Marine who died trying to save crew in fiery Osprey crash to receive service’s top noncombat medal

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Arlington, Virginia, family whose son made the ultimate sacrifice for his V-22 Osprey crew will be honored with the Navy and Marine Corps’ highest noncombat honors. Cpl. Spencer Collart, 21, was on a Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey during a military exercise in Australia last year when the aircraft crashed. Based on the testimony of a commander who saw him escape and gear they found unburned outside the aircraft, Collart escaped the crash but “heroically reentered the burning cockpit of the aircraft in an attempt to rescue the trapped pilots.” That’s according to the official Marine Corps investigation, which found “he perished during this effort.” For his heroism, Collart is being awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.