join the military. She also said she felt bad for the family of Lt. Wileman.
The tragedy has had a huge effect on the Navy community. Both women were tremendous role models and leaders for women who desired to be combat pilots. Their skills, enthusiasm, and drive still inspire the people they worked with and those who will come after them.
There is a lot of pain on Whidbey Island. Two adolescent pilots died, which is a tragic reminder of how deadly military training can be. The Zappers have always been close, and now recovery teams are working hard to retrieve as much as they can from the crash site. Officials think it will take a while because the conditions are bad.
The most important thing is not how Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay Evans and Lt. Serena Wileman died, but how they lived. Wileman’s many awards showed that she was dedicated to her career and did a fantastic job. People will remember Evans as a pioneer who opened up aviation jobs to women.
Both women were the greatest in the Navy: brave, forward-thinking, and selfless. It’s unfortunate that they’re gone, but their memory will live on. The Navy and the country will always be grateful for what they accomplished for us