Michigan Hit Hard by Military Helicopter Crash off Florida Coast

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A Marine who graduated from a Macomb High School is among seven Marines and four soldiers who died in a helicopter crash during a nighttime training mission in heavy fog off the north Florida Gulf coast Tuesday night.

The family of Marcus Bawol, 27, confirmed that he is among the dead. Bawol’s sister, Brandy Peek, told the Associated Press military officials identified her brother from remains recovered after Tuesday night’s crash. He “loved everything about the military,” she said, and “wanted to fight” for his country.

The military was not releasing details Thursday about who was killed, but WITN-TV in Greenville, NC, reported that Trevor Blaylock, a Marine from Lake Orion, was also on the helicopter.

The status of Staff Sgt. Andrew Seif, 27, of Holland, a decorated Marine, who was also aboard the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a routine night training exercise at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, is unknown.

Warren Flags at Half-Mast

Warren Mayor Jim Fouts has ordered flags at half-staff to honor Bawol, who he recalled as well-liked, well-respected and caring.

Deployed to Afghanistan twice, Bawol will be honored at a May 8 event in Warren commemorating World War II veterans, Fouts said.

“He is one of many fallen heroes,” Fouts said. “There is no reason that I can not unite the WWII heroes of the past with the heroes of today. And clearly he is one of them.”

A 2006 graduate of Warren Mott HIgh School, Bawol played baseball and football and was a member of the swim team.

“The entire school community is deeply saddened by this tragedy and extends condolences to his family and friends,” Robert Livernois, superintendent of Warren Consolidated Schools, said in a statement. “Marcus’ service to and sacrifice for his country should always be preserved.”

He had had planned to marry Erika Lynn Hipple, formerly of Sterling Heights, in October in a ceremony in Charlevoix with a reception in East Jordan, according to the couple’s page on www.theknot.com.

The couple had met in 2004 at DeCarlos Banquet and Convention Center in Warren, where Bawol worked as a dishwasher and Hipple was a waitress. They began dating seriously in the fall of 2006 during their freshman year in college.

“It’s really sad,” said Mary Ellen Sprague, banquet director at DeCarlos. “My heart goes out to them.”

Though he only worked at DeCarlos for a few months as a teenager, Bawol “is just somebody you’re gonna always remember,” Sprague said, describing him as personable and funny.

Bawol joined the Marines in 2007. Hipple moved to North Carolina, where Bawol was based, last year. The couple bought their first home last August.

Silver Star Awarded Days Earlier

Seif, the Holland Marine, received the Silver Star, the military’s third-highest award for valor, just days before the tragedy.

In ceremonies Friday, he was cited for risking his own in under heavy enemy fire in Afghanistan in 2012 in order to save a wounded team member.

Seif is a 2006 West Ottawa High School.

The military has officially changed its response to the crash site from search-and-rescue to search-and-recovery after divers inspected the aircraft’s shattered core.

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Patch file photo