CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Military officials confirmed the tragic death of a U.S. Marine from California, one of four individuals who perished in a plane crash contracted by the U.S. military in a rice field in the southern Philippines.
Sgt. Jacob M. Durham was killed on Thursday when an aircraft, engaged in a routine mission for “intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support at the request of our Philippine allies,” went down. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
Details regarding Durham’s age and hometown were not disclosed in the announcement, and further inquiries for this information have not yet been answered.
Alongside Sgt. Durham, three defense contractors also lost their lives in the incident.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines validated the crash of a light aircraft in Maguindanao del Sur province, with recovery operations successfully retrieving the bodies from the wreckage in Ampatuan town, according to safety officer Ameer Jehad Tim Ambolodto.
For several decades, U.S. forces have collaborated with the Philippine military, providing essential training and guidance to combat Muslim militants in the largely Roman Catholic nation.
Reports indicate that local residents witnessed smoke billowing from the plane and heard an explosion before it crashed less than a kilometer from nearby farmhouses, according to Windy Beaty, a provincial disaster-mitigation officer.
Sgt. Durham served as an electronic intelligence/electromagnetic warfare analyst with the 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group. He joined the Marine Corps in January 2021 and achieved the rank of Sergeant on February 1.
His commendations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, a Meritorious Mast, and Naval Aircrew Insignia.
“Sgt. Durham represented the finest values of the Marine Corps, showcasing composure, intelligence, and selfless leadership,” stated Lt. Col. Mabel B. Annunziata, commanding officer of the 1st Radio Battalion. “He was highly respected and cherished by his fellow Marines.”